They're all mine...

I was sitting on the couch this morning, getting ready to feed Katelynn, and one by one the other kids woke up and climbed up onto to the couch.  They were all just being themselves...Katelynn hungry but refusing to eat, Levi cuddling in close, Caleb holding on tight to his Elly and blankie, and Alaina asking all sorts of questions I have no chance of answering.  And I just stopped and caught my breath.  They are all mine.  I am SO blessed.

Everywhere we go we are met with people who disagree with our family choices. People who think they know what is best.  Strangers who comment about we must have our hands full. People we know questioning our choices.  It's okay though.  Each child has been prayed for.  Each child was given as a gift from God.  Each child is precious in the eyes of God.  And they are mine.  Mine to care for and raise the way we see best. I have been charged with the most glorious thing -- to raise these young people to know and love God and others.  What higher calling could I ask for?  What greater blessing can I expect?

These people are everything to me.   And when the tough days come I remind myself that, like Amy M's blog title, "All I have is all I need."

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I am sorry that I didn't post yesterday.  To be honest, I totally forgot about it until early afternoon.  After taking the boys to school we headed out to breakfast with our friends and then went and spent a few hours at a nearby park.  It was so wonderful to sit outside and soak in the sunshine and the quiet.  Ahh...quiet.  Something I almost never experience. Although I love the hustle and bustle of my life, quiet is something I miss.  I just sat in a chair, feeling the sun soak into me, listing to the wind blow through the trees, and just let myself be. I stopped thinking.  Stopped worrying.  Stopped focusing on anything but just enjoying the moment.  It was wonderful.

Today starts spring break.  The boys leave this afternoon and will be gone for ten days.  We have to work two of those days (various things around campus) but the rest of the time will be wonderful family time.  We are planning on laying low this weekend and then on Monday we are taking off for a few days.  We haven't been away for more than a night as a family since we were in Malaysia.  I am sooo looking forward to four days of being away, just being us, no dishes, no laundry, nothing to distract us. 

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I scrapped a quick page last night.  I feel so out of practice.  I hope this week to do more because I need to push myself so the creative energy comes back.  I find it so therapeutic.  This weeks digi dare was to scrap something from Easter, so I whipped up this page.

Credits: papers, sun, and flowers by Jacque Larsen, staples by Kate Hadfield, date stamps by Amber Clegg, stamped alpha by Nancie Rowe Janitz, epoxy alpha by Emily Powers, stitching by Ronna Penner

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Happy weekend to everyone!  I'll pop in Monday before we leave!

Comments

[Kresta]

Your family is beautiful. I really hate when others think you need to hear their opinion of your life. Yes, everyone has a right to voice an opinion, but they often should not. A friend of mine is about to have a baby and is going to be a SAHM, which she's already nervous about, and she's had so many people being negative about that to her. Really bothers me.

Anyway, I hope you guys have a great Spring Break and down time. We're camping this weekend, so some rest and fun for us as well!

[Sarah]

You have such a gorgeous family!!!

[Shabby Miss Jenn]

AHHHH HOW SWEET ARE ALL OF THEM!!!

[Hollie]

I seem to have a bunch of friends with 4 kiddos and one of them tells me that is the question of choice now--"Are they ALL yours??" I love seeing people happy to have kids and enjoying it! Your 4 are so precious--I'm so happy for you!!!

[amy]

look at those sweeties!!!!!! you're so blessed and, yup - all you have is all you need (and what you can handle, too! never more). :) your little one is so yummy.

[jennyg]

What a great LO! Love the photo of all 4....so sweet....you ARE so blessed!

[Brooke - in Oregon]

You know you have brought up something that never used to cross my mind but it does now. When I make a comment about something, I know how I mean it but not everyone takes it that way. Because I might say wow you really have your hands full. but in that I would mean, you are pretty amazing to put all the love and time in to raise 4 kiddos to be loving people. I felt like I had my hands as full as I could handle with two:) I know I am going to be careful to work on how I word things. I would really hate to hurt someones feelings. You really have me thinking here :)

Your love for your family shines out for everyone to see. And oh good golly you have cute kids! :)

Have a great weekend!

[Margie S.]

You are blessed indeed!!
I remember growing up-we are 6 children-2 birth and 4 adopted...imagine the comments my Mom got with 6 kids 5 years :)
Your family is beautiful!!

[Michelle Filo]

They're yours, they're gorgeous, you are all blessed :) I don't think you have made bad choices, that is crazy talk! Nobody know right or worng choices for YOUR life but you (and God). I do think you must have your hands full though LOL
Hope you are having a greeeeeeeat weekend!

[Britt]

You've mentioned quite a few times that a lot of people express their disagreement over your "kid choices" and I am still baffled that people have enough nerve to SAY that kind of thing. I come from a long line of "just 2" kids from each family. Both my sister and I plan on breaking that--last weekend my granny asked us how many kids we wanted and I told her bluntly that she would be judging my choice. For some reason, I think that all my family sees when you have more than two kids is how expensive college will be--which is even funnier considering none of them helped out with my college. So I don't know who it was more expensive for--me or them. LOL. Anyway, this totally random post is to say that there are some people out there that think like you guys do. I want a minimum of three kids when that time rolls around. And who wouldn't want a whole passel of kids when they're as beautiful as yours?!

Have a great weekend and happy spring break! (I'm just ending mine...waaaah....)