Laundry Day

Look what we found under the laundry.

No, just kidding.  Chelsi fell asleep on the chair in our room while we were cleaning house.  That chair is where I dump the clothes out of the dryer so I can fold.  I thought I’d wake her since it wasn’t naptime yet anyways, but no, no she stayed asleep laundray and all.

Jobs done and babies resting

Games are done now, so that’s a load off and will give Brian some rest he very badly needs.  I offer to go for him so he can stay with the littles, but he wants to be the one to see his sons play, so he only let me go to one.  It’s hard to deny him that.

I was a little stressed about more work on the house tonight.  It wasn’t a big job, but nothing ever seems big until you get into it.  So, grandma watched the kids so mom and dad could paint the kitchen in peace.  We finished tearing off the wallpaper this week and sprayed the lower wall with knockdown last night.  Then the few pieces of wallpaper left are not visible at all.  It really does look good.  Can’t wait to get the trim back up.  Then we ate a bite and went to pick the kids up.  We were completely done within a couple of hours, so not near as bad as I was really expecting.  I’ll be thrilled when the house is done, inside and out and we can just live without thinking what needs to be done next or what’s in the way or are they going to go over the bid.

The boys are in bed and the girls are watching a movie.  We hung a little curtain on the loft so they’d have a little hideout in Chelsi’s bed.  They thought it was pretty neat.

Picture from tonight.

Time for a Change

We have gone from Then Came Two Boys and Two Girls to Life in the Parent Lane. 

I feel like the previous title was more for when we were in family transition....adding kids and such, but now we're in a 'we're done' phase and onto parenting.  No concentrations on adoptions and babies, just normal parental life or what we hope will be.  You'd think we'd know after 11 years, but it's an ever changing job.

What one kid doesn't have happen, decide to try or the likes thereof, one of the other three will.  If it hasn't happened yet, I'm fairly certain most things (normal childhood anyways) will.

So, since, I'd been veering this way for awhile, I thought it would be good to change the title to fit.

Lisa

The Three Bears song by Kaelin and Chelsi

Kaelin and Chelsi singing the "Three Bears" song in Korean

This is kind of a Korean nursery rhyme that someone was nice enough to post on youtube with the words (Korean) spelled out so that I could learn it and teach the girls. Chelsi now starts singing it all the time.....mostly in the shower. LOL!

Lisa

My lesson for the day

We get to take classes every so often at work, so today I took one on attitudes.  It doesn't just focus on the workplace, but home too. 

I realized today that I didn't handle the stuff that happened this year as badly as I first thought.  I'm sure some close to me might judge on the days that were bad when I was in a bad mood with everything going on at once, but if any one of those people put themselves in my place for just a second, I don't think they'd be so judgemental.  I know there are people who have been or are going throughg more harsh times than what we've been through this year.  I remember that when something happens and remember how blessed I am that it's not worse.  Regardless of what others close to me think, on my bad days, I'm allowed a bad day here and there.  I'm allowed to be a little grouchy the day after my youngest baby has a seizure and scares the crap out of me.  I'm allowed a little slack.  Give it to me!

All in all, I was scared through all of it; Brian's accident, Cole's appendectomy (a little) and Chelsi's seizure, I handled it well.  I tried my best to keep the positive thoughts coming through as the scary ones kept creeping into my conscious.  I reminded myself daily how lucky I was.  When Brian was paralyzed, I reminded myself he was still here.  When he could walk and not move his hands, I reminded myself he could walk and most can't.  I'm not perfect, I know that.  However, the person probably hardest on me, is me.  I don't allow myself any give.  So, when others make comments to make me feel weak through this, it makes it that much harder on me.  I come down even harder on myself.  Shame on me for not believing in myself and my strength. 

I'm glad we had this class today.  I needed to see this in myself.  I need to be able to relax and not think I'm always wrong in the way I handle life. 

So, if you're reading this and a friend or family member of yours is or has gone through some rough times and they were a little on edge (sometimes to say the least), don't judge them until you've realistically put yourself in their place.  Give them some space and some room to feel the way they feel.  We all deserve that.  It might be your turn some time down the road....how will you handle it?

 Lisa

More pictures from Florida

Since I had left the batter to my camera at the condo the day we went to Sea World I was dependent o mom and M for some of our pictures.  Here are some of the ones from M.

The girls while mom, dad, Chase and Cole road Journey to Atlantis.

This kids getting to pet the dolphins in Dolphin Cove.

Awe baby, I love you too

I was trying to organize our photos now that I have so many to put away from vacation.  I've been needing to do it for awhile, but time never allows, so I'm doing it in increments.

I was sitting on the floor going through the pictures and Chelsi walks up to me, hugs me and says "mommy I love you so much".  I think that is the sweetest thing any of my kids can do or say.  She just wanted to say it.  She is my little angel, without a doubt.

One very lucky mommy, Lisa