New Posts coming...

I have several things to blog about, however, my head feels like it's going to explode.  So, instead of sitting here and suffering through it, I am going to go lay down and suffer.  I will hopefully post in the next few days!

Missing him...

While he enjoyed higher than 50 degree weather today, I got to deal with rain, 4 mean and sick kids, a messy house, baseball practice and fighting the 4 kids to eat dinner.  Not to mention the lack of sleep and never ending to do list.  Here is what he looked like tonight.  He looked so cute, I had to take a picture!!

Yes, that is book shelves behind him.  He has the pleasure of sleeping in a closet at the local school.  We can't wait for him to come home.  Crossing our fingers for this weekend.  WE LOVE YOU!!!

Dear Target Shoppers,

Since there are a lot of you that stare and want to ask, I decided to answer the questions you want so bad to ask.  So, here goes:

• Yes, these are all MY children.  I didn't pick up any stray children on the street.
• Yes, I have to bring all 4 of them with me.  Why?  Because my husband works 16 hours a day to serve YOU!!!  His kids (and wife) rarely see him, which is why I am roaming the isles at Target with all 4 of my kids!
• Yes, they all are close in age.  Yes, we did know what "causes" children and wanted each and every one of them.  
• Yes, they are a bit loud and fight a bit.  HELLO!  They are children.  For the most part, they are VERY well behaved children.  They don't run up and down the isles and they don't scream just to scream (most of the time!)  
• Yes, I am Super Woman and can do it all.  I know it's hard.  Do you really have to tell me it's hard?  You think I don't already know it?

And last but certainly not least:

• YES, I am insane!!  Would you like to take my 4 children so I can go put on my white jacket and sleep in my padded room?  NO?  I didn't think so.  

So, stop staring at me like I have grown 4 extra heads and just worry about what you need to get in Target.  Thank you so much for smiling and being SO kind!

Sincerly,
A Crazy Mother of 4

torture!

If that dessert wasn't bad enough, here was dinner that night.  It's Shrimp Scampi and it's 100% homemade.  Oh my, it was so good.  And, a whole lot easier than I thought.  Yum!!

Don't you wish....

You were a guest at our house tonight?  So Yummy!!

A small update

Kennie is just about finished 2nd grade.  He is enjoying his ignite program (the high IQ class he's in) and is looking forward to playing outside this summer.  He enjoyed soccer and is looking forward to coach pitch baseball starting soon.  Kennie is rebelling in his responsibilites of being the oldest and the most common phrase out of his mouth is "Why am I the only one?"  My response, because I love you!  :)

 Justin continues to be my biggest helper and is at the top of the list of trouble makers.  It seems he is always grounded from something or in his room for something.  We have gotten to the point in his allergy shots that we only have to go 1 time a month.  Holy cow.  GREAT day.  

Classic picture - right?  So Nate!  He continues to rebel against potty training and I am sick of trying to encourage him.  So, he wears pull-ups.  He enjoys the time at home with his mom.  He wants to go to school but doesn't seem to grasp that if he potty trains - he will be able to go to school.  Meanwhile, he continues to destroy things in my house and cause trouble.  He would be at the top of the list in the trouble maker department.

Maggie - as much as we don't want to admit it, she runs the house.  She enjoys it and loves being the center of attention.  Her vocabulary is amazing.  She does what Nate does which isn't ever good.  She really enjoys reading time and especially her "printces!"  She is obsessed with bling and anything pink.  Such the girl.  Thank Heaven we only have 1!!

Aaron leaves Saturday morning for 2 weeks.  He will be traveling from village to village in Alaska treating patients.  He will be the acting Endocrinologist for the group.  He is looking forward to this adventure and hopefully he will learn a lot.  He continues to work crazy hours.  I am almost looking forward to another residency so we will at least know how crazy his hours will be and there will be some down time.  Now, there is no down time.  He spends a lot of his time tired.  

Sassy continues to do anything in her power to survive from day to day.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  She has gotten pretty good at keeping the house maintained, but hasn't figured out how to throw the rest of it in.  It's a slow process and those of you that know her know that she doesn't work in slow.  She is learning patience slowly and is trying to learn from every challenge.  She is looking forward to starting up scrapbooking classes and that will help to calm her.  She is her calmest when she is scrapbooking.  

Alaska has been difficult for us, but we are excited about this summer and all the fun things we will be able to do.  We have lots of visitors planning to come up and Sassy is looking forward to her trip in July to Washington D.C.  That's us right now.  Enjoy your spring and summer!!

Punishment?

This morning, while laying in bed, I heard the boys doing the scavanger hunt looking for their baskets.  They are supposed to wait for us to do it with them, so I called them into my room and told them they needed to sit on the floor for 15 minutes.  (It was only 7:15.)  Anyway, Justin noticed that Aaron was gone and asked if Daddy was coming home tonight.  (They haven't seen him since Wednesday.)  I told Justin no.  We wouldn't see him tonight, or tomorrow night or Tuesday night or Wednesday night.  Then, he has Thursday off.  He will work again on Friday and then leave for 2 weeks on Saturday. 

Justin got really quiet and after a few minutes said (In a low oh so sad voice), "Well, I guess that's our punishment for being bad."  I started crying and mumbled a no, Justin, it's just because of his job.  I curled into a ball and continued to cry for another 20 minutes or so.  (I don't know how long, just that the boys were bugging me that it had been more than 15 minutes.

So, today is not a good day.  Today, I am feeling low.  Yesterday was not a bad day.  It wasn't a good day either.  It seems that one day blends into another.  It feels like 1 day is 3 days.  My days drag on.  My nights are even longer.  I can't sleep, I am having a hard time eating and there is no end in sight.  I can't even see a tiny light at the end of my tunnel.  Am I surprised?  No.  This has been the roller coaster of the last 8 years.  One would think I would be used to this.  However, I just can't get used to it.  Hopefully, I am done with my rant now.  Hopefully I can cook dinner with no tears.  Hopefully I can fall asleep tonight and not have nightmares.  I am hopeful for a better day tomorrow.

P.S.  Sorry I took off comment moderation again.  I don't really want to hear that I will pull through this and that everything will be okay!  Thanks for your support!!