older mom, new tricks

As the mommy of 9 children, it would seem like we are seasoned in the art of mommyhood. We might even be considered experts to the untrained eye. I know very little for certain, but life, experience and children have taught me a few lessons...

God has the ultimate sense of humor, and he sends little people into our lives to test our patience our growth and our sense of humor....things that would have really upset me 20 years ago, barely rate a raise eyebrow today.

Sometimes, I have been accused of becoming complacent, and not taking life as serious as i used too. Kyle observes Sean, who behaves so much like he did as a little boy, and says he literally gets away with too much. I will admit me perspective on life, and childhood were changed by Lukes' death, the loss of Seans' twin brother, and almost losing my life and Seans at the same time. I am not the same untested mother i was all those years ago, and i think we are supposed to be changed by experience.

Kyle says i would have beat him half to death, for behaving like Sean, and did on occassion chase him around the house with a shoe or a broom..

I have threatened to just beat the tar out of Kyle because Alexandra behaves so much like her older brother, it is wired into her...and i am not going to beat her...

God has given me the opportunity to watch my grown sons interact with siblings that are almost 20 years younger, and they adore each other. I have some pretty wild children, and i always thought i was a pretty together mom...i have completely admitted defeat on the whole potty training adventure with Alexandra...i have met my match...every trick i have learned in the past 22 years of childrearing, she has a new trick, one i have never even seen before...

God has been gracious and funny in the gift of my youngest daughter...she has done things no one else has ever done...we will not forget her baby-hood or as some people would imagine the children are all lumped into 1 type or personality, and i can honestly say she is the first child to announce to me, when i went to investigate her disapearing into my bedroom, and shutting my door behind her... oh look Mama, I booped on your shoe!!! and sure enough, she had...

I am quite certain God had quite a chuckle over that one...or her latest...she gets in trouble if she tells mama no...I say don't tell mama no, so now, she shakes her finger at me and says don't tell mama no, when she and i both know she is telling mama no....

I may have a few wrinkles around me eyes, and laugh lines that didn't exist when Andrew and Kyle were babies, but thanks be to God there is still laughter, joy and babies in my home...