Big T's da MON!

I'm updating early today! Actually, I have been up since 3---Chi Chi heard his daddy getting in the shower so he thought it was time to get up! He started bouncing around on the bed and was ready to get up and help his daddy get ready to go!!!!

Terry is on the way back to Jamaica! Wasn't it less than 2 months ago he went? Ummmm, yes! That man! He loves to take groups to Jamaica!Now is the time for me to brag on Big T! I mean, really! The past 3 years or so, I have seen him dive even deeper into the mission field. His first mission trip was to Dominican Republic, I believe. Or was it  St. Maarten? I can't remember! He has been on so many there is probably no way for us to count. TheCaribbean is where he has spent the most time--gosh, I can't even remember all the islands he has been to (for the past couple of years, however,only Jamaica ). I remember one trip in particular. He was going and leaving me with 5 small kids for a week. The night before he left, Patrick fell out of the high chair and broke his arm. It went downhill from there! LOL! I also remember taking Charles to get his braces checked  that same week and he was back there getting adjustments on them. I only had baby Katie with me (now I ordinarily  wouldn't have remembered ANY of these details except that I remember katie was in my lap and this woman next to smile smiled and commented on her, etc and then she said, "You need to enjoy her.  They grow up sooo fast". Then she preceded to  continue in that  vein. Ordinarily, again, I would've stopped her but I was having an "inside glee" ready to drop the bomb and tell her, "I KNOW! I have FIVE KIDS!" but I let her go on and on. This is odd but I used to love for people to think (when I only had 1 , 2 or even 3 with me) I only had them and drop the FIVE BOMB on them. BAHAHAHA! Anyway, back to teh story: Finally, after about the 3rd time of her reminding me to "enjoy her", I said, "Well, this is my 5th! My oldest is back there with the dentist and I have 3 others at home". (Have no clue why they weren't with me haha). and the kicker" I will be glad when they all grow up some!" And ***EVIIL LAUGH*** I was tickled to death to burst her bubble. But she was so sweet that she said, "well, you look so young (hahahah)I thought she was your first and I bet if they all look like she does they are beautiful". Wow, my bubble quickly burst. About that time, Charles came out and  I stood up to leave and we smiled and she said, "God bless you and your beautiful kids!" As I said, I would never have in a million years remembered that conversation except for the fact that this woman was so sincere and so sweet and really, what she said touched me b/c her closing words were "If I could just go back in time for one day when my (ONE) was that age".  Wow, at the time I was thinking, as I walked to the car,"Will I EVER get to that point? Will I ever have the time  I want to do what I want and not have to have a babysitter? Will I ever have time to study the Bible and read a book? Or just take a bath without little fingers under the door? WILL I?!?!?!"

 Remember where I was then. I was a mom of 5 who spent most days in the car taking the boys to soccer/baseball/basketball/choir and Natalie to: dancing  and Patrick to Playschool, etc.  and nursing a baby!  DON'T GET ME WRONG, I loved it. Most of the time! At the time, I couldn't see past where I was. I LOVED being a mom to  5, let me tell you that again and again. And! I am so blessed OVER AND BEYOND having EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! But, AT THE TIME, there were days when I was overly tired/stressed/frustrated/proud/happy/content/miserable/blessed and every adjective I could ever come up with in between. ALL THAT AND MORE. But in a nutshell? I was tired. And couldn't see around the corners. That's what I ALWAYS tell my kids now when they are in a tough place. "You can't see around the corners. BUT GOD CAN"!!!!!! He could see me where I am now, sitting at this computer and typing these thoughts. He knew I would one day be back to being alone with my hubby and that we would come to the point where we would grow so much closer in our marriage and that one day Terry would be going to Jamaica every couple of months! BUT AT THE TIME? I would've laughed if I had thought that was possible. I only saw where I was at the moment. And it was good. And it was chaos. And it was fun. And it was exhausting

So what triggered this memory? WANT A LAUGH??? This is how my  feeble brain works. I was reading "Guideposts" today *FYI, I read when I sit on the potty if you did or didn't want to know!  and the story was by the Astronuat's wife that was killed during the Challenger explosion. When I found out about the horrible tragedy I was , YOU GUESSED IT, taking Charles to the orthodontist. I heard about it there while I was signing him in, balancing Katie on one hip and trying to keep Patrick from running down the hall. (THIS was a DIFFERENT DAY from when I had the convo with the woman!) Of course, THAT triggered the memory of the day I had the conversation  when I only had the 2 there (I keep wondering who in their right mind kept Patrick, Natalie and Michael for me that day?! LOL)!. ANYWAY, ALL THAT ( SEEEEE-I told you I have A.D.D. and random thoughts!), to say that this morning, as BIG T was leaving and he kissed me and hugged the dog good-bye I thought about how our lives have gone full circle.  Used to, the kids would be running and telling him good-by as he left for work. Now, it's just me and the Chi. AND, that woman (God bless her soul!) just MIGHT have been an angel sent by God to me that day!!!!(HEBREWS 13:2 !). Yeah!!!! Because I have a hard time remembering ANYTHING these days and that whole conversation is as clear as it ever was. And I remember thinking "she is a nut". Yeah, a nut all right! From a strong and might oak tree! With ROOTS! Such a nut that I remembered that conversation 25 years later!
.......I'll talk more about Big T's trip tomorrow. I've filled your head with all this about life's circle and don't want to get too far off. But a reminder and some GranJan advice! HAHA! If you are a young mom and are stressed to the max right now, take heart! It will all end one day. And you will , I PROMISE, be like me, SOMETIMES saying, "if only I could go back..." OR you might be a person who never had children and you're thinking, "HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO ME?" well, here goes---you have been blessed to have a life where you can help others and maybe even you could go and help a mom who is stressed out and needs a couple hours break---in other words, BABYSIT for her! HAHA! If you are not yet a mom, ADVICE: Don't have FIVE KIDS! hahahaha! *KIDDING FRY KIDS! If you DO (God bless you!), know that you are doing the best job you could ever EVER do. Being a mom. And yes, there are days when you will still scream when your lipstick has been smashed by your darling little diva or when your son knocks out the window of your neighbor playing baseball or when you have said "if I change one more poopy diaper I might just DIE!" Here is what I want you to remember: It's ALL GOOD! And God is giving you the BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE , RIGHT NOW. Enjoy it all. Except the poop.

Love and hugs