Here's to 2013!

  Do you compile a list of New Year's Resolutions?  If so, do you write the list down somewhere you can frequently access it in order to assess your progress or do you mentally make notes on what you want to change/improve for the year ahead?  I must admit that I do the latter - and now after giving life to 7 children, well, let's be honest, my memory is horrific!  So, this year I decided to use my beautiful leather journal my husband gave me (almost 2 years ago!) to pen my resolutions for the year ahead.  As I sat pondering what I needed to change before I made fun goals for myself (such as being published in a children’s magazine), I quickly became a bit depressed in noting how I have SO MUCH to transform!

Last year about this time, I composed a blog entry regarding my resolution to post at least 3 times per week on my little blog.  As I look back over my entries for 2012, I fell horribly short of that goal!  What other “goals” did I not achieve this past year?  I am sure I would have an accurate record had I actually written down the ideas!  The only record I have is marked in my blog entry last January!   And I as sit here thinking about all of my inadequacies as a wife, mother, and teacher, well, I do not know fully where to begin my list of resolutions for 2013 or better yet, why try?! 

Are you overwhelmed at beginning another year or do you feel revived and refreshed knowing that it is a clean slate for whatever lies ahead?  I am at first flabbergasted as to how I will accomplish the changes I need to make in my life but then I realize that I can do nothing in and of myself and that kinda relieves me.  God doesn’t expect the Christian to manage life by herself for He expects her, or rather desires that she would rely upon HIM.  So, what have I been fretting about?!  I can make a list of New Year’s Resolutions and anticipate failure (or as my tween son would say, anticipate an “Epic Fail”) for each of my goals if I do not ask God to help me in achieving those goals.  Whew, isn’t that mind-opening?  Not really but why do I have to remind myself that I am not Wonder-Woman?  Although I have the Converse sneakers and a T-shirt that say otherwise – (Merry Christmas, Mommy! J).  It’s because I really do want to be Wonder-Woman, do everything on my own, and ask help from no one.  But, that is my PRIDE – such an ugly word.  I must first rid myself of the pride and then compose some resolutions for the New Year.  Hmm….

OK, 2013, I can do this!  I will seek God’s face to aid me in realizing the goals/resolutions I have set forth and I will strive to have no regrets with how I live my life as a Christian wife, mother, and teacher.  Seven days have already passed in this New Year and I’ve already failed on my attempts of transformation, however, all of those were done in vain as I did not fully recognize my Creator and the help He provides.  Today is Monday, almost noon, and I am ready to work on those New Year’s Resolutions.  So, here’s to 2013 – good luck, everyone, on your resolutions!!!

Happy Father's Day

On Father's Day we take time to pause and reflect on the life lessons that our fathers taught us while growing up and we thank them for the love and support they've given to us throughout the years.  However, this Father's Day, I would like to focus on how thankful I am for my husband who is the father to our six children (with #7 due in September).

When I was 16, I wrote down a list of qualities that I was looking for in the man I would one day (hopefully) marry.  I had 14 characteristics which ranged from highly important to just plain extra bonuses such as "athletic, but not a dumb jock", "musical," and "smarter than me."  I began praying for my future husband at age 16 without realizing that I would actually meet him when I was 18 and then would be married to him by age 20! [ Awww :) ]

Today I am thankful for my husband and the father he is to our children.  I am grateful for the leadership he shows in our home as he models an unbelievable work ethic, makes difficult decisions, disciplines the children appropriately, and lovingly guides and directs them in their paths.  Additionally, I am grateful for the love he gives our children as he purposes to spend quality time with each of them even though he works three jobs!  He continually sacrifices on our behalf to ensure that our family's needs are met as well as some of our wants.  He is an amazing man and the children and I are incredibly blessed to have him as the leader of our home.

Happy Father's Day to my beloved husband and Happy Father's Day to your father and husband as well!  Tell him today how grateful you are for the man he is in your home :)

Happy Mother's Day!

To all my fellow moms, I would like to wish you a very Happy Mother's Day.  May your day be filled with sweet little kisses, messy incoherent drawings or cards, and an outpouring of abundant love from your husband and children.  May you know your value is indeed priceless to your family and may you never forget that little eyes are watching you.  You are the greatest role model, cheerleader, teacher, nurse, and friend your children could ever possess.  You are their personal Super-Mom - the heroine on which they lean to find comfort, strength, encouragement, knowledge, and advice for the problems that arise in their lives.  You are everything to your children and although they may be too young to express it or may be in their teen years and can only grunt most of their appreciation, please do not underestimate your worth and value to the children you are raising and to the husband by whose side you stand.  You are an amazing woman, MOM, and don't forget it! :)  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there...you are truly BLESSED!

It's Official...I am CRAZY (pregnant)!

