Tales of an Accidental Mega Mom pt. 2

This is part the second of how I unintentionally ended up with seven kids. To start at the very beginning (a very good place to start- I have to sing that in my Maria vonTrapp voice, do you? ) click here.

Pt.2

So there I was at the ripe old age of 27 having decided that 4 kids for me was quite enough thankyouverymuch. I did have 4 kids under the age of 4 though so it's not like I was slacking.

We had married in the Episcopal church and we ended up having our kids baptized, but we never became members and just before I became pregnant with the twins, we joined a new church that was non-denominational.

The pastor there is an incredible speaker. He is known worldwide and has several books and can be seen on television. Today this church has several campuses where they holographic-ally project him as he gives his sermons. Maybe this is an urban legend, but a friend of a friend tells of one woman who attended a satellite campus for a few weeks before realizing that it wasn't actually him up there on the stage.

When we attended about 10-11 years ago they were just getting started, and by this I mean there was one campus and they only has about 3-4,000 families. So to get people connected, the church sponsored small groups and we joined one to meet some couples we could get together with and discuss our faith and become friends. It really is a great idea and we met some wonderful families.

Our group had about 5 couples and we were all roughly the same age and had small kids. We had just moved to a beautiful, large McMansion home when I was pregnant and so we became the weekly hosts. We would choose a book and we'd all read it and discuss it. We also had a babysitter come and watch the kids and everyone would bring some food for dinner.

It was really great y'all. We'd pray for each other and support each other. I think this is a great model that many Catholic Churches could benefit from.

Anyway, one day after we'd had our group over the night before, I was talking with one of our new neighbors, Mike K. He and his wife were empty nesters and just real friendly. Somehow the topic of what all those people were doing over came up and how they were from our church and all.

And then somehow it came up that I was a lasped Catholic.

And then somehow it came out that Mike K. was a practicing and devout Catholic.

And soon we learned that he was also an amateur Catholic apologist...

{PHFR} + Tales of an Accidental Mega Mom

Well the charger to my fancy camera is still missing. In fact, I think I might have accidentally put it in the Goodwill bin when I was cleaning out my desk. I feel pretty bad about it, but my mom can do one better, she accidentally put our family heirloom handmade baptismal gown in the Goodwill bag when they were moving.

I know!

But after a good cry we were over it and we do have another gown because we needed one when we had the twins baptized, so I just told her we have a new family heirloom now...but I digress.

Also my phone isn't syncing so I can't post any new pictures and therefore I have been inspired to do something a little different today!

I can't tell you how many times I get comments on our family size and how close together in age they all seem.

Truly y'all, all.the.time.

These days the questions don't phase me much. In fact seven kids seems like hardly any kids on some days...except on days when it feels like hundreds!

The real true life story of how we, who never intended to have a 'big' family ended up with seven (so far) blessings is pretty amazing, but also kind of long so I don't really go into detail when folks make those charming little comments...

I would like to tell you though, dear blogosphere.  We always seem to have plenty of time, don't we?

Here goes:

We married on June 14th 1997. I was 22 and my groom was 23. Weren't we adorable little babies?!

{pretty, pretty young!}

I was raised Catholic, Lee agnostic-ish and we ended up getting married in the Episcopal Church because that's where my Mom ended up. I didn't really care and neither did he and my mom did, so that's what happened. 

We knew we wanted to be parents soon. For some paranoid reason I was totally convinced we would have trouble conceiving so of course I became pregnant after we'd been married five months. 

Jake was a darling, easy baby and we thought, hey let's have another! Jake and Ryan are 14 months apart and are best friends.  

When Ryan was nearing two we really wanted to complete our family. You see, when we married I said I wanted 4 kids and Lee said 2 kids, so 3 kids was our compromise.

So cute, so super cute and dumb we were. 

{happy no.1 and no.2}

Imagine then, our shock when the doctor saw Baby A and Baby B on the ultrasound!

Yes, I did think "Ha! I win! I win" :)

Plus Baby B was a girl so that was pretty awesome.

{Ha ha! Twins! Funny!}

And then? Well, I am not one of those ladies that just loooooooves to be pregnant. In fact, I loathe it. I always have morning sickness, terrible, dehydrating sickness that can tend to make me depressed. The twin pregnancy did me in y'all. I was miserable at the end. I had been on bedrest for about 4 weeks with toddler boys at home.

But, even before the very end, we had decided that this pregnancy was it. We were done with four and very happy and thankful. So, when the delivery ended up in a c-section the doctor went ahead and did what I had very explicitly and repeatedly asked him to do over the last nine months. He cut and cauterized my fallopian tubes. 

Yes. I had my tubes tied when I was 27. 

{real, 4 is enough}

Thanks be to God there is more to this story. Much much more, so stay tuned!

{PHFR}

Been a sick week. :(

This has been the worst winter for us sickness wise in years. No vomiting, thank God, but fevers and sore throats and tummy aches and sleeplessness making us all around a pretty grumpy bunch. You know how some people are just better patients than others? Well this sick princess is definitely not a good patient.

{real}

She is just miserable poor thing, and tends to make everyone miserable along with her. 

Lee said to me the other night how God must love me so much because he is giving me such wonderful opportunities for extra penance this Holy Week....yep. Trying to be optimistic here...

{happy}

My step dad just turned 70 and this past weekend we had a great surprise party for him. Luke was thrilled to have Coke at the party because he has given up all drinks except water for Lent. I told him it was a special occasion and he had an exemption. I pretty much made that up I guess, but it really was such a hassle in the crowd and the server just wanted to get the kids all served quickly.

{funny}

While at the doctor with Sara I found a recipe in Parent's mag. for breakfast cookies made with carrots and oats with a cream cheese filling. Sounds too good to be true right? I mean cookies for breakfast? Woo Hoo!

