Thoughts on a sunny Tuesday

~ Mark and I are celebrating 14 years of marriage today. How I *love* my husband! Mark blessed me with a bouquet of flowers at lunch today-- yellow and purple, the same colors we had for our wedding flowers-- and then a sweet card he handed to me when he got home from work this evening. Tonight we feasted on crab (with oodles of butter, garlic, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice), greek salad, and bread (with the kids, at home.) Yesterday my mom watched the kids so that just the two of us could spend the day together, which was such a gift.

~ Last night we took down Audra's crib and Adelia's toddler bed and moved up to a full and a twin in the room. Audra (2) and Ella (9) are sharing, Adelia is in the twin. The girls LOVE it. Seriously- they could not be happier with the arrangement. We're still transitioning the room so right now it's just mattresses on the floor. They've been a little rambunctious in there at bedtime (it's like a slumber party to them), but they're settling in...

~ I am cheerily planning our schooling for next year. (Have I mentioned how much I *love* planning?)

~ We received Ella's standardized test results in the mail and somehow I now feel "official" that Ella is getting properly educated. (This is silly, I know. I knew she was getting a solid education already. But still.) She tested very well.

~ Our garden is growing. I always feel so proud of those little shoots first coming up out of the ground. Our strawberries are ripening. My peonies are happily blooming.

~ I went away last weekend on a little retreat with these wonderful ladies and was so blessed. I have such respect for each one of them, and it was such a treat to get away and talk about parenting, homeschooling and our faith. And eat. And laugh. And rest.

(l to r: Cutzi, Sarah, Jodi, Amy, me, Rebecca with her newest little Reuben)

~ I said to Mark today: "Remember when I used to bake bread? And make homemade yogurt? And make our own laundry soap? Sheesh. It's been awhile... " I have definitely not done those things for a long while. I feel like we're entering a new season, though, in our family life... with the little girls being not as little anymore. Within the past couple of weeks I've gone out twice with all five kids to run errands or go grocery shopping. That is something that did not seem AT ALL feasible to me for at least the last couple of years. I joked to Mark that some of our neighbors were probably shocked to see us going out-and-about in the daytime hours. (It's just easier to stay at *home* with little ones, so that's what we do.) It makes me realize just how taxing the years are with little ones in the mix. All that to say that if you're in that taxing season, it *does* get easier. :) [Oh. And for any of you with inquiring minds that might be thinking: "Wait. They took down their crib and she feels like they're "entering a new season of family life"-- Does that mean they're not going to have/adopt any more kids?" Nope. That's not what that means. :) That's just where we find ourselves right *now*. We'd love more children!]

How are *you* today?




8 comments:

  1. What fun to have a girl weekend.

    I plan to (finally) take Eli our of his crib after this weekend. We are slipping away to Whistler for two nights...ALONE. I found someone who can handle our kid mix....it's been many years since we went away overnight alone. We are so excited.

    By the way, I'm good and He is faithful!
    Love ya

    PS thanks for your sweet comment the other day

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  2. I really liked this post. I like when people share all their little tidbits.

    And how fun to hear about your new sleeping arrangement. I have been thinking about this too. The girls in a full and Steele in a twin. Right now we have bunks and just set up a toddler bed for Xo. And the crib is still in there... it's just a jumble.

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  3. Yes! It does get easier. For the past few years, we've done a lot of staying home during the week. On the weekends when Brian is home, we would all go out as a family, but otherwise it was easiest to be home. All of sudden, with the 5 kids we have now, it is easier again. I've been making many more trips out with them by myself (without another adult). Part of it is their ages since the older ones can help with the little ones and part of it is their personalities since we have a very easy-going baby and a very mature oldest sister/helper. Whatever, the reason it is refreshing to come out of a very trying season into this new one!

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  4. i gravitated toward your comment about excitedly planning schooling for next year, and i thought: i WISH. i want to be excited and energized and motivated. i am lacking so much in that area ... feeling discouraged about not having done "enough" this past year (had a baby boy april 2 so basically shelved schooling for a while). your words challenge me to get to that place of motivation ... somehow! prayer, time brainstorming w/hubby, etc.
    thanks for sharing ...
    emily
    home2learn.wordpress.com

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  5. Sorry it's taken me a few days to get around to reading/commenting on this post ... But thanks for *love*ing me so much. (That *use* of *asterisks* still seems a little *silly* to me, but maybe that's just you being expressive, which, as we all know, is an area I could use a little *work* in.)

    Good job being such a hard-working, joyful school planner. And thanks for teaching Ella (and the boys) so well.

    I love you.
    Mark

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  6. I love these random-thoughts-types-of-posts too! Happy anniversary (five days late) to you and Mark!

    And how I love that cute little picture in the middle of this post and the fun time we had. :) I want to relax on the mauve couch and talk the day away again!

    Happy school planning! It's my MOST favorite too. :)

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  7. Sandi~
    So... how'd it go? Eli out of the crib? And- HOORAY about getting away together!!!! *love* that for you.


    Cutzi~
    I always like reading these types of posts, too. :)


    Kristin~
    Yep. That pretty much describes us to a T.


    Emily~
    I visited your space on the web and left you a comment there. :)


    Mark~
    Oh, Mark. Do you still read my blog? I love you, honey. *SO* (asterisks for YOU) much. It is just me being expressive. Don't I speak in italics all the time?


    Jodi~
    Thank you!


    Blessings to all of you... and thank you for commenting!
    ~Stacy

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  8. Sounds like you are really enjoying your summer. I miss seeing you at dance! :)

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