Jubilee had a rough morning this morning. It was totally justified, and I should have been more sensitive. I am learning to roll with the punches right along with her. What should have taken one hour ended up taking four. It was a good thing in the end. I learned what she can do when she is really upset, and she learned that I am going to hang right in there and ride it out with her. I am grateful for these opportunities for us to test our relationship.
It made me think again about what it means to add children to a family. It takes a lot of time, a lot of emotion, and a lot of flexibility. Some things are just going to fall off the to do list because there isn't enough time. It has been an adjustment for all of my children. They don't always get to go where they thought they were going to. Sometimes they have to stay home with younger siblings because I need to spend a little more time with one child. Sometimes we run out of food because the grocery store was just not fitting into the schedule. It is messy. We are learning to be okay with messes and not let them embarrass us.
After our emergency with Mads on Monday I was reminded that it is not always the new child that needs the attention. Things just come up, and they are rarely planned. It does become comical at times, and I hope I remember that. Apparently I have been a bit snippy lately. I think my emotional tank is low, and somehow finding a little quiet time is just not happening. I know that this is only for a season and that I will find a "new normal." The adjustment period is tumultuous all the way around. Of course it is also Lent, so I am reminding myself to cry out to God.
Tonight we are having a dinner party. Dinner with 12 adults, I am finding it hard to imagine. We are celebrating my 40th birthday that was in December. Yes, it took two months to fit into the schedule. I'm hoping 60 doesn't fit in at all. I also discovered last night at dinner that one thing to consider when adding children to a family is how large your dining room table is, and how many people there are that are strong enough to pass the food. It was me and one other child that did all the passing for the other 9 children. It didn't work especially well. If you have servants then you can probably do just fine, mine had the night off. Next time we are doing buffet style, or pizza.
Things are going amazingly well, all thing considered. I have 9 lovely children that are able to put up with me, and extend a lot of grace. Life is good.
It made me think again about what it means to add children to a family. It takes a lot of time, a lot of emotion, and a lot of flexibility. Some things are just going to fall off the to do list because there isn't enough time. It has been an adjustment for all of my children. They don't always get to go where they thought they were going to. Sometimes they have to stay home with younger siblings because I need to spend a little more time with one child. Sometimes we run out of food because the grocery store was just not fitting into the schedule. It is messy. We are learning to be okay with messes and not let them embarrass us.
After our emergency with Mads on Monday I was reminded that it is not always the new child that needs the attention. Things just come up, and they are rarely planned. It does become comical at times, and I hope I remember that. Apparently I have been a bit snippy lately. I think my emotional tank is low, and somehow finding a little quiet time is just not happening. I know that this is only for a season and that I will find a "new normal." The adjustment period is tumultuous all the way around. Of course it is also Lent, so I am reminding myself to cry out to God.
Tonight we are having a dinner party. Dinner with 12 adults, I am finding it hard to imagine. We are celebrating my 40th birthday that was in December. Yes, it took two months to fit into the schedule. I'm hoping 60 doesn't fit in at all. I also discovered last night at dinner that one thing to consider when adding children to a family is how large your dining room table is, and how many people there are that are strong enough to pass the food. It was me and one other child that did all the passing for the other 9 children. It didn't work especially well. If you have servants then you can probably do just fine, mine had the night off. Next time we are doing buffet style, or pizza.
Things are going amazingly well, all thing considered. I have 9 lovely children that are able to put up with me, and extend a lot of grace. Life is good.
4 comments:
I just wanted to thank you for your blog. I have learned a lot. You have a beautiful family!
Dinner party? With Adults? For YOUR 40th??? What happened to our invite???? I just got done watching Hitch, thought about Madi through the whole movie! Hope the party was great!
Love Ya,
Rach
there will be those moments...always...no matter how many or how few...KNOW that in your heart...it'll be fine.
I remember my arms aching when we'd had Lia for about 4 months and it dawned on me that when you birth a newborn, your strength in your arms develop as the baby grows..and I didn't have that progressive time... just boom... 18 pounds...all the time!
neither of you have had time to develop the "muscles" involved in the "wiggling into a spot" in the family,... but it WILL happen...soon you'll be noticing...the "fit"...and it will be perfect!
God's miraculous grace stands always at the ready... be still and KNOW that HE is God!...
Buffet all the way! We've totally converted to buffet since our family is now at 9 (small to you!) and it has been GREAT. Good things about it are the spills avoided, the staying seated once the littlest are served and the 2nd or 3rd helpings that get passed over because everyone isn't staring at the food at the end of the meal.
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