Happy Birthday, Matt!

June is always really busy for us. School is slowing down. Matt and Sarah celebrate their birthdays. We usually start our outdoor projects.

And our cars break. 

Sarah: "You know bunnies rub up against things they love so they can spread their scent on it. And then they think it belongs to them."

Me: "Ummmmm. My leg belongs to me, though."

 

Matt has been encouraging me to allow the children to help out more.

One of my greatest fears is choking.

Number 2? One of the children losing a body part to a sharp tool or utensil.

Soooo, here they are, peeling and cutting up vegetables.

I only had a small heart attack.

 And here is the choking hazard: corn.

Esther served herself, obviously.

The three amigos. They love this swingset and play for hours on it every single day. It might be time for another one or a bigger one because Nathan, Esther and Daniel are growing up quick and the fights over the swings are becoming more of the norm.

The suburban broke again. It is time for a new car, but Matt loves the burb so desperately.

We will see if it passes inspection this month.

Nathan got himself dressed. I love him.

This little girl is so special. Troublesome, but so special.

After confession on Saturday, we took the kids for a quick trip to Oneida Lake. It was windy and cold, but so refreshing to get fresh air and sunshine!

Teething necklace from Maggie and Rob because, Holy Crud, this baby boy BITES ME!

I'll see if I can find a picture of the damage he causes my shoulders.

Captain American riding into the sunset with his Lady Fair on his noble steed.

That huge maple tree in the back of the photo is my favorite tree on our property. Isn't it lovely?

The children hosted a Captain American birthday party for Matt. We had an absolute blast. Luckily, birthdays last about a week around here. So these decorations will be up for a while.

 

Happy Birthday, Cap.

We love you so very much.

You are our hero.

 

 

Guest Post by Sarah

One day I went looking for Esther. I found her in my room taking my dolls clothes off them.
Esther: Will you play with me?
Me: No I have school to do.
Esther: sigh. you always do school. Right?

Serenity

We've lived here, at Belleholm, for about a year and a half now. I am still emptying boxes. Recently, I found a box filled with cards and notes from our wedding shower that I haven't seen since that day...almost eleven years ago. The box contained a large file of "Words of Wisdom" from all the people that attended the shower. Small notes that hold a great deal of knowledge and years of experience from people who know the ups and downs of married life.

 

Exhibit A:

The writing is in purple, indicating that the authoress of these Words of Wisdom actually BRINGS A PURPLE PEN WITH HER WHEREVER SHE GOES!

 

This prayer has become my mantra. I have a plaque in my front garden with these words. I have it cross-stitched and framed. Whenever I see this prayer, I think of the color purple. It is almost as though it is a subliminal message.

 

When things get rough up in these parts, I think of the Serenity Prayer. And no time was more pertinent than yesterday morning.

 

 

Meet Esther.

She's been up since 5am.

 

Confession: I have been trying (smashing my head against a wall) to get these crazy babies to sleep in past 6am for ~8 years now.

 

I have been unsuccessful. I have cried. I have had waaaaaaay too many cups of coffee. I have begged them. I have pleaded. I have kept them up until 10pm. I have let them run wild to exhaust themselves before bed. Nothing works. Even in the winter when the sun isn't even up, I cannot stop this. I bought clocks. I set limits. "You may wake up. You may brush your teeth. Make your bed. Get dressed. Read quietly. But you MAY NOT come downstairs until I have had my coffee." This only encourages them to wake up earlier to finish all of these things before they can grace me with their presence.

 

Daniel is teething, which means he is up all night eating and being soothed. This is okay with me. I can honestly sleep sitting up and nursing now. He fusses his little baby fuss and I nurse him and everything goes back to being silent.

 

Then: ESTHER.

She goes from "sound asleep" to "auditioning for a heavy metal band" in .03 seconds.

EVERY MORNING.

I am certain that she is the reason Matt is going bald and may or may not have had four strokes.

The girl just won't stop.

The excuses I have made up for this child are so pitiful:

~ She has personality.

~ She is spirited.

~She is the fifth born.

~She was born in the middle of the night so that is why she doesn't sleep.

~She is a Schwalm girl, so she is strong.

 

I could go on and on and on. But the fact of the matter is that she is just Esther. Matt wanted to name her a "good, strong name from the Bible so she would grow to be a good, strong woman someday".

Hahaha!

"someday"

Hahaha!

 

Anyway, it took my grandmother's persistence in continuing to repeat this prayer to me. And it took me until my fifth child turned two to finally understand. (Steep learning curve.)

All these years of early-rising children, I thought I needed courage to set more limits and rules. But apparently what I needed was wisdom to know that it was time to surrender.

White flag.

SERENITY NOW!

They win.

 

6am, you no longer frighten me.