Every time I ask myself, "Could I get any busier?" things have a strange way of becoming just that...busier. I need to remind myself to enjoy the moments before I completely whig out over the stress. Here's a sample of the things that have been going on (and are still ongoing) since my last post...
The snowball of activity started Monday when my 2nd daughter had a 2nd and then immediately a 3rd interview at Chick-fil-A. She was hired and started work Wednesday. After the interview we stopped at Walgreens where I received a call from her driving instructor (from class 3 months ago) asking if she and brother could start their behind-the-wheel driving time Tuesday. That meant 2 more trips a day out of the house. Plus her work trips now. Great timing.
Simultaneously we are doing the "musical chairs" with all the bedroom occupants changing. I am still in the throes of sewing formal vests for 4 guys...2 of my sons and 2 friends. Those have been so tedious and time-consuming...but they do look SWEET! I will be posting pictures from the banquet for sure, so come back after Wednesday night.
Imagine the belongings of 7 children strewn in piles, boxes, and bags all over the house. We've mostly gotten the 2 youngest boys installed in their room, but we didn't do any painting or closet renovations for them...yet. It's the catch 22...so and so can't more their stuff because one of the other so and so's stuff is still in their closet/room...rinse and repeat over and over.
In anticipation of my oldest moving back home, we are switching around all the children's bedrooms. My oldest son had a room to himself which will be converted to my oldest daughter's room. Said son will move in with next son. Two youngest boys will share another bedroom (there are only 4 children's bedrooms). The 3 younger girls (17, 14, and 11) will share what was formerly the 3 younger boys' room. Has anyone really read this far? Did I lose you yet? The girls wanted a facelift in their new room, so my wonderful husband is doing major changes in the closet innards, plus "stretching" the closet door opening to accommodate a mirrored door. He installed that last night. Susanna has been busily painting the room...it's about 3/4 finished. New blinds are waiting patiently on the floor, to be installed later. My DH steam cleaned the carpets on Friday night.
We actually went to someone's home for dinner Friday night. How fun was that?? The added time-consumer there was making several dishes to take amongst all the other activities.
My children had friends over that night. Son #3 had a birthday Saturday, so son #2 and friend planned an overnight campout/air soft war (that began after 11 PM on Friday) and had several friends over for that. I got to cook lunch for 15 the next day after they got back from the campout, dirty, sweaty, exhausted, and really excited from all the fun the previous night. Violin recital that night for 2 of the boys. One of my daughters wasn't feeling too well, so I stayed home and SEWED A VEST (my extra activity this whole week...you'd think I was making 100 of those).
Some time on Saturday my 2nd son was called to come in for an interview Tuesday at the same restaurant that my daughter works at...he is really excited about that...just another item on the social calendar for me (but I can hardly believe he has this opportunity--he is just 16).
Sunday at 5 AM I awaken to someone in my bathroom with the light on. Why would one of the children be in there? I had earplugs in, so I didn't hear them come in. It was still very dark out, so I guess the light woke me up. I removed the earplugs to hear an all-too-familiar wretching noise (sorry to the faint-hearted)...one of my children (yet unknown as to whom) was really ill. I was wondering why said sicko was in MY bathroom. Came to find out mere moments later that the same despised wretching sound was coming from the hall bathroom, next door down from our bedroom. It was the two recital boys. I assumed that they had eaten something at the practice that had been spoiled or whatever. I held to that theory until an hour later when one of the girls started the same routine...but she hadn't been at the practice. This was NOT looking good!! Only one more child bit the dust in that way. I found out that daughter #3's friend (who stayed overnight Friday and was here a good part of the day Saturday) had the same malady, and it had started a couple hours earlier than ours did. The other 3 guests at our house escaped the plague, thankfully.
Needless to say, all these activities occurring simultaneously are wreaking havoc with my peace of mind at times. But at the same time, they are not. I am thankful for a large, busy family and the best husband in the world. He works so hard and so long for our family, and has my undying gratitude.
I keep hoping that after the bedroom moves are finalized, that last vest is sewn, the awards banquet is behind us, driving practice is over, etc., etc., that life will slow down.
But wouldn't I be bored then??
~Joan
Wes and Emily...
Our 4 youth-group-aged children (L to R) Luke, Emily, Susanna, and Benjamin.
