Food for Thought...

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I always try to stop and think of a few things that I am thankful for each year, but I have to admit that I usually take a lot more for granted than I acknowledge my gratitude for. The other day I stumbled across this blog and it knocked me flat on my fanny. I sat in my chair by the window reading the posts on this site and sobbing hysterically. In the aftermath, I find myself much more grateful this year than I have ever been in my life. Because I realize all that I have to be thankful for. This sweet mother who lost her 7 month old baby to a liver disease (I think) puts it so well when she says that she would give anything to have spit up in her hair again. How many times have I lost my temper over stupid things like being spit up on? At least I still have the precious baby that spit up on me!

So, on this Thanksgiving Holiday, I will hug each one of my kids a little tighter. I will breath in the smell of my sweet little Owen as he is snuggled on my shoulder. I will not get frustrated at changing the twelfth poopy diaper of the day, or changing my clothes for the third time after being spit up on. I will cherish every quiet moment I have to hold and rock my little baby who will only be little for so long. I will remember to breathe when something doesn't go quite how I would like it to. I will try really hard not to yell at my kids for doing something that (though it may be irritating) is not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things! Most of all, I will remember to thank my gracious Father in Heaven for giving me these four rambunctious, funny, adorable, HEALTHY spirits to raise and enjoy.

I hope you all can take a minute to be thankful for all that you have as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Being a Mother of FOUR...

So, when we found out we were expecting our fourth child...I must admit, I had NO IDEA what was in store! For me, adjusting to the birth of my second child was much more difficult than adjusting to the birth of my third. So, with that in mind, I assumed that adding a fourth would be similar to adding the third...well, we all know what assuming does!! I love my little Owen...but he really likes to be held...and he really likes to suck...but he won't take a binky...so he spends a lot of time sucking on my finger! (I know it's a little weird, but I always make sure my hands are clean and it is often the only thing that will sooth him...whatever works, right??)

I used to feel like I was able to stay on top of household things, like laundry and dishes and vacuuming...NOT ANYMORE!! My laundry room is OVERFLOWING with dirty clothes, the counter top is OVERFLOWING with dirty dishes and my floor is COVERED in dog hair! I can manage to get the clothes clean (with a LOT of help from my laundry fairy, Dillon) but it seems impossible to get it all folded and put away! I can get a load of dishes into the dishwasher and started, but then I cook another meal and the counter fills again before I can get the first batch unloaded and put away. And vacuuming...we won't even go there! My Grandma used to have an embroidered sign that hung in her house that said, "My house was clean yesterday...sorry you missed it!" and it never made much sense to me because I remember her house was always clean! Now I get it! She raised four children too! As I type this, I am holding a squeaking baby and typing with one hand!

So, maybe I will invest in a whole lot of disposable dishes...and maybe we will all just have to wear dirty clothes...at least for the next 6 months or so! Good thing this squeaky baby is so cute! He makes it all worth it!!