To my followers (how few or many), I would like to announce my latest adventure in my state of "motherhood overload."  Apparently I cannot get enough of this glorious state for I am now pregnant again for the 8th time!  I am thrilled to announce that my husband and I are expecting Baby #7 this fall (September) - I cannot believe I am pregnant!  I am not trying to beat anyone in a baby-making race, nor am I trying to secure a TV show (although I do have a great title should anyone take notice: Char, Tam, & and Fam - not simply following me, hubby, and kids but rather in-laws as well - how crazy fun would that be?!?  If you knew our family, we'd be hilarious, uplifting, and maybe at times scandalous!)

But, seriously, I am excited to be with child again.  I was incredibly shocked and I must admit that I cried at night for about a month.  Is there such a thing as "Pre-partum Depression?"  I was in a state of denial because our youngest child had finally begun potty-training and I felt my life was in a perfect state.  I had recently been told I could teach High School Spanish again which made me incredibly happy for that is my first love when it comes to teaching.  I also was able to coach Cross Country this past fall (something I had had always dreamed of since I was in high school as a runner athlete) and then the idea of finally being rid of diapers and wipies after ELEVEN long years...well, I was beside myself with JOY!

And then I felt sick, nauseated, irritable and I realized, "I must be pregnant!"  I took a test to confirm my suspicions and the rest is history.  I have finally "let the cat out of the bag" as I told my boss a couple weeks ago - I wanted to make sure she knew before my baby bump started to show.  I am now 4 months pregnant and feeling overwhelmingly happy yet exhausted.  I am praying for a boy because of space issues - there are already 4 girls in one bedroom and 2 boys in a bedroom so there's space for one more boy :)  We'll see what happens...I really am just praying for a super-healthy baby!  Well, here's to the continuation of "Motherhood Overload!"

Taking Time to Give

Last weekend my eldest daughter and I spent a couple hours running errands while spending quality time together.  I am not a big shopper, in fact, I desperately loathe the idea of having to find a parking space, running through the store to obtain items in what I consider to be a timely fashion (the sooner I'm out of the store, the better), only to stand in line and wait on slow people or slow cashiers.  I'd rather purchase my all of my items online if I could, but then I'd miss all the fun waiting in lines and dealing with the occasional rude, obnoxious person.

My daughter, on the other hand, quite enjoys the shopping experience although I cannot understand why.  I suppose through the eyes of a 10 year-old, going to Target to find some items might be fun because she could "window shop" and dream about things she would like to purchase.  I have always had the mindset, ever since I was a young child, that window-shopping is a bust because if you don't have money, then why in the world are you wasting your time at the store when you plan to buy absolutely nothing?!?

Anyway, after purchasing a few necessary items at Target, my daughter and I walked out to our car.  As I was placing the bags on the backseat, I noticed a white mini-van parked a few spaces over.  There were two hand-written signs taped to the van which read, "Help a needy family."  With the side door opened, I saw two unkept children sitting in their car seats.  The parents looked worn as well and it seemed that this family was indeed needy.  However, I'm a natural skeptic and although we have not seen good economic times recently, I still believe there will always be people who will take advantage of a situation for their own benefit.  I decided that maybe these people were such the case, thus we jumped into our truck and drove away.

I didn't drive too far though because I felt a nagging tug/pain in my heart.  I thought that maybe these people were truly in need.  It wasn't too long ago that my family benefitted from the hands of anonymous people in church.  My husband and I had not had jobs for roughly 18 months but God provided through our retirement funds and some odd jobs that did not pay much, but did offere some sort of compensation to meet a phone bill or other lesser bills.  What would my family have done in November and December of 2009 had not some people placed Walmart giftcards into my husband's suit pocket?  I thought of God's grace and provision via strangers and I turned my truck around.

I did not have much cash but I figured some was better than none.  My daughter asked me what we were doing and I asked her if she had seen the white mini-van that was parked close to our truck.  She answered, "Yes, I did, Mommy.  I felt bad for them.  Are we going to help?"  Her remarks only further confirmed that I needed to give what I could to try and assist this family in any way possible.  If I had purchased diapers, I would have given some and had I purchased any food, I would have given that away too.  But, alas, I had purchased a birthday gift which did not seem helpful for the family.

I drove up to the strangers and told them I noticed their sign, that I could not help much, but I was willing to give what little I had.  I handed them some cash, as well as a tract to our church, and I told them I hoped things would get better for them.  The faces of the father and mother lit up to display toothless grins but also an attitude of gratitude.  They thanked me profusely, gave each other a hug, and began to read what I had given.  My daughter smiled and told me that we had done the right thing and she hoped they could use both the money and the tract.

I realize there are people out there who seek to obtain without working or try to take advantage of people's kindness, but for that day, I honestly feel my daughter and I did the right thing.  As parents, we are definitely role models for our children.  If we want our children to grow to be kind and respectful toward others, we need to model that exact behavior.  Giving to strangers who are less fortunate is a good lesson for all.  I pray that my children will be sensitive to the needs around them and I pray that I can be an excellent example of how to give.  I'm thankful for the opportunity presented that day where I could model kindness, giving, and respect.

