Hello February

I went to sleep one night shortly after writing my last post, and when I woke up we had fast forwarded to the first of February!

Where does the time go??

All is well on the home front. Sure, bills need paid, groceries need bought, children need educated, clothed and fed, but really? We are in a very happy spot right now. Everything that was “bad” is so simple here in the Free Land. I might be biased, though. Then again, when you fill your gas hog suburban with 30 gallons of gas for $38, you have to admit things really aren’t so bad with your little piece of life in the big world.

Lowell went back to his real job directly after we rang in 2016. He only had to go for ten days that time, though. Since he’s been home, he has been doing countless side jobs and getting things going in the Woodshop some. It’s so wonderful to have him not-far-away, so I am thanking God for this blessing every other minute of each and every day. Reality will come soon, but I will revel in this time while I can.

The kids are all doing fab. Karolina has really taken off with finding and formulating more words (thank you, St John Paul II!) which has really opened up her personality more. I am going to potty train that girl soon. I am thinking for Easter. She is ready, but not ready, if that makes sense. I will play it by ear, but it’d be pretty great to have her on her way by the time #6 got here.

Phillip is still his funny little self. Something new everyday with that guy! He is still full of tall tales, but they’re the kind that brings trouble to him. Things like, “Oh, Mom, I found this bag in the toy box…” while chewing the contents of what was once IN the wrapper-not-bag. How on earth did that happen son? Wait. Don’t answer that…

George is really coming out of his shell lately. Not as timid as he was for a few years. It is so great to see him make the decision to rise above himself and get out there even though he may feel hesitant. He is moving out of all his kindergarten stuff and has started taking spelling tests. I even had him start reading some good ol’ Dick and Jane today. We definitely will have to work at this new found talent, but I think he will take off with reading real soon!

Felicity is ever concerned about my fast growing baby belly. She worries about all those stretch marks that peek out occasionally or when I bend over and “squish” the new kid. She recently decided that she isn’t going to get married, but she wants to be a nun who lives by herself, and/or be a doctor, and/or be a teacher. We are still working on the reality of being a Sister-bride of Christ, but when I mentioned that she could very well be a doctor to save people as well as help out at the local parish(es) with teaching kids to understand their faith, she totally loved that idea! So, I guess now all she needs to figure out is how to do it in a robe, without fellow sisters, and living on her own. In lighter news, she tells me all the time that reading is her life! (her exclamation, not mine..well, it can be mine too.) For school, they are reading the Little House On The Prairie books. She has pretty much died and gone to Heaven [on earth] as we also have all but the last 2 seasons of LHOP on DVD and everything about the stories, beginning to end, completely captivate her and are her “favorite ever!”

Faith will soon be 9. Nine. I can’t believe I have been a mom for 9 years! I have come a long way in motherhood, I smile at the unknowing future of how far I will continue to grow in this great vocation. Faith is right at the border of little girl and young lady. So eager to lend a hand in the kitchen, take the dog for walks, or spend lots of time drawing/coloring. She is a great entertainer of toddlers as well, which is hugely helpful when Karolina decides she needs something when I absolutely can’t help her due to hot oil or raw-meat-infested hands. She does pretty well in school but really isn’t in to it at all. She is reading LHOP with Felicity and enjoys it, but is in no hurry to sneak to the next chapter to see what happens next. She still tends to be pretty emotional for an almost-nine-year-old, but I am trying to be quite patient with her in that because we are all different. So, even though it kills me, I think my patience with it has encouraged her to work through things a little better. I can see she is eager to get more into “big kid” things, but I feel held back because Felicity is still only 7, and everybody else far younger. I need to reassess my being stretched to accommodate my flowering girl so she isn’t forced to stay “little” all while not rushed to “grow up”.

The youngest one still in utero is a kicking, squirmy little kid, but it is all welcomed with a smile by all who get to enjoy feeling his/her kicking and squirming. We are closing in on the 6 month mark this week! I haven’t gained too much weight yet and all my [blood sugar] levels have been pretty great minus a few spikes due to pump issues or hormone changes that required pump changes. I am 95% carb free M-Sa. I sometimes partake in a little bit of brown rice or potatoes with dinner. I am still prepared to go soup and salad if it comes down to it, though. The last time baby was weighed, it was 15 ounces. We have another measurement scan next week already(!!!!) and I am guessing it will be around a pound and 4 to 6 ounces. I’ll be sure to let you know what the doctor says about that.

Have a blessed week! Leave a comment with a hello if you have a minute. It’s so nice to occasionally hear from the folks who drop in to read what’s up with our not-so-little fam. :)