Wow - these kids.
Wy Guy
- is 16 & heading into his Junior year
- is owning learning to drive a stick shift
- working a real part time job
- while he's not playing football for the first time in 8 years, he is still making music and joining the tennis team
- gets his hands dirty and my freezer filled hunting, fishing and frog gigging
- taller than his momma & still growing
Sis
- is 15 & heading into her Sophomore year
- started driving
- working her first summer job
- swimming competitively (high school team & local swim club)
- speech team superstar
- starring in her first community theatre role in a couple of months (local peeps - come see Peter Pan at Eastlight Theatre!!!)
- not taller than her momma :-)
Beebo
- is 10 & heading into 6th grade
- swimming competitively year round with local swim club
- basketball stud (fingers crossed for making the Jr High team this year)
- joined the school band
- can't get enough time in the kitchen - kid can cook!
- almost taller than his momma & definitely still growing
Ess
- turned 3 in March and starts preschool in August
- is quite the tumbling class superstar
- is learning to overcome her fear of the water & swim
- loves being anywhere the rest of the kids are
- growing like a weed, going from 18 months to 3-4T clothes in the past 14 months
Enn
- turned 1 in April and is small BUT fierce
- started walking at 9 months
- is holding out on teeth... still only has 2 but eats everything
- is a complete momma's girl, bordering on a momma's leech
- sleeps through the night... FINALLY! Can I get a hallelujah!?!
My heart is full.
I love kids. I'd have a ton if I could. I mean, like challenge the Duggars, kind of ton. (Darn my pragmatist husband!) So, adding a couple of littles to the mix last spring was like a dream come true.
9 months later... WHEW! I. Am. Tired.
I underestimated my ability to keep up with them all - a baby (we could stop there with 'nuff said), a 2 year old (again, need I go further?), 3 in at least one sport/extracurricular activity at all times (but often two!), none of them driving, additional doctors' appointments, meetings, court dates, a full time job, a husband constantly traveling for work over the last year, doing ANYTHING at all with this blog, and, oy, all those pets (although Chancho the snake has helped twice by lessening his need for care via escape).
I've loved every minute of it, okay, nearly every minute. But the stress is still outweighed by the fullness it all brings to my heart, without a doubt. I am loving this season of my life. There will come a day when I need to make friends and get out of the house for myself, but not now. I'm okay with squeaking in one-on-one time with the kids while grocery shopping. I enjoy my "alone time" in the 5 minute drive from daycare to my office each morning. I hate being away from them. In fact, my heart aches and my stomach turns with each passing day that brings us closer to the next court date, knowing that our current family structure could change in a minute.
I know that the girls may not stay.
I know that was always the plan.
I know we've done right by them.
I know my 3 original kids are changed for the better.
I know we all love these girls, fiercely, just as they deserve.
I know that whether they stay or they go, we will still love them.
So, no matter what the future looks like, I've got an incredible family and that won't change, no matter where they all are. No matter what.