Unfortunately I couldn't make myself tear out the article and I forgot my phone which I usually use to make pics of stuff like this. I tried to find it on the interwebs when I came home, but no luck. 

So I improvised.

{funny}

I remembered the recipe called for a cream cheese filling sweetened with maple syrup but I didn't have any and I just used agave. It worked great! Seriously it was so easy, just beat the cream cheese and add in agave to taste. YUM! I sure love me some cream cheese frosting and now I know how to make the easiest, yummiest frosting in the world! In fact, I'm going to use it on my lamb cake...

{pretty}

The cookies turned out delicious and I guess they are sorta healthy. The kids love them and I will make them again for sure!

{PHFR}

Whew the last two weeks have been busy. Once we made the decision to try and sell the house it was action time to pack and clean and paint etc...We pretty much have taken an extended Spring Break to get the house in order. The weather has been warm and lovely and the kids have helped me by staying out of the way and playing outside...

{pretty}

The girls have been playing dress up too. Sara loves dress up more than any other so far and I have just said WTH, wear whatever you want just let me finish this X,Y,Z...And you know I am glad to have had this opportunity to just let it go because I have realized you can only get away with the princess tu-tu and hello kitty rain boots football cheerleader look for a few years before people call in the men with the white coats.

{funny}

I'm also trying to finish up this darn lovely afghan for my dad. I am so lucky to have a little helper. Nina loves the yarn balls! She is like a kitty and plays with them and yes, tries to eat it. The afghan will have a bit of Nina sweetness crocheted right in, literaly. Ahem.

{real}

We were able to get out Tuesday evening and walk down to the neighborhood playground. Some of my kids are just so coordinated and naturally athletic.

{fun}

Luke can actually run down the balance beam and he's fast!  

{fun}

I typically hat pushing kids on the swing. I don't know why, it's just one of those mommy duties I dislike. I'm always hoping to get them to be self-pumpers ASAP. I actually enjoyed it the other evening though. I think maybe because they were so into it. Lots of giggling and smiles!

{happy}

 I love this action shot of my sweet snaggle tooth girl!

{happy}

My two oldest boys are away this week at a farm camp. They are learning new skills and having fun. I was so surprised to see this on FB! That's my Jake on a tractor! It's a crazy sight for this suburban mom.

{real}

Meanwhile back in the suburbs... Today we've been working on our little Lenten family project. The Missionaries of the Poor are in town for some fundraiser concerts and we've been helping in small ways stuffing pamphlets and making display boards. Do you know of this wonderful group? We are so happy to help them and I encourage you to check out their website and learn about their ministries. Talk about real....

{real}

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday Wrap Up 2

Well I'm liking the Intagram a bit more. It does take some time to get used to. I haven't joined the social network part, I just use it for myself ;) These two shots are my faves so far...

I just love how she sucks her two middle fingers. Both Luke and MaryClare were thumb suckers, but this is the first finger baby. 

Dear MaryClare takes a beginner ballet class at the local Baptist church. Her teacher is so sweet and gentle and MC is just made for ballet. She is extremely flexible and just innately graceful. 

Nina is still army crawling. It's been two months and though she'll get up and rock on her knees she won't do the real crawl yet. I love this little side pose she does...

We said goodbye to the chickens last Saturday in preparation for the sale. We are all pretty sad, but I hope the house will sell quickly and we can get back in the chicken game soon.

I love this vignette. I so hope for my girls to have a close and loving relationship with their Dad. 

Well today was a gorgeous Sunday and I was able to work on my crochet afghan outside on the deck. I am almost done! There were a few blessed minutes where I was able to crochet with Nina sitting on my lap. It was so peaceful.

This was such a busy week and I was so thankful for the rest of Sunday. Tonight I'm enjoying a glass of wine and movie with my husband and this coming week will bring more house prep and hopefully listing paperwork on the weekend.

{PHFR}

Oh the Legos! My 3 boys love Legos, and they are such a great hobby, but (insert the myriad of annoying things about legos here).

Sigh.

{real}

I installed instagram on my phone and tried a few shots. The Lego one is neat, but night shots -ehh. Maybe I just need to get the hang of it. Anyway I had a willing model to practice and be cheesy for me!

{pretty}

A couple of weeks ago we went to a fun father/son flag football game with our homeschool group. The girls got a bit bored and I finally persuaded them to wander around the fields and do a 'nature walk'. We found a a patch of clover and enthusiastically explained how to search for a rare 4 leaf clover and went back to cheering my boys.

No luck that day ;  (ba-dum-cha!)

but just this week old Eagle Eyes found one right out in our very own cul-de-sac! How neat! We have stuck it in a book to keep it. I am not surprised really by this find, the girl has like better than 20/20 vision and she has just always been so very observant. 

{happy}

We're enjoying this weird balmy winter weather.  The kids love jumping on the trampoline with Lee and it is so cute when their hair gets full of static.

{fun-ny}

I also wanted to ask if anyone has read Happy Are You Poor.? I am reading this and it is just life changing for me. I'd love to discuss with someone else, so let me know, ok?


Thanks for coming by!

Yarn Along: 6

Well I'm getting closer! This will only be 4x4 squares so I am piecing it together now and then just the edging woo hoo! I'm sure my Dad won't mind his "Happy St. Patrick's Day!" gift that was originally meant to be a Christmas gift....

{not quite done!}

The colors are much prettier IRL, this was just snapped on my phone and it's softer in person. It looks a bit garish here though...

Reading...Happy Are You Poor - it's very good and very tough. It's taking awhile to absorb and but it is changing my life. Wow. I would love to discuss this book with others who've read it. Please let me know if you have.... or if you will! ;)