Bye Bye..

Well I did it, Friday I got rid of my baby maker! I have to say it was much worse than I anticipated but that was mostly due to some other repairs that I had to have done. I will spare you the details, just know that having 5 big babies will demolish your body. SO everything is all removed, suspended and or tightened and I am SORE and tired.
I will say if you think their is no modestly in child birth than do NOT have a hysterectomy! It was worse than childbirth. People prodding, touching, asking questions. Men have no idea how easy they have it. I must have said that to my husband a hundred times. It is true though, men have no clue what a woman must go through from periods and childbirth to hormones and hysterectomies! I would not trade it for the world, well at least not the pregnancy/childbirth part, but I am glad to have it behind me.

Why I am looking forward to having an organ removed..

Let me just say today was one of "those" days. You know the ones where you have a great plan for everything and then God smacks your plans in the face and says "Not today?", yeah those days. i guess to be fair it has been building up for a few weeks now and it just all came to a head.
Tonight I am fairly certain that not only am I ready to have a hysterectomy on Friday but I am EXCITED to do it, because sadly it will give me a peaceful night away from home. Sad huh?? Yeah it's come to that. Lets just recap the last few weeks shall we?

1. Started WAY to many home projects and now my OCD is telling me I must finish them all and have a clean house by surgery day.

2. Really sick baby that required 2 trips to the pediatrician and 2, yes 2 ER visits. Also includes 3 completely sleepless nights.

3. 3 year old with strep throat

4. Trying to line up babysitting, meals, chores for after surgery. I will be unable to lift anything for 2 weeks!

5. Trying to complete all needed paperwork, school enrollment etc. for M

6. husband that is working extra 24 hr. shifts because his side job is being destroyed by 31 straight days of temps. over 100

7. Trampoline broke - i know seems small but kids are sad

8. My parents are headed out of state Monday for 6 weeks for my dads cancer treatments.

9. 6 year old requiring an ER visit for 3 stitches in the chin after running in the house and face planting on tile.

10. My car air conditioning has a problem so it will only blow one speed. It isn't high :(

Hmm.. I think that is it, well besides the every day laundry, cleaning, cooking, diaper changing, teenager hauling stuff I usually do. It seems I have hardly had a moments peace and while I love my children and my job as a stay at home mom, I am TIRED. So sad as it may be I am actually looking forward to having an organ removed just so I can have a few minutes alone :)

Teens and toddlers

Can I be honest? It is hard having teens and toddlers. People see us and see the two teenagers and say things like "oh, you have your hands full but at least you have these helpers." and usually they are good helpers but they are not adults, they are still children. I honestly don't ever want them to feel as though they are "raising" their younger siblings, after all my husband and I are the ones who chose to have all the kids not them. Don't get me wrong I do expect them to help but I never want to overdo it or make them resent the younger kids.

That being said it is a difficult balance.It is hard to find things everyone wants to do. I always feel like someone is missing out, either we are shuttling the big kids places or going to a place the smaller children enjoy and the teens are bored.

I feel stressed some days, especially in the summer trying to keep everyone happy and occupied. I don't want anyone to look back on their child/teen years with anything but fond memories. Some days I really struggle with guilty feelings for having kids so spread out.

I know their are other families like ours but I don't personally know any and I am still trying to figure out how to make this all work.

15 months

This happy little man is 15 months old. He is into everything, making sure to keep up with his brothers. He loves balls, milk, being outside, swimming, phones and he gets great pleasure out of taking his Grandpas glasses off. He counts one, two, three then runs across the room and jumps into your arms, he eats anything offered to him, is known to swat the hand of his older brothers when he feels his space is being invaded, he has an affinity for babies and adores rides on golf carts and tractors. I am pretty sure he holds a special place in everyones heart, i know he does in mine.

Happiness is..

A tractor and Grandpa's lap. This boy LOVES his Grandpa and I am pretty sure his Grandpa feels the same way. Almost nothing makes my heart melt more than seeing my Daddy with my children! He is such an amazing man and I am so glad my children have him in their lives.

Are you an Epic Parent?

My former pastor Chris Spradlin has a new blog about parenting that will blow you away! His insights are amazing! I appreciate how he chooses to be real about his parenting failures and offer insights on how we can all make wiser decisions when it comes to our children. Check it out at http://www.epicparent.tv/ and follow him on twitter as well at Epicparent

Hot and tired

That pretty much sums up my life the last few days. I has been record braking hot here this month with temps over 100 all of July. It makes it hard to do anything with the kids because its just too hot for the things we usually enjoy. To top it off Krews has been battling a nasty ear infection and virus and has not been sleeping, which means I have not been sleeping either.

Last night we made our second ER trip this week and finally got some pain relief for him and he slept from 3 am to 8 am!! He is still feeling under the weather but is hopefully on the road to recovery.

No if it will just cool off so I can get these other rowdy boys out of the house to run and jump!