We took 6 kids to my in-law's house this weekend for their church's VBS. We were driving back into the town where M1 works and were going to spend some time together before I had to drop him off at the PD. We had the two babies, D7 and D8. First we went to eat lunch.....it is a little odd to get only 2 babies out of a 15 passenger van and of course everyone thinks we only have two sweet little girls. Ahhhh.....if only they knew.
I really needed some summer shoes so M1 proceeds to take me to every shoe store in town. He knows right where they are and the best shortcuts to get to them, which is so helpful for this woman who has no directional sense. It took me a year to remember how to get from the grocery to the post office to home in one town we lived in. I can get lost in my closet. My kids have "Mommy is LOST" paranoia. They can sense it before I ever say a word. So, instead of me getting lost a half dozen times we just zipped around town going down small side streets and through neighborhoods getting to places in record time.
When we got to the mall it was packed to the gills and the parking spots by all the entrances were millions of miles away. By this time I had to go the bathroom really bad.....after 8 kids there is a little more urgency. Sensing my panic, M1 whips over to the back of the mall and parks close to the building. As we are getting out he says, "Follow me and don't comment." We head to this partly walled in area with dumpsters and 4 dirty unmarked doors with big locks. I am a little nervous, after all we are both holding babies. How fast can he pull out a gun holding a baby? I don't want to find out. He goes to the farthest door and opens it up.
There we are at the mall's bathroom entrances.
He is my hero.
I knew having the mall in his beat would come in handy one day.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Of Teenagers and Toddlers
What is it like parenting teenagers and toddlers at the same time? Have you ever run through a circus side show? We love sitting and watching movies with our teenagers, laughing, telling jokes, eating popcorn and ice cream, sitting on the bed until 1 am talking.....but then 6am rolls around and the 2 yr old comes banging into the bedroom, "MOMMY, EAT, EAT, EAT". The 1 yr old is crying in her crib ready to be changed and fed. I drag myself out of bed and wonder how fast I can inhale a cup of coffee. I lay on the sofa and let the 1 yr. old crawl over me smiling, giggling, playing tickle and peek-a-boo. The 2 yr. old half babbling half talking changes her baby doll on the floor and the teenagers?......sleeping :)
Our teenage daughters have been trained well and we have great relationships. They are so much fun. They can be so annoying. They can have wonderful animated deep conversations about life, and in the same breath come downstairs with heavy purple glitter eye shadow. Their unanticipated hugs are precious, their PMS moods make Greta Garbo look like a comedian. They help cook, clean, organize, discipline, change diapers, load kids in and out of cars. They are invaluable. They are my right hand and left hand. Their schedules can be a killer. DRAMA is briefer but more intense. Makeup, high heels, dresses, become more sensitive subjects and have to be dealt with like the handling of an atomic bomb. VERY SENSITIVELY. More well handled responsibilities equals more freedoms. Battles are carefully chosen. They are self sacrificing, humble, passionate about doing right. They argue, push my buttons, and do immature things. It is the pendulum of life......wisdom swinging to foolishness.
The toddlers are typical. They are needy. They require lots of care and attention. They need to be changed and watered and fed.....constantly. You would think they were dying of starvation in the early mornings with their impatience to get food and to eat the food as fast as possible. Recently, the 2 yr old came out of her room from a nap covered in finger nail polish (complete face and body paint extraordinaire). She had taken her diaper off spreading poop all over the bed and floor. Then she left a big puddle of pee by the door.....all while we worked on a project 3 FEET FROM THE ROOM! Did we hear anything....no, not a SOUND! (And I think I have fairly keen ears after 8 kids). At bedtime, I rock the baby to sleep kissing her fingers and holding her little toes. She smells of lavender and sweetness.
She is wrapped in a towel being held by her big 16 yr. old sister. Words of love flow over the 1 yr old who is enchantingly cooing back. Big sister throws her head back smiling and laughing. 5 yr old with the big brown serious eyes snuggles up close to 14 yr. old big sister, as they snuggle deeper together...... "Tell me a story.....". Older sisters cuddling up with little sisters at night. Big and little sisters laughing and rolling around together on the trampoline. A small head lying on a big shoulder crying and being comforted. Big sister tying a miniature apron on little sister as she "helps" in the kitchen. Little hands clasped in bigger hands. Both still soft and sweet. Deep sisterly bonds and self sacrificing love is the reflection of this beautiful teenager and toddler together-life.