Family Organization - Preparation for the Next Day

I often find it humorous that people ask me how I get ready in the morning for work and school with "those six kids."  It's not like I have six toddlers or six infants, but I have at least five healthy, independent, able-bodied children who can prepare themselves for the day.  The toddler's help in morning preparation is minimal at best but the other children definitely have their own set of responsibilities when it comes to departing the house on time for our schoolday/workday.

No matter if you have six children or one child, organization is the key to having a minimally stress-free morning before you exit the house.  The rule in our home is that all homework and any other papers that I need to see from my children, must be placed on the counter each night before bed.  The children must also have their lunchboxes on the counter and the backpacks, sports gear, instruments, and shoes must be set at the front door.  Likewise, their school uniforms must be laid out on their desks in their bedrooms as well as all underwear and socks - all before they can rest their heads on their pillow at night.  (I must admit that my ability to do a load of laundry each day is lacking thus it is imperative that the kids have the underwear and socks set out or else we will spend time in the morning - time which we dont' have - sorting through clean piles of clothes looking for matching socks or underwear!)

After the children have gone to sleep, it is then my responsibility to check all homework, read parent letters from teachers, sign papers, and make lunches.  After I view each homework assignment and place my signature on the appropriate papers, I leave the papers exactly where the children left them so that they can pick them up quickly in the morning and place them in their respective backpacks.  I then prepare the lunches for the next day - all eight of them!  I usually keep lunch low-key in terms of preparation-time; sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, snacks, chips, water bottles etc.  I have timed myself several times and have noticed it takes me no more than 30 minutes to make, pack, and put away the lunches in the refrigerator.  I would estimate that my nightly responsibility of checking homework, signing papers, and preparing lunches takes me about 50 minutes.  No wonder I am so exhausted and ready for bed! :)

In the morning when the children awake, they make their beds, get dressed, carry down their dirty clothes to the laundry room, place homework in their backpacks, and then eat a quick bowl of cereal or oatmeal.  They then make sure the kitchen is clean, they feed our animals, brush their teeth, and put their coats or jackets on.  They then retrieve their lunches from the refrigerator, put on their backpacks, pick up their extra items (instruments, sports gear) and stand in the hallway at the front door, waiting for me.  I give the car key to the eldest child who then leads all the kids to our wonderful 12 passenger van.  My husband and I make sure all the lights are turned off, items are in their place, lock the front door, and we're headed for our day.

If my family fails to do our "chores" each evening before bed, then the morning is very rough and we arrive late for work and school.  I think mornings are naturally stressful because we may not be entirely rested or we anticipate a busy day head, thus if we are in an organized routine, with much of the preparation accomplished before bedtime, the mornings should be less stressful.  I think my family's organization makes sense and I think it will work for your family as well.  Best of luck with your family's organization! 

Stomach Flu Blues

The winter weather has been unusally mild over here in Southern California which means all the germs that were supposed to be "frozen" away during Christmas vacation have only multiplied and grown in force.  I have now had a second round of the stomach flu in just two weeks...I missed school last Monday and Tuesday because I was violently ill and then this morning I missed a half day because the little demons were back in my system prompting me to become quite ill.  I think teaching First Grade has made me more susceptible to catching such lovely viruses no matter how often I bathe my hands in Anti-bacterial soap!

I haven't been the only one in my family to receive this blessed illness.  It has gone through all of my children as well as my husband.  I feel like all I've accomplished this past week is laundering the many sheets, bedspreads, towels, etc and spraying lysol and other cleaning products over everything in the house!  Yet, all of this work has been for naught because yesterday my daughter decided to vomit at the restaurant and then I became ill (as previously stated).  All of this sickness has caused me to sing the "Stomach Flu Blues" in my head.  Have you ever heard of such a song?  You have if you have been privileged to have this disgusting illness spread throughout your house more than once in two weeks!  I am pleading God to send the germs away...maybe have them run down the mountain of Malibu into the ocean and be gone once and for all!

During times of illness when everyone in the family becomes sick, I find it extremely difficult to behave so lovingly - especially if I am the one who is so very ill.  At these times I long for my own mother to come take care of me...and then take care of my kids! :)  But you know what is funny?  Even these not-so-great times will be memories I cherish....like the memory I have recently of handing out barf-bowls, towels, and Lysol to each of the kids.  It's funny now that I can look back at it but obviously it is not an occasion one I wish to repeat.  No one ever said motherhood would be easy or incredibly entertaining but through all the ups and downs, sickness and health, I embrace these occasions for one day my children will be grown and gone and wishing I were there to comfort them during their own Stomach Flu Blues.