Mis-heard Christmas Carols in Fitzville

"Deck the hall with balls of jelly!"

"Chipmunks roasting on an open fire..."

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... A pot and a chia pet tree"



*Note... all of these have been brought to you by Charlie, who we believe was definitely an elf in a former life.

Sometimes...

Sometimes, being with 40 some relatives for a holiday can remind you of the many relatives you left behind in another country, far away.

Sometimes, having a big feast with all the food you can imagine might remind you of days when you had no food at all and went to bed hungry.

Sometimes, playing out back with your brother can remind you of another brother who you haven't seen in 2 years.

Sometimes, going swimming in an indoor pool with all your cousins can remind you that you are still just learning to swim, as you had never been in water in your life until you were 9 years old.

Sometimes, going to the movies to see a movie where one of the main character dies reminds you of watching your own parents die not so very long ago.

And sometimes, when all of this happens over the course of just a few days, a simple thing like losing a small toy is enough to put you over the edge and send you in tears up to your room where you stay there silent, all day without eating.

Sometimes, it's easy to think this happy healthy child running around with his new family is 'fixed'. But sometimes we need a reminder that the pain and anger is still there. Sometimes, a build up like this helps to get some of that pain and anger out, and to talk about the past, which will always be a huge part of your life. Sometimes you need to work through the pain to talk about and remember those people you have left behind, to make them real again, and remember they will always be a part of who you are.

This...

... is what it's all about

Thanksgiving 2007

Thanksgiving

Been slow to update the blog here, with all the craziness of 7 kids and a holiday approaching. But I will take a few minutes this morning to be thankful. I am incredibly thankful for my kids. The snowman above was created in the backyard yesterday... a group effort. The plan yesterday was to get the house cleaned up and have everyone pack right after school so that we wouldn't have as much to do today, and we could take off early. But who could know it would be the first real snow of the season. And who can deny kids that first snow. So after a frantic few minutes digging out old mittens and hats, the kids were outside until it was dark out. Even with my schedule thrown off, it's hard to be mad with all the screaming and laughing and pure togetherness that snow brought.

So packing was done later than usual, and this morning there was a trail of children marching down the stairs with backpacks and sleeping bags and pillow, and even more happy laughter anticipating a few days with cousins. By 6:45am, there was a full blown, full house Star Wars battle going on complete with light sabers. By 7:05am we were in the car headed to school with Black Horse and the Cherry Tree blasting and all 7 kids singing along loudly, with more laughter.

I will be doing all the cleaning and packing of the car myself while they are at school... but no complaints here. I am thankful. Thankful for my kids. Thankful for laughter. Thankful for pure joy on a dark, damp morning.

8 Random things about me...

1.) Despite all these instruments hanging on the wall, I am musically illiterate. I am married to an awesome musician, and have 7 kids that are picking it up quickly, but sadly, none here in this blood.

2.) My favorite adult author

3.) My favorite kid author

4.) My favorite late-night indulgence

5.) My blogging companion (sitting by the computer)

6.) My favorite material possession... I love this necklace, each kid has the name and birthdate engraved on the back

7.) The color of my hallway...it is called "feel the energy green"... no joke. I was tired of the dark hallway, and this sure brightened it up!

8.) What I am doing tonight... Tuesday night soccer is the one thing that is all mine, where I can escape the craziness here in Fitzville for a blissful 2 hours

Tagged

I have been tagged for a meme over at Sandy Cove Trail by a very cool librarian/mom/photographer/poet/friend. I am not so good at these memes, and though I am supposed to tag 8 others, I am not sure I know 8 other bloggers well enough to tag. So if you read my blog and want to participate, leave me a comment so I can go check out your "8 random facts". Mine will be up in a bit... I have been inspired to repeat the photo blog post, so I need to get some pics and upload them. Thanks!

Perfect day

This is the first day I can remember in a very long time that we had absolutely no commitments. No soccer, no church, no birthday parties... a full day to spend as a family. Fitz picked up an old ping pong table the other day, and the kids all spent the morning clearing out part of the basement so they could set it up. For their hard work cleaning, they were promised a trip to the dollar store. I don't remember the last time all 9 of us went shopping together either. At 15, shopping with the family just isn't a cool thing to do, but for today, Kaleigh decided to humor us. After spending 17.5 hours picking out their 'prizes' at the dollar store, and then stopping at K-Mart to pick up ping pong paddles, the kids played all afternoon long without a single argument. Fitz made everyones favorite dinner of chocolate chip banana pancakes and bacon, and we all settled onto the couches in pajamas to watch Indian Jones and eat popcorn. Life doesn't get much better than this.

Reality check

I was laughing with my oldest today about those silly classes offered at some high schools that give “reality” training about parenting. You know the kind… you take home an egg and need to take care of it for a week or so. I think some schools even have baby dolls that cry etc. Kaleigh has grown up with 6 younger siblings. She knows the realities… she has lived it.

So we were thinking we should design our own class… one that teaches the true realities. Common sense, practical knowledge that all parents should know. Like not ever buying toys that make noise. And never allowing a child to eat blue yogurt while sitting on the couch. Don’t give small children Mountain Dew before bedtime. Children under 18 should never be given gum. Especially if they have hair. Or their sister has hair. Never leave your car keys in plain sight, especially if the bathroom door is open and the toilet lid is up. Permanent markers should not be allowed in the house. Or regular markers. Even washable ones. It is possible for a human being to survive for days, weeks, even months at a time on only pasta and peanut butter. When a child is sick, the amount that comes out of them will generally equal several times what went into them. And what comes out of them will invariably land on either furniture, carpeting, or some article of clothing that has either just been purchased or just been dry-cleaned. All children need structure, but don’t ever think you can make plans. Because the minute you make plans, that is when one of your children will get sick. Multitasking is a skill all parents must learn immediately upon having a baby. And I don’t mean being able to text/listen to an ipod/study for an English quiz. I am talking about cooking dinner while feeding a baby, answering the phone, assisting with 4th grade math homework and cleaning chocolate pudding out of a 2 year old’s hair. Simultaneously. And all these things need to be done in the 23.5 minutes you have between soccer practice and the PTO meeting.

So if you are given the famous egg in your high school… break it over your head right before a very important event, and see how long it takes you to clean it out of your hair, change your clothes and still make it to that event on time… because THAT is the reality.

But don't fear... because the terror of a mess at the top there? That turns into this eventually, and then it's all worth it.

Bonus

I have discovered a bonus to having 'hair time' with Pipo... beyond the one on one it gives us. It's also an opportunity to pass on some more of our great American culture. I have always let Pipo watch a movie during that time, and he had always wanted some kind of cartoon movie. Now that he is older, and can understand more, he is open to watching more "grown up" movies.

Sooooo, we just finished the last of the Karate Kid series. Next I think we will start on the Indiana Jones movies. Hey, if I need to put all this time and effort into his hair, I might as well get to relive some of my 80s days, right? All part of the payoff for being a mom!

Thankful...

I am thankful...

to have tied my last soccer cleat of the season

to have dug my last pair of soccer socks out of the laundry bin

to have washed my last soccer uniform (at midnight the night before a game)

to have stood in the cold November rain for the last time

to have driven for the last time to 3 different towns in 3 different directions for 3 games in a row

Until next spring...

This...

...is a cool shirt!