Thirty One

Today the number 31 is special to me.

Yesterday my Mom said 31 is half of 62.

Psalm 90:10
The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labour and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

This year I feel the swiftness more than ever before.

Yesterday we heard a sermon on John 1:18. I'm sorry for all who didn't hear it.

And of His fullness we have all recieved grace for grace.


How often do I reflect on His fullness? I'm sure the more I consider it, the less I feel I know. He who is the From Everlasting to Everlasting. It's is more than my earthly mind can take in.

And to receive from that fullness grace for grace! Or blessing heaped upon never ending blessing. Again, I'm sure I do not even fully realize or appreciate all the blessings God has heaped on me. Yesterday we got the picture of a never ending freight train. Each car full of blessings. And as one car is emptied the train moves forward so the next car is already available with no delay.

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

And from Psalm 31:19

Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!

Not that I am deserving of myself but only through the precious work of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5: 6-12

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

I pray God will bless you all and me so that we can say together:

In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.

For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.

Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31 : 1, 3 & 24

May God draw you who already know Him more closely to Himself and to those who do not know Him, I beg you to fall at His feet. He is willing to save!

And last but not least strength and blessings for all you women, wives and mothers to live in the way of Proverbs 31.

Thanks to all of you who follow this blog and the story of our family, who encourage me with your kind comments on the blog, via email and to my face. You have a special place in my heart. My family may fill it up even to overflowing but there's still extra room for you all.

My Prize

Yesterday I won a gift from Michelle courtesy of Thrifty Chicks Shopping Co. (I'm in a hurry and not figuring out the best way to point you in their direction but you can read about them on Michelle's blog or look them up on facebook.)

We were asked to share some ideas that recycle, reuse, save pennies (or hundreds). Well, I instantly knew what I would say but there weren't a lot of people up for sharing that day. So I waited and then left the first comment. I thought that if I didn't want to be the first there were probably others like me. SO, I left the first comment with my vote for spray paint thinking others would follow with other amazing ideas. They did not.

So, Friday morning Michelle came bright and early with my prize. Guess where she found me? OUt in the shop spray painting my latest project for the in-progress bathroom. I really would like to share it with you but it's going to take a little more organization than I currently possess.

I also would love to share a picture of my prize with you but it was disassembled within 2 seconds of my getting back in the house. The boys immediately claimed the abacus. Then, before I had the foresight to get the camera the twins, who were on the counter grabbed the vintage candles and tossed the entire package into the sink. The remaining tea towel, tray, dish and cutesie flower pot were covered in cream cheese when I accidently brushed the mixer to speed 3 while it was resting bottom (and full beaters) up while I stirred the pot.

That's why I'm typing you this drawn out story about my prize. I'm avoiding the disastrous kitchen.

FYI I have long since banished ALL the kids from the kitchen. Nay, from the house!

When it's a Bummer to have a Twin

It's when you're in a side by side stroller and she gets sick and pukes on you both.

Thankfully we were no longer inside the MCC, the United Church Thrift Store, Hospital Auxillary Thrift Store or Liquidation World. We were just outside the LW doors and the mess was on the sidewalk. Otherwise the humiliation caused would have nearly outweighed the disgustingness of it.

And there's only so much one can take.

Even a twin.

Ps. Okay, he wasn't really humilated or disgusted. "Didder?" as in, are you okay, sis? "pooking, Mom!"

Yesterday's Tomorrow

He was so excited to go! As far as he was concerned, there were toys, friends and sports waiting.

This morning he told me, "if we do painting today, I'll paint a picture for you for sure!"

He wasn't as excited to stand for a few pictures and does this funny grimace when asked to smile. So we got a serious one.
And then I tried to get one of the two monkeys together. And now you can see how excited he actually was. (she is, after all, the experienced one. I'm sure there will be a few more looking up to his big sister days before he grows up all the way)

And away they go. I couldn't get teary about it. He was so excited!

This morning

This morning this house is a job site. It feels like we could work for a month of Tuesdays not yet be caught up.

Of course not, any mom out there knows that before the sun rose on the second Tuesday we'ld already be starting over on yesterday's work. Especially if you clean your bathroom everyday, right Sweetie? (who stays unnamed!)

Well, every job site should have a site super and this morning I picked her. Because it's probably a good motivator to have a site super who makes you smile.

(I tried calling her Wendy but it just doesn't seem to fit) Well this, of course, is the reason for the flurry of all the cleaning. We wouldn't have her coming home this morning to ask what I did for the hours she was gone, would we?

There's some serious nervous anticipation here but she'll be so glad to be back in the learning swing of things.

I realize it's only 7:30 but I'm sure our neighbors didn't really mind hearing us holler, "hi Nana!"

They have to be used to the noise by now.

Too soon they'll all be scrambling up those steps, but for this morning there was only one who could say, "tomorrow!"