Our teenage daughters have been trained well and we have great relationships. They are so much fun. They can be so annoying. They can have wonderful animated deep conversations about life, and in the same breath come downstairs with heavy purple glitter eye shadow. Their unanticipated hugs are precious, their PMS moods make Greta Garbo look like a comedian. They help cook, clean, organize, discipline, change diapers, load kids in and out of cars. They are invaluable. They are my right hand and left hand. Their schedules can be a killer. DRAMA is briefer but more intense. Makeup, high heels, dresses, become more sensitive subjects and have to be dealt with like the handling of an atomic bomb. VERY SENSITIVELY. More well handled responsibilities equals more freedoms. Battles are carefully chosen. They are self sacrificing, humble, passionate about doing right. They argue, push my buttons, and do immature things. It is the pendulum of life......wisdom swinging to foolishness.
The toddlers are typical. They are needy. They require lots of care and attention. They need to be changed and watered and fed.....constantly. You would think they were dying of starvation in the early mornings with their impatience to get food and to eat the food as fast as possible. Recently, the 2 yr old came out of her room from a nap covered in finger nail polish (complete face and body paint extraordinaire). She had taken her diaper off spreading poop all over the bed and floor. Then she left a big puddle of pee by the door.....all while we worked on a project 3 FEET FROM THE ROOM! Did we hear anything....no, not a SOUND! (And I think I have fairly keen ears after 8 kids). At bedtime, I rock the baby to sleep kissing her fingers and holding her little toes. She smells of lavender and sweetness.
She is wrapped in a towel being held by her big 16 yr. old sister. Words of love flow over the 1 yr old who is enchantingly cooing back. Big sister throws her head back smiling and laughing. 5 yr old with the big brown serious eyes snuggles up close to 14 yr. old big sister, as they snuggle deeper together...... "Tell me a story.....". Older sisters cuddling up with little sisters at night. Big and little sisters laughing and rolling around together on the trampoline. A small head lying on a big shoulder crying and being comforted. Big sister tying a miniature apron on little sister as she "helps" in the kitchen. Little hands clasped in bigger hands. Both still soft and sweet. Deep sisterly bonds and self sacrificing love is the reflection of this beautiful teenager and toddler together-life.
Friday, May 25, 2012
National Police Week
Last week was National Police Week. If you are like me, I had never even heard or paid attention to this week before M1 went into law enforcement. The city M1 works for hosted a memorial service at a local park and invited the public to come. It was M1's day off, but we got the kids dressed and piled them into the van. We listened to the speakers, saw the flag fly at half mast, and heard the 3 gun salute. As I looked around I noticed that our girls were the only children there. A handful of people from the public came. In 2011 there were 162 law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. As we headed back to the van M1, in full dress uniform, was walking next to his 4 yr old, D6, her pig tails bobbing and her little hand engulfed in his large one......
Lights and sirens behind...you curse and get angry...what a jerk to mess up your day like this. Isn't he just trying to get his quota of tickets for the day? But what has he really been doing? He has been responding to calls for help - a vicious husband choking his wife in front of their toddler in a highchair, searching for a vehicle that people saw a man shoving a woman into against her will, rushing a 19 yr old girl to the hospital who was found unconscious by a pool and is suffering from alcohol poisoning, calling her mother who is far away and telling her what has happened to her daughter, scouring the trails of a park in the dark looking for a missing person, reassuring and advising four scared college girls after their apartment has been robbed, arresting a person high on drugs who caused a vehicle accident and having that person scream profanities at him until they are handed off at the jail, trying to make peace between a confrontational dad and his out-of-control teenage son, comforting a wife whose husband just put a bag over his head and ended his life. In between all this drama he tries to keep people on the road safe. So, next time you get stopped think about what that officer may have been facing in the line of duty that day and maybe you can thank him for what he does......because probably somewhere in one of those 162 households a little pig tailed girl doesn't have her daddy's hand to hold anymore.
Lights and sirens behind...you curse and get angry...what a jerk to mess up your day like this. Isn't he just trying to get his quota of tickets for the day? But what has he really been doing? He has been responding to calls for help - a vicious husband choking his wife in front of their toddler in a highchair, searching for a vehicle that people saw a man shoving a woman into against her will, rushing a 19 yr old girl to the hospital who was found unconscious by a pool and is suffering from alcohol poisoning, calling her mother who is far away and telling her what has happened to her daughter, scouring the trails of a park in the dark looking for a missing person, reassuring and advising four scared college girls after their apartment has been robbed, arresting a person high on drugs who caused a vehicle accident and having that person scream profanities at him until they are handed off at the jail, trying to make peace between a confrontational dad and his out-of-control teenage son, comforting a wife whose husband just put a bag over his head and ended his life. In between all this drama he tries to keep people on the road safe. So, next time you get stopped think about what that officer may have been facing in the line of duty that day and maybe you can thank him for what he does......because probably somewhere in one of those 162 households a little pig tailed girl doesn't have her daddy's hand to hold anymore.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Four days of nothing but working and sleeping then two days of off-duty work leaving about a day to spend together as a family. It has been months since M1 has had more than one day at home( that "one day" really being two half days at different ends of the week). I have been looking forward to this week for so long. It has been a bright spot on the calendar. THREE solid days together as a family. So......we went camping. Do you know what it takes to pack a family of 10 for a three day camping trip? Let me shed a little light on that....
