The house is quiet as I sit in my kitchen at 11:00 at night. This is the only time that I am not surrounded by people. In my mega family someone is always with me. During the day the younger ones have my attention and in the evenings the grown and late into the evening my teenagers. The teens won't go to bed unless I insist. And I try and insist that they go at 8, or 9, but by 10 I'm ill and tired and I demand they go. As I sat and enjoyed the silence, I thought about being old (older) and being alone. I know of several elderly people who are lonely and would enjoy my big brood. However, I'm not there yet. I hunger for some alone time. During the school year it's better as I have one sometimes two days off where I don't have to go anywhere. I've had a baby with me since I quit work 20 years ago so during the day a little one took up my time. BUT this year Becka goes to head start. A 3/4 year old pre school. I am so looking forward to it. I'm almost afraid. One year, as school started I thought I was home free and then my brother went through a divorce and I ended up keeping his baby while he worked. Then I took a 3 year old the next summer and then the next year a one year old. So my baby is three and a half. She is so strong willed. She is almost potty trained. She is a very bright child. SHE is going to preschool! It will be good for her. She is very attention seeking. Good or bad behaviors, one way or the other she will get attention. She hates to be by herself. And she hates for me to talk to someone and not include her. She is a little mess. I have home schooled some of mine before, and it was what was needed at the time. We do have a great school system and I'm very much involved with their education. I know the pros of homeschooling and love it. The trash they are exposed to is reason enough to home school. It's just so hard for this family. As I said earlier, we (me) are on the road a lot. Therapy is a big time consumer for me. With four in braces at one time that one was a crunch too. Thankfully all are complete and we haven't went down that road again. Although I know several who need to be evaluated. Time is almost as important to me as money is. Years ago I would never have paid someone to do something I could do myself. Now I just don't have time to get it all done.
Half of our summer is over. We've gone to the water park, bowling, swimming, parks, lake, fishing, and all the other stuff that keep us busy during the summer. I enjoy going as much as the kids do. It makes me happy to see them happy so it's a win win. I can't swim so I'm not a water person. I'll go sit just to watch them frolic and play in the water. We joined the Y so they have spent a good portion of days in the water. I love the mountains. The weather is so much cooler. The kids just love going somewhere. They start with the I'm board stuff. Never mind that they have more than any kid should have to play with. They want to be entertained. Some days though I've flagged as "read days" so they do have to use their imaginations on those days.
Well I'm getting sleepy so I'll end here. Maybe I can make it a nightly habit to write after I push everyone out at night. Honestly some nights I'm just too tired. But maybe I could squeeze some writing in. It's a good idea anyway. One last thing before I go................
Doreese got Married!!!
On May 18th one day after she turned 21 she tied the knot. I wish her many long happy years.
My youngest went to kindergarten this past school year. I was so sad, she was so happy. She is a little social bug, but also very attatched to me as the youngest of 16. So it was good for her, I reasoned. I thought I would be lonely, but the days flew by and my college kids who commuted, were here sometimes, and I let the kids skip school a lot...with so many kids, it is nice to get a little breather of alone time sometimes, because it is still so hectic in the afternoons and evenings! Love your big beautiful family!!
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