Have a good day, y'all!

he calls her "Didder"

Ask him to say Cara and he'll say "didder." It can be said sweetly or sternly but it's the only name he'll call her. I think it's my fault. I often say to him/her, "don't hit your sister/brother, be kind to your sister/brother," etc. I don't know why I wouldn't always use their names but I don't.

So Cody calls her "didder" and I think he means sister.

It's soft in the morning when he wakes up, "didder? didder?" to see if she's awake too.

It's louder by coffee time when he's had enough of her shenanigins, "DIDDER!"

It's soft again by night time when she's fallen asleep first and he checks one more time if she's still available one crib over to have one last bit of fun before the day is done. "didder? didder?"

It's accompanied by hits, spits, glares and pinches, hugs and kisses and general all around loving.

There are still so many things to love about having 2 at a time. Including "didder".

And yesterday I heard her, in a fit of frustration, call him "Tody Michael!"

School Starts Con't

So if there is one thing I'm looking forward to about school starting, it's the thought of going to town with 3 kids instead of 5. I still often look for someone to leave a few of them with but it seems like it's getting more common just to load 'em all up and take 'em along.

It's not that it's so terrible. But I do still get a LOT of looks and comments.

A few memorable ones from the last week:

- last Friday afternoon at about 5:00 I was just finishing a week's worth of groceries at Superstore. A kind lady, who I can talk to for a couple of hours if we ever end up in the same room together, called me "admirable" for doing groceries with 5 kids. I TOLD you she was KIND. Most other people would have called me CRAZY for pulling a supper hour stunt like that. (for those of you who read the last post you would notice she didn't call me smart :) )

In fact, if I would have pulled the cotton out of my ears, I probably would have heard all the muttered comments from the slightly peeved people who had to screech to a halt or dart to the side to avoid hitting my children who were all over the aisles.

But I didn't pull out the cotton out of my ears. That way I can't hear the "puhleazzzze?" and the "look at this!" and the "can we?" etc.

- then last Saturday I hit a street worth of garage sales. All the kids jumped out and we did great as long as we were on the side of the street with the sidewalk. Once we got to the end and headed back for the van I did a lot more, "watch out", "stay on the side" don't touch the cars" etc. We got to a drive way and a gentleman and his wife, about in their fifties, were standing there watching the kids dive through their 10 cent box of toys. He came to stand beside me and said, "hold out your hands." I thought that was such a strange request but I did oblige. He nodded, "you got your hands full", he said. "My heart, too," I answered. They asked if I was busy. I smiled politely. I mean I guffawed. Or actually I don't remember my response but this is what I do remember. "You love every minute of it," he observed, "I can see it in your face, it's shining out of your eyes, you love it."

I think that's the kindest, the most heart warming, the most touching response I have ever gotten about my gang from a stranger. I hope more people, who's faces sometimes border disgust, see the love that's overflowing my heart. It might have some tough moments but God has blessed me so richly with these dear children of ours.

- the last moment was this afternoon. Back in Superstore at 3:00 with 5 monkeys in a bit of a disarray. Leah had no shoes so Cam (had to) gave her his favorite too big crocs and cried because he actually wanted to be walking, Cara was serverly wishing for her nap, Cody was trying to wake up from a 10 minute nap, and Leah and Sam were just your typical grocery store hyper... and a elderly gentleman made me laugh out loud with his query, "did you leave ANY at home?" His twinkling eyes let me know he took no offense at their being in his way. It cheered me enough to persevere to the checkout line. It cheered me enough to ignore the lady in front of me who gave us a rude once over (more than once :) ) as we all TRIED to wait patiently in line.

It cheered me enough that I might just wait for Leah and Sam to get home from school next week so we can all do groceries together. That way we can give to the members of our community by providing another dose of entertainment while they shop.

Just kidding!

I took these pictures a couple of months ago when I was at Price Mart. Yes, on occasion I do put both babies on the top and make them do two legs per hole. It's getting much harder for them to do comfortably but it works great in a pinch.

Sorry. :) That was for Les, make sure he reads it okay, Kris?

It does work, though, if I only have a couple things to grab and I don't want to have to dive to cushion the one that suddenly stood up as I whipped around a corner.

PS. In going back and reading my last blog post about not being one of those moms looking forward to the start of school I really hope I didn't come across as condescending to those moms who can't wait for it to begin. It's true, I have really enjoyed the summer and I do love having the kids all home but I didn't write about the times that I would have been glad if they were at school (like when doing groceries). Remember, there hasn't been much rain this summer and so there were not too many days when they were just hanging about inside underfoot. Ask me again on a Saturday in November and I'll most assuredly have joined the camp of Mom's that can't wait for the school week to start. I"m almost positive of it. Hope I didn't make any Mom's feel looked down on.