More or less.

Some people have this misconception that families with many children, especially homeschooling ones, are eager to get away from each other.

It’s certainly true that my children love being with their friends. They beg for play dates and park dates and cantaloupe chucking dates (okay, that one hasn’t really come up yet but you never know). They are still in mourning for the homeschooling co-op. The week just doesn’t seem complete without us rushing off to “fake school.” The moms, of course, have coffee mugs raised in relief that another co-op year has finished. Somehow we are able to ignore our children’s sniffles and sobs.

With all of that said, my children really and thoroughly enjoy playing together. Most of the time. I’m not saying if you offered them ten dollars they wouldn’t sell their brother or sister in a heart beat. Still, in a few days they would be really, really sad about their loss (that is until they moved all of their things into the now empty room).

David and Sarah are buddies. They do school together, read books, watch movies, play dolls and soldiers (sometimes simultaneously), run around outside and so on, throughout the day. They are often thrown together during the older trio’s school time. At least once a day we have to ask them to play a little quieter. Their very involved Playmobil/Match Box cars/marble games can get a bit rowdy.

I wouldn’t think, at the end of a very family centered week, this would be the request Sarah would pose.

“Can I sleep in David’s room?”

A sleepover? With your sibling? Your sibling with whom you spent most of the day? Aren’t you a little tired of him? Ready for some of your own space?

Nope.

I went up to see how they were doing this evening. It was, after all, bedtime, and I’m a good mother, ready for kisses or chastisements (as the situation requires). They were happily ensconced in their sleepover positions.

Let’s see, we’ve got stuffed animals, coloring books and Prismacolor pencils, pink pillow, Michigan State t-shirt, and big grins. I think they’re all set.

Night kiddos!

Kathy
Project 365 - Day 145

It’s morning! Time for breakfast, school, chores and a little brotherly snuggling. Thank goodness there is always a camera at hand to capture these sweet moments. Look, no tears, fighting or name calling. They’re obviously still asleep.

Joshua - I’m the long suffering big brother. My smile is calm and serene but notice my death grip on Daniel’s hand. This is definitely a battle I’m going to win.

David - This is such a comfy spot. I love Joshua. Let’s Wrestle, Josh!

Daniel - It may be early morning but I’m dressed and ready to play NOW! Yeah, Joshua, let’s wrestle. I think I can take you!

Ah, brothers! Where else can you push and pull and wrestle and fight and love your way through life?

And, if you are very, very blessed, one day you might end up with sons (and gourds) of your very own.

Cousin Timothy, Tim, Joshua and Uncle Momo (aka Mark) Thanksgiving 2005.

Kathy - Mother to three boys/Sister to three boys/Wife of just one

Project 365 - Day 143

Ah, it’s an emotional day in a parent’s life when their child (be it their first or their last or somewhere in between) loses his first tooth.

Last week David bumped into a boy in his swim class and came out of the ordeal with a loose tooth. It was his first one and he was rather worried, distracted and excited about the whole thing. He wiggled it and even tugged on it (when asked) but basically waited patiently for it to fall out. Yesterday a soccer ball connected with his face in a rather friendly way, no doubt trying to help the loose tooth on its merry way.

Today, in the bathtub of all places, the tooth fell out! I don’t know how David managed to keep hold of the tooth in the midst of all those bubbles, but he did.

Later on, dressed with hair brushed, David told me, “And I’ve got another one loose right here.”

Sniff. In the middle of all the chaos and busyness which is our life, I am sometimes awestruck that the Lord gave me these precious five children. That He lets me walk through their days, their accomplishments and failures. That He lets me share in the shaping of their lives.

I love that this blog has become a regular part of our family journey. What a gift to have a pictorial journal of this year - everything from silly to spiritual, serious to sadness.

Happy Tooth-Losing Day, David!

Kathy

Today Joshua and David engaged in a rousing game of paddle ball. I don’t know really what to call it. They used the paddles from the tether ball game and hit a plastic ball back and forth. It looked like great fun.

They were having such a great time (evidenced by the loud laughter and general ruckus coming from the back yard) that I had to go out and take some pictures. I quickly realized something was a bit amiss in their game and I took a closer look at the ball.

Yes, that’s right. The ball in play was none other than Sarah’s sweet Princess Ball. This leads me to ask several questions:

1. Do the boys have some secret aggression toward Cinderella and her comrades?
2. Were the rest of the balls buried in the depths of the garage and this was the first one they could find?
3. Are they mad at Sarah and trying to take it out on her ball?
4. Is part of the fun seeing how long they can slam the ball before it pops?

When I started snapping pictures and zooming in on the ball, Joshua quickly chimed in with several amusing blog titles to accompany the pictures.

You know you have been blogging a little too long (or obsessively) when you take a picture and your children start writing the blog for you.

Kathy

Sarah and her friend Miriam in their Sunday School class this morning.

David’s caterpillars decided to emerge this weekend. What excitement! We put a little dish of sugar water in the netting this morning on our way to church. When we got home we decided to release the butterfly into the great outdoors. David kept telling us we had to find flowers. I tried not to wonder at his eyes since there were flowering bushes all over. Tim handled the great butterfly migration.

The butterfly fell, fluttered its wings and then gently flew off. I couldn’t help but think of us and how much we resemble a butterfly in our Christian walk. We start off as slow, plodding creatures, barely able to see the world around us. We find ourselves wrapped in this strange cocoon as Christ transforms us. It feels confining and different and even painful at times. Then, oh, then, we emerge as new beings. Able to fly and soar and see everything in a new and glorious light. Now we are beautiful.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Kathy