Joy at home

Dear friends,

I was wondering today how many times in the last couple of weeks I've started a post, typed a sentence or two, and then have been interrupted with either the kids waking up or with one of them needing me for something. Lots of times.

Such is life, and I'm enjoying the living of it. There are moments when I feel incredibly overwhelmed with the amount of people in our home who need me for something-- and often all at once!-- or with the sheer amount of noise that comes from five little people. [I have been studying something and I am now certain of it: whenever Mark, myself or one of the older kids talks at meal times, both little girls have an automatic switch that turns up their volume so they instantly become louder than whoever is speaking.]

But oh, they're a delight! Just yesterday we went to the bank and used the drive-through feature-- where I talk to the teller via a speaker and send checks through the air-tube-chute-thingy-- and Adelia was trying to peer around me from her car seat. She asked, "Mommy? Is that lady talking?" I said no, not yet. Then she asked if the lady was going to stick her head out of 'that thing'. We all burst into laughter at the image of the teller sticking her head out of the chute! I guess she just thought that's what happened-- all she hears is some lady talking to me and I'm always looking towards the chute because the speaker is there.

Adelia (a rare photo of her hair not in braids/beads!)

Or... also yesterday, Audra and Isaac were being buddies and playing in the girls' room with all sorts of babies and stuffed animals: they were tucking them into bed and pretending to go to sleep, too and singing songs. It was so sweet. I went in to check on them at one point and Isaac was sitting on the floor, cross-legged, and Audra was standing behind him with a comb. I was thinking that Isaac is such a good big brother, playing so sweetly with Audra on her level and even letting her comb his hair. Isaac looked up at me and grinned and said, "She says there's a mouse in there." :) And we laughed together because we knew she said that because Mark and I are always telling her that she has a "rat's nest" in her hair because it gets so easily tangled.

Isaac is making a crayon structure or maze or something, here.

I love these kids so much and we have so much fun around here. I am so very blessed to have the privilege of being home with them-- there are so many rewards!

Hope you are all having a wonderful week,

~Stacy

ps I've decided to stop linking up to my blog from Facebook. I think I prefer the 'obscurity' of regular-ole'-blogging without the networking through Facebook. I don't know if that makes a difference to anyone that reads here but I thought I'd tell you in case it does.