To gain as much time as possible with M1 the girls and I had everything packed and in the living room ready to load into the van and trailer. 10 backpacks, 10 fold up chairs, 9 sleeping bags, 9 camping pads, 3 army-sized duffels, 3 hard camp boxes, 3 open topped totes, 2 tents, 1 air mattress, 1 ice chest, 1 port-a-crib, 1 umbrella stroller, 1 portable highchair, 1 baby backpack carrier, 1 blow up baby pool, and lots of small sundry items.
Each older girl packed her bag and then "their child's" bag. They put them on the sofa and set out the outfit to wear in front of their bag. (This required washing all the dirty clothes the day before in a massive washing day....probably 10 loads of clothes). I had a detailed list set out on the table and assigned different girls to retrieve items from the far corners and put it in the living room. I did the running around town...... like pick up the van from the auto repair, get a vehicle inspection sticker, drop off uniforms at cleaners, grocery shop, and help raise the stock for bug-juice and sunscreen companies.
When M1 woke up at 10:30 am the girls were practically sitting in the van waiting to leave. M1 hooked up the trailer to the van, we loaded everything in, EVERYONE WENT THE BATHROOM, and we were off........then it started to rain. It was a little sobering to see a lightning show in the sky as we were headed to our destination. I was hoping the tents were still water resistant and the wind didn't blow us into another state. M1, D1, D2, and I set up the tents in record time in the rain. We left everything else in the covered trailer and decided this was a good time to take advantage of our 1 meal out in the camping budget. Dressed in wind breakers, we all trooped into a local establishment not far from the state park. We got nervous glances from people as we entered....some even got up and left in a hurry. We got seated in the back. The girls have wonderful manners, though, and by the time we left people were coming up to us and complementing our kids behavior and the waitress was dumbfounded that they are ALL ours and "Heavens, no twins!"
We had a great time......lots of laughs, lots of time with Daddy, lots of sand. Of course, there is always some arguments, tiffs between sisters, the screaming 2 yr old who got sunscreen in her eyes and pooped in the public bathroom shower, and the child who left one tent unzipped at night and everyone in that tent was covered in mosquito bites the next morning. We don't get to stay in fancy places or go to museums or see tourist destinations, but we were together.......sharing our moments both good and bad, and that is the richness we give our girls.
To gain as much time as possible with M1 the girls and I had everything packed and in the living room ready to load into the van and trailer. 10 backpacks, 10 fold up chairs, 9 sleeping bags, 9 camping pads, 3 army-sized duffels, 3 hard camp boxes, 3 open topped totes, 2 tents, 1 air mattress, 1 ice chest, 1 port-a-crib, 1 umbrella stroller, 1 portable highchair, 1 baby backpack carrier, 1 blow up baby pool, and lots of small sundry items.
Each older girl packed her bag and then "their child's" bag. They put them on the sofa and set out the outfit to wear in front of their bag. (This required washing all the dirty clothes the day before in a massive washing day....probably 10 loads of clothes). I had a detailed list set out on the table and assigned different girls to retrieve items from the far corners and put it in the living room. I did the running around town...... like pick up the van from the auto repair, get a vehicle inspection sticker, drop off uniforms at cleaners, grocery shop, and help raise the stock for bug-juice and sunscreen companies.
When M1 woke up at 10:30 am the girls were practically sitting in the van waiting to leave. M1 hooked up the trailer to the van, we loaded everything in, EVERYONE WENT THE BATHROOM, and we were off........then it started to rain. It was a little sobering to see a lightning show in the sky as we were headed to our destination. I was hoping the tents were still water resistant and the wind didn't blow us into another state. M1, D1, D2, and I set up the tents in record time in the rain. We left everything else in the covered trailer and decided this was a good time to take advantage of our 1 meal out in the camping budget. Dressed in wind breakers, we all trooped into a local establishment not far from the state park. We got nervous glances from people as we entered....some even got up and left in a hurry. We got seated in the back. The girls have wonderful manners, though, and by the time we left people were coming up to us and complementing our kids behavior and the waitress was dumbfounded that they are ALL ours and "Heavens, no twins!"
