Five Times The LOVE

For this child I prayed and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him...I Samuel 1:27...and He did it FIVE times over.

FIVE: It all began with the 'collection' of five children. Then I decided to collect things with the number 5 on them. I see 5's and feel an immediate attraction. FIVE. Most days (even after all these years) I find it amazing, befuddling, wonderful, tiring, endless worrying, constant pride and eternal love when I see my children or talk to them. I am still in awe of the fact that we produced five beautiful children.

When I had five (FIVE!!!!!) children under the age of seven, I knew life could not get any harder than that. Just the constant one on one attention they needed and endless list of needs of five tiny children was enough to wear anyone out. I knew that was the hardest age.

When I had five (FIVE!!!) children finally in school all at once I knew life could not get any harder than that. Just the fact that I had five parent/teacher conferences, five Christmas parties, five classes worth of Valentines, and activities times five was enough to wear anyone out. I knew that was the hardest age.

When I had five (FIVE!!!) teenagers at once, I knew positively that life could not get any harder than that. Instead of worrying about mittens and ear infections and carseats and soccer practice and homework, I was suddenly worrying about peer pressure and parties, popularity, problems and passions! The hormones that were raging at our house were enough to wear anyone out. I knew that was the hardest age.

Now that I have five (FIVE!!!) children (on the verge) of being out of high school, going off in new directions, being on their own, taking care of their own lives, I KNOW life can not get any harder than this! It is hard to let go. It is hard to hold on. It is hard to know what to do. This has to be the hardest age.

Will I ever lose my love for the number 5? Absolutely NOT. Just the image of that number conjures up so many memories of so many of life's stages. .....Not to mention FIVE TIMES the love I have been given!

A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was (zero to negative), the sort of house I lived in (well worn and well used), or the kind of car I drove (big vans and high mileage) ..........But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.

*picture borrowed for this post, but for the life of me, I can't find it again to give proper credit.

God's Answers Are Wiser Than Our Prayers...

We shape our lives not by what we carry with us, but by what we leave behind.

In this Great Move, it seems that for every decision we make, two more unfold waiting for answers. There is nothing easy about uprooting our family, leaving our jobs and the house and community in which our children have grown up. There are so many 'little' issues that must be dealt with like NOT taking everything, finding new banks and doctors and mechanics! We want all five children to be happy, but we also must look out for ourselves (Tim and me) as we are no spring chickens. We have to look beyond the Big Move into the future. We have to pack, haul, arrange, say good-byes and till-we-meet-agains. It is SO much more than moving five children, two adults, pets, seventeen years of material accumulations and packing a giant house. It is stuffing our hearts and minds full of minutes and memories of our friends. Remembering so many 'that's the last time we'll do that' each time it happens. It is putting snapshots in our mind and treasures in our heart. It is waking up each morning and asking God to help us make the right decisions and going to bed each night praying again, "Please God, help me to do what ever is right for our family. Amen."

A Whole New Perspective to "Losing Your Mind"....!

I finally got my head together....now my body is falling apart....

Isn't this a great picture? Timbo had come home from work and was laying his head down on the bar while he was waiting on supper to be ready. I was folding the clothes (also in the pic!) when I looked up and noticed that shot. I (stupidly) said, "Tim, don't move," while I reached for the camera. So he raises up and turns around to look at me. I made him put his head back down so I could take the picture. It looks like I finally bit his head off! AND I did this all without any Photoshop or anything else. Just tired 'ole Tim and a very good picture. Enjoy!