Life With Three Kids


Well, here I am again!  Every so often I get the urge to write; usually when I've just read something I wrote about in the past and thus remember something I would have otherwise completely forgotten. Also, it turns out that writing has a similar affect on me as eating chocolate does, without all the extra calories and guilt. Win-win.

My life has drastically changed in the last three months.  I now homeschool a fourth grader, try to entertain my four-year-old while sneaking in some preschool work when he's not looking (he gets suspicious if he thinks he's actually learning), and somehow balance the needs of a 3-month-old. Plus the other housework and wife stuff added in for good measure around the edges. I'm not bored fo' sho!

Here are some highlights of what thrills me these days:

I'm so thankful that Eden sleeps through the night now! My sanity has returned, and with it some semblance of clear thinking. I still have moments where I lock myself in the bathroom, shovel Hershey's kisses into my mouth, and wonder what on earth I got myself into with these kids, but for the most part I'm able to deal.  Thanks to large doses of God's Word and seven-ish hours of sleep at night. And coffee. 

The boys will start a new soccer season, Lord-willing, next week.  Seth can hardly contain himself--he gets to play this season!!  He has spent the better part of his life being carted to Noah's soccer practices and games where he had to sit on the sidelines, and now it's finally his turn.  The league was short on coaches, so it looked like Seth wouldn't get to play unless some brave soul stepped forward to volunteer.  We prayed about this, and still no coach surfaced, so Josh took pity and stepped up.  I am so thankful he did!  Makes me proud of him to see a need and a desire in his little boy and sacrifice his time to meet the need.

This winter has been more like spring than usual.  We've been enjoying beautiful days with temps in the 70's. It's weather like this that reminds me what a blessing it is to live in Florida.  

God has been very real to me over the last few months.  Nothing like having a baby to make me remember where my strength is, and it's not in me!  Three kids, all at very different stages of life, is a challenge!  Noah needs constant (like daily, hourly, and minute-ly) reminders of what he should be doing at any given moment ("But I practiced the piano yesterday!").  His homework needs to be checked, he desperately needs handwriting help, and sometimes he could teach a mule a thing or two about stubbornness.  How can I help him without blowing a gasket unless God is helping me? God has reminded me that I need constant intervention and correction too (Didn't He just show me yesterday that yelling is wrong? And here I am doing it again!), and yet He is so patient with me. And Seth: lost somewhere in the middle between Noah's academic progress and Eden's next feeding.  Often I feel like I'm neglecting him.  And Eden, who is a very sweet baby, but comes with the requisite frequent feedings and blowout diaper changes.  God is in it all, from the big life-changer moments to the mundane dailies.  It's all a big deal to Him, and He's helping me see He's there with me, giving me grace at every turn.

As usual, I would say I hope from now on to be more regular in my blog posting.  Also as usual, I am realistic enough to know that life doesn't always lend itself to sitting down to quietly type out my thoughts.  At least not during this stage of life!  So while I would love to blog, bake, have people over for coffee, clean my house, work on art projects, read fiction, crochet, exercise off these last 8 pounds of baby weight, and keep a lovely yard, how about I just start by being thankful that this blog post got written?  Baby steps.


Comments

Marmee said…
Congratulations, you are doing great! It is wonderful to see pictures of the kids....keep listening to God's whispers of guidance and enjoy the sound of laughter that should be in a home with children!!
February 23, 2017 at 6:09 PM
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