We had a great time......lots of laughs, lots of time with Daddy, lots of sand. Of course, there is always some arguments, tiffs between sisters, the screaming 2 yr old who got sunscreen in her eyes and pooped in the public bathroom shower, and the child who left one tent unzipped at night and everyone in that tent was covered in mosquito bites the next morning. We don't get to stay in fancy places or go to museums or see tourist destinations, but we were together.......sharing our moments both good and bad, and that is the richness we give our girls.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
It is 12:30am and I am holding two flashlights while M1 has both hands down into a mass of wires under the hood of our 15 passenger van. He had 5 hrs of sleep and then got called in on his day off, pulling 9 hours.
D1 is the "Assistant Cook" and I got her started on supper about 4:30. At 5:30 we called everyone in from the various corners of our domain to feed the hungry. We were headed to a small group Bible study that evening, so everyone helped "their child" get cleaned up and dressed while I fixed M1's food and left it on the table. He skidded into the driveway just as I was giving directions to load everyone into our 15 passenger van. I had tried to get our state inspection sticker that morning for the van but the back lights were not working, so on the way to the study M1 stopped by the auto parts store and replaced two fuses. When the study was over about 9pm we got all the kids in the van and...... it was completely dead.....the battery was working but there was apparently a short somewhere. I was dropped off at home by some friends and picked up our other car, went back, piled the kids in, and brought them home. Everyone helped "their child" get pj's on and get to bed....I headed back to help M1. Everything he checked was still working, so he put it all back together and we headed home.
We sit on the sofa in the dark at 1:30am. My head is resting on his shoulder. I ask him about his day. Statutory rape, burglary, warrant arrest, domestic violence. All in a day's work. He has to leave early in the morning for his off-duty part-time job, then he goes back to work the next day. I hold his hand and pray for strength.....there are so many things that have piled up that we need to talk about, but there is no time. He is exhausted......maybe next week.
D1 is the "Assistant Cook" and I got her started on supper about 4:30. At 5:30 we called everyone in from the various corners of our domain to feed the hungry. We were headed to a small group Bible study that evening, so everyone helped "their child" get cleaned up and dressed while I fixed M1's food and left it on the table. He skidded into the driveway just as I was giving directions to load everyone into our 15 passenger van. I had tried to get our state inspection sticker that morning for the van but the back lights were not working, so on the way to the study M1 stopped by the auto parts store and replaced two fuses. When the study was over about 9pm we got all the kids in the van and...... it was completely dead.....the battery was working but there was apparently a short somewhere. I was dropped off at home by some friends and picked up our other car, went back, piled the kids in, and brought them home. Everyone helped "their child" get pj's on and get to bed....I headed back to help M1. Everything he checked was still working, so he put it all back together and we headed home.
We sit on the sofa in the dark at 1:30am. My head is resting on his shoulder. I ask him about his day. Statutory rape, burglary, warrant arrest, domestic violence. All in a day's work. He has to leave early in the morning for his off-duty part-time job, then he goes back to work the next day. I hold his hand and pray for strength.....there are so many things that have piled up that we need to talk about, but there is no time. He is exhausted......maybe next week.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
At 37 years old my husband went after a dream - to do something he had dreamed of doing since he was a little boy and get paid for doing it. It was a risk, but I knew the time was right and I gave him my full support. We went through the 8 month hiring process, the 6 month academy, and the 4 month on-the-job training. Now he is living his dream and loving every minute. He's a cop.
We had daughter #8 (D8) during this training time and my life is never dull. During the late nights when all the kids are in bed and I can't always go to sleep because hubby (M1) is not here, I will try to give snapshots of our life. I'm so bad at this internet stuff that I could hardly find my way back to this blog after I created it, so please be patient with me while I am learning how this works!
So, here is today's snapshot......M1 works the evening shift (4pm-2am). He leaves the house at 2:30pm because we live out in the country 40 min. from the station and he also gets dressed there. I woke up with a jolt when I heard the door open.....I looked at the clocked *gasp* 7am! M1 was just getting home....two drunks decided to get in a fight and one hit the other with his vehicle. Translation: LONG report writing. He falls into bed....I get up and proceed to wake 8 girls up, start toasting leftover biscuits in the oven, and get everybody ready to go to church. All the girls have a "buddy" so-to-speak, the older 4 paired with the younger 4. They help "their child", as they put it, get dressed, eat, and generally help that younger one with whatever needs to be done that I can't do. We head to church and I spend half the time in the back feeding D8 who is 9 months old. I try to stay out as long as possible to help M1 sleep in peace and quiet. I head home at 1:30 and start the coffee, fix his lunch, and order all the girls to be as quiet as possible while changing their clothes. I put D8 down for a nap, D3 puts D7 down for a nap and then I wake hubby up at 2pm. While he is shaving I try to visit for a few minutes and soak up his presence for as long as I can. He inhales the food I fix him, grabs his patrol bag and coffee, and tells the girls goodbye......one long kiss for me in the driveway and always the words, "I love you, be safe"..........because you never know........
