Reflections

I have been reflecting this past week on how nice it is to have the kids gone for a little while. It has been quiet and the only messes in the house are mine. They are great kids to have around, but sometimes, we need to have a break from each other. It makes us appreciate each other a bit more. I think it makes us more thoughtful of what is REALLY important. Distancing yourself from the problems for a few days and having down time just makes things easier to deal with.

I was reading my sister's blog about how the kids are driving her crazy and I'm sure the husband too, at some point. I have really come to appreciate the ability to get away. I think it is soo important for the mental health of the mommy and of the kids. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut of bad attitudes and bad behavior. So, when we get a chance to get away or even steal it somehow, it refreshes us and makes us better parents. It's okay that the kids know that their behavior has driven mommy from the home for a few hours. Not that it changes their behavior, but it makes them aware that their behavior is affecting others besides themselves. One of the things that I learned from Love and Logic that I thought was really cool (and slightly manipulative) is to say to the the kids as you lay on the couch, "I'm sorry, I can't help you with that (take you there, etc. ). You have run all my energy away. Maybe if you can put some energy back into me, I can help you with that. How are you going to put energy back into me?" Then if they don't know or can't think of anything, you give suggestions like, playing nicely with siblings, or doing some helpful chore, or talking nicely to people, etc. It is amazing what happens when they try to put energy back into mommy!

Okay, on a different note! Calico Kid found his glasses! Yay! They were by a backyard pond, in the sand, and NO ONE knows how they got there! Strange! Anyway, I'm glad they were found. It really put a damper on their good times while in NY. Now they can have a good time without all the worry. I told the kids they needed to pray about it and ask God to show them where they were. It worked!

This week, I hope to finish some more projects so that I can enjoy the kids when they get home. I'm afraid they are going to get a lesson in gardening tho. I just can't pick all those beans by myself every three days! My legs and back have never hurt so much! Not to mention how dizzy I am from bending over for hours at a time! Even if I sit on a bucket and work, I still have to bend over! So, I've had some pretty bad headaches this past week. Thankfully, Dr. O helps me, but he can't even really see the beans as they blend in with the plants! But at least he tries and I just have to start where he was last time so I don't miss too many!

Well, gotta go sew the rest of the day!