Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with 5 of my 7 children and my 2 daughter-in-laws! :)  I cooked a turkey and potatoes and stuffing, and cranberry sauce and corn.  One of my daughter-in-laws brought the green bean casserole. :) But, it wasn't the food that was the best part!!  I enjoyed seeing everyone around the table just relaxing and having fun talking together!

Thanksgiving table 2013! :)

The boys played downstairs and the girls visited upstairs before dinner. I think that the youngest son enjoyed beating his older brother at wii basketball!! :)
I love these kids so much! They are all growing up so fast!!  I can't wait to have all of them together soon including the other two guys!! :)  I have so much to be thankful for, and I thank God for His blessings on my family.

School changes

We have stopped homeschooling this year and the kids are all going to a school for their age group.  Grace has started at the local high school, and Andrew and Charity are both going to the Christian school at our church.  There are lots of adjustments going on, but the kids are doing very well. :)

Grace started school a week after the others started, but she was very excited even if it was VERY early in the morning.  She takes the bus that comes into our development, but it comes at 6:41 in the morning!  This is going to be different!!!

Andrew and Charity on their first day of school. They were thinking about a great idea of taking a picture every day all year to see the changes. However, that only lasted 2 days......then reality hit and to stop and get a picture every morning was not very practical.  We are typically getting some things together at the last moment. 

Grace's hair

So, I had promised Grace that we would get her hair done this week......and of course, the week came to an end.  So, we went out today to get her hair braided. I left her at the salon while I came home and did some other errands.  Then Charity and I went to check on her 4 hours later......she looked good, but only about halfway done.  So, we hit the Walmart and came back again.....uh.....nope, not done yet.   So, we went to get something to eat and come back......still not done.  ok, we just sat there and waited....they closed the shop, and around 9:30 this evening we finished and came home.  Grace is hungry and tired of sitting and having her hair/head pulled.  But, she looks great! 

When she first got up, I thought to myself, "what has happened to my little girl?"  She looks so grown up!!  Thankfully I didn't have to do this one myself.  8 hours of braiding!!!!  Wow!!  Well, worth it though to not have to do her hair for 2 months! :)

interesting thought...

Tonight as I left work, I realized that I was feeling guilty for going home!!  Now, mind you, I left when I am supposed to leave!  But, the last couple of months it has been very hard for me to leave work on time due to the load of work needing to be accomplished.  So, even though the day was busy, I completed what I could and left on time.  As I walked out the door, I spoke with a co-worker and told her how I was feeling.  She simple said, "Don't.  We all worked hard today". 

WOW!  What a revelation!  Nursing is a 24 hour job.  I can only do the work that is able to be done in my shift's time.  But, many times, I am trying to complete a task (and the charting) so I don't leave it for the next person!  There are many things that are required of us when we admit patients, and that is what I struggle with.  I don't know where to draw the line and leave stuff for the next person to complete.  Hopefully, I can keep this mindset. 

I can make a choice to not feel guilty!!  I did do a good job today!  I worked hard!  I did the best I could do with my patients.  So, I need to leave it there.  Brain training.....hard work!!

Busy, busy, busy

Life has kept us so busy that I have not been able to get on here since Thanksgiving!!!  Wow, since it is now June, I think I should update a little.  However, I am just getting a week to take a deep breath after being head-deep in activities!!
So, I am just going to show a couple pictures from the play that the kids were in.  :)  Grace, Andrew, and Charity were all in NVP's production of Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

Grace was a flower in these pictures and then on her main week, she was a principle flower....Daisy....who had speaking parts too.
Andrew was the caterpillar in the first week shows and then he participated in the ensemble the next week.
Charity was a clock and card for both weeks. 

This is a homeschool theater group.  The cast had 68 students ages 8-18 all working hard at getting a great production together.  Our directors are homeschooling mothers and are absolutely fabulous at what they do.  They really are able to bring out the drama in each child and teach them many things about the stage.  There is much socialization, for those who are worried about that! We just had a cast party where it was full of emotions since many of the kids will not be returning due to military moves and other personal reasons.  My kids will not be in this particular group next year because we are not going to be homeschooling. I have mixed emotions about this.  But, I feel that God has been leading us in this direction. 
So, I will have to get back to blogging when the dust settles. :)