We had daughter #8 (D8) during this training time and my life is never dull. During the late nights when all the kids are in bed and I can't always go to sleep because hubby (M1) is not here, I will try to give snapshots of our life. I'm so bad at this internet stuff that I could hardly find my way back to this blog after I created it, so please be patient with me while I am learning how this works!
So, here is today's snapshot......M1 works the evening shift (4pm-2am). He leaves the house at 2:30pm because we live out in the country 40 min. from the station and he also gets dressed there. I woke up with a jolt when I heard the door open.....I looked at the clocked *gasp* 7am! M1 was just getting home....two drunks decided to get in a fight and one hit the other with his vehicle. Translation: LONG report writing. He falls into bed....I get up and proceed to wake 8 girls up, start toasting leftover biscuits in the oven, and get everybody ready to go to church. All the girls have a "buddy" so-to-speak, the older 4 paired with the younger 4. They help "their child", as they put it, get dressed, eat, and generally help that younger one with whatever needs to be done that I can't do. We head to church and I spend half the time in the back feeding D8 who is 9 months old. I try to stay out as long as possible to help M1 sleep in peace and quiet. I head home at 1:30 and start the coffee, fix his lunch, and order all the girls to be as quiet as possible while changing their clothes. I put D8 down for a nap, D3 puts D7 down for a nap and then I wake hubby up at 2pm. While he is shaving I try to visit for a few minutes and soak up his presence for as long as I can. He inhales the food I fix him, grabs his patrol bag and coffee, and tells the girls goodbye......one long kiss for me in the driveway and always the words, "I love you, be safe"..........because you never know........
About Us
The sole male of the family is my hubby who is a rookie police officer with a mid-size city. I am a wife and home-school mom of 8 daughters. There is no way to adequately describe our life, but I am going to try......welcome to this crazy world of mine.
Daughter #1 (D1) is 15, plays the violin and is my right hand woman. She is bubbly, keeps me laughing, and can take the "tense" out of a situation by her wonderful humor. Her organizational skills are legendary.
Daughter #2 (D2) is 13, plays the cello and piano, is incredibly disciplined with her time, can make almost any handiwork/craft, and is my serious one.
Daughter #3 (D3) is 12 and can only be described one way.... TIGGER on steroids. She lives to ride horses and has had Alopecia Areata for 3 years now (an auto immune disorder that causes all her hair to fall out). She is beautiful with her big smile even when she is bald.
Daughter #4 (D4) is 10 and the resident princess............she loves sponge rollers, finger nail polish, glitter makeup and anything pink.
Daughter #5 (D5) is 7 and is sweet, fun, adventurous, and loves to play with legos and toy soldiers.
Daughter #6 (D6) is 4, has huge brown eyes, serious looks that kill, and the vocabulary of a grown up. She has also mastered the art of cocking her head and fluttering her eyelashes.
Daughter #7 (D7) is 2, INTENSE, LOUD, BUSY and wants to help with EVERYTHING.
Daughter #8 (D8) is 9 months old and a sweetheart. :)
Daughter #1 (D1) is 15, plays the violin and is my right hand woman. She is bubbly, keeps me laughing, and can take the "tense" out of a situation by her wonderful humor. Her organizational skills are legendary.
Daughter #2 (D2) is 13, plays the cello and piano, is incredibly disciplined with her time, can make almost any handiwork/craft, and is my serious one.
Daughter #3 (D3) is 12 and can only be described one way.... TIGGER on steroids. She lives to ride horses and has had Alopecia Areata for 3 years now (an auto immune disorder that causes all her hair to fall out). She is beautiful with her big smile even when she is bald.
Daughter #4 (D4) is 10 and the resident princess............she loves sponge rollers, finger nail polish, glitter makeup and anything pink.
Daughter #5 (D5) is 7 and is sweet, fun, adventurous, and loves to play with legos and toy soldiers.
Daughter #6 (D6) is 4, has huge brown eyes, serious looks that kill, and the vocabulary of a grown up. She has also mastered the art of cocking her head and fluttering her eyelashes.
Daughter #7 (D7) is 2, INTENSE, LOUD, BUSY and wants to help with EVERYTHING.
Daughter #8 (D8) is 9 months old and a sweetheart. :)
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