~May Days~

Lots going on. Everyday. Guess that’s the norm when you have 6 children. We never have a dull moment. Although, I wouldn’t mind a dull moment now and then.
Gabe eating frosting out of the can he found in the garbage.

We have had more sunny days than rainy days lately, so more time to play outside. The geese have three goslings, and the children have managed to capture all three little babies without any major attacks from the momma and daddy goose. They play with them for hours, until I remind them that they are still babies and need their mom and dad to take care of them. I looked out the kitchen window a few days ago, to see a plastic storage tub filled with water in the yard…with the lid on. I had this sneaking suspicion that I should go and investigate, so I did. I opened the tub, and there was a little gosling, swimming in the water. They had even put a pile of rocks in there so the baby could sit and rest out of the water. BUT…the lid was on and the sun was shining. So I called the children and explained that it could get very hot in the tub, even if it was not hot outside, and then the baby goose would die. So they let him go for the rest of the day. Until the next morning when they captured the three babies again. Then yesterday afternoon, on the goose hunt to get the babies, the parents took off to the river. Leaving behind the “peaceful” pond that they had hoped to raise their little family. The children are sure the geese are gone forever, because “Mom- the river is fast and once they get in the river they will be swept away and we will never see them again”. I don’t blame them.

I heard Maryann say to Josh “Josh, I am just so sweaty right now!” and then I heard Josh say to Maryann “Maryann, I am looking all over your face and I don’t see in sweaty anywhere. You aren’t sweaty because only boys can be sweaty and you are a girl!!” Maryann replied ” Oh. Josh, what is sweaty anyway?” Josh replied, “That wet stuff God puts on your face.”

And speaking of Josh, we had an unexpected tooth extraction done. For years, he has sucked his thumb, while holding his blanket. About a year ago, he cut one of the side of his blanket with a scissors. When asked why, “Just because I wanted to.” So then the blanket started to fray in that spot. And he started wrapping the strings around one of his teeth while he sucked his thumb and scratched his blanket with his other fingers. Quite the comfort routine. So I was in the kitchen, and Ben and Josh come downstairs with huge eyes. No crying. No screaming. Just large terrified eyes. Then Josh says that Ben pulled his tooth out and hands me his tooth. Not a little tooth that snapped off and maybe was ready to come out. Nope, this tooth is the whole thing, complete with root where it broke off at the jaw bone. And Josh’s gum had split right down the front where the tooth was pulled out. Ben said that Josh told him to pull on his blanket that was wrapped around the tooth. Josh said he was just “kidding” when he told Ben to pull the blanket. Either way, Ben had pulled the blanket and the tooth was now out. So I called Eric. He said to bring him in and he would look at Josh. Josh never cried once. I think he was terrified that his tooth had actually come out. Both Eric and I have told him hundreds of time not to wrap the blanket strings around his tooth. We have tried positive and negative measures to get him to stop. I have taken away the treasured blanket, but nothing has really worked. We have told him his tooth will come out if he keeps doing this. And that day it did. And then having to go see Daddy at work because you did something that you knew you were not suppose to do add to the misery of it all. Eric was impressed at how the tooth came out. (He didn’t say this to Josh) So were all of his staff. They had never seen a complete baby tooth like that one. But Eric said there was not much to be done. Maybe a spacer later down the road, to keep the teeth coming in from taking over that spot. But, lucky for my (I think) they had a few cancellations for hygiene, so we left with 6 children who all had clean teeth. And we got to go out for lunch with Eric.

It’s been fun to see spring at this house. There are hundreds of flowers blooming everywhere. The children bring me flowers every day they are outside playing. And Gabe has been bringing me sticks and rocks. I love spring and all the beautiful colors and smells that come with it. And I do love having flowers all over my house from the children.

I am 32 weeks now. Only about 8 to go. I am beginning to wonder if I will really make it that long. I have already had false labor a few times, but I am not ready at all to have a baby yet. And she needs to spend a lot more time growing on the inside rather than the outside. My energy level is dropping every day. I think more than that, the back pain that I have is draining beyond description. I have sciatic nerve damage that flares up badly towards the last few months of my pregnancy. Excruciating pain day in and day out wears me out. It drains me of the energy that I need to stay on top of everything. So I am looking forward to the end. To meeting this little girl and holding her in my arms. The children all do such a great job of taking care of me. Laura made Tacos for dinner last night and employed all the children to help her. She then cleaned the kitchen up before we ate. She is an amazing girl and I am so very thankful for her help and sweet spirit that she has. And Eric is amazing. He works long hard days at the office and then comes home and takes over the children and house and treats me like a princess. And all without complaining. Just a servants heart towards me. And for that I am very thankful.
~cheryl