Sometimes I get wrapped up in myself and my day to day routine. I'm fortunate to stay home with my little ones, I'm pretty blessed :) But sometimes, they drive me NUTS!! I used to feel awful for feeling this way. As if I was not a good mom because I felt that I needed to get away every now and then. Don't get me wrong, I love all three of my kids! Sometimes, when I've been searching for Kendras cochlear implant for over an hour after I've just got off the phone with the insurance company disputing something they should have covered without my needing to call....... I GET FRUSTRATED!! There is always something to be done and sometimes I forget to enjoy my rugrats!
We've been working with all of our kids, but especially Kendra because she is at an age where language is about to explode. The other day, Kendra repeated after Noah when he said "I love you Mommy". It was like music to my ears :) It's break throughs like that, that enable me to keep on keepin on!!
We have really great help in our life. When I do work, I have a SUPER AMAZING daycare lady that loves her job. She takes my kids as drop ins whenever she can. My kids love her, so its just like dropping them off with family. When I first moved to St. James I didn't know anybody. When I found out I was expecting, I got right on the daycare search. I knew that infant care wasn't always easy to come by.. not to mention my work schedule along with my husbands was cRaZy!!!! Before bringing Noah to daycare, I spoke with my daycare provider about the possibility of a hearing loss. She didn't think twice about it.. and wouldn't you know, her mother-in-law also had a severe hearing loss, and a cochlear implant! I had never even heard of what that was and she gave me a lot of inside scoop about hearing losses. It was as if God had it all lined up for me.. and she was one of my angels along the way.
I also have 2 younger brothers and a younger sister (and a pretty wonderful big brother too). My baby sister Ashley (not so much a baby.. at the ripe age of 19, but she will always be 'my baby sister') has a really special bond with my Kendra. Kendra has a bit of a 'tude :) Ashley keeps her in shape and yet Kendra adores her. We had the privilege of having Ashley live with us for a little over a year. She was fresh out of highschool and on a mission! We sent her through Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University" (check it out, amazing stuff). While Ashley stayed with us, she was able to save up a ton of money, buy a very reliable vehicle (no payments people!!), and start fully contributing to a ROTH IRA plan. While we felt amazing to be able to give her a head start financially in life, she blessed us with a sense of family that was out of this world.
Ashley is the type of girl who had a HUGE heart. She helped watch our kids every once in a while. It was amazing having her right in the house to be an extra helper with the kids. I remember taking Kendra home from the hospital after her first implant surgery. Ashley was right there. She took Noah to McDonalds that day and treated him to some playland time :) He didn't in the least feel left out, he had special auntie time. Kendra was woozie, and I'm a bit of a weanie when it comes to blood.. stitches..yuck! Not Ashley, she gets right up in there nurse style!
My two younger brothers are the BIGGEST helpers! Nick, 14 soon to be 15 does an outstanding job with our kids. Miles just loves him!! He watches my kids when I sneak off to work with my hubby on Saturdays :) You see, I still have a passion for the business. It might seem silly to some, its just McDonalds you might think. But I love the speed! I love the ability to be in other peoples lives. I love having a work ethic that makes people look twice! GOALS!! You can set a goal and guide yourself to the prize with hard work :) Nick enjoys the money I pay him, but you know what? Our family is just the kind of family that is there, whenever you need it. Dylin who is the real baby of my family is a firecracker. He is the type of kid who can pass the hours away just riding bike with Noah.
My Mom is always there for me. I check in with her often!! She loves my kids with an intensity that I can't even describe. You know its special when the kids want to go to Grandmas and never come home :) My mom has been through so much in her life, and I admire her for the person she is today. My dad became very ill when I was just a couple of months pregnant with Noah. It turns out the Good Lord decided he needed him more than we did in 2007 and he called him home. My mom really struggled for a while, with the sudden loss of my Dad. He ended up with Acute Mylogenous Leukemia (hopefully I spelled that right). The nurses were training my Mom how to take care of my dads medecine port, as if my dad was on track to go home when things suddenly took a turn for the worse. Scheduled to go home on Thursday I believe... But passed away later that week, in the hospital. He was surrounded by lots of love that night :) We were all in his room, talking about the good ol' days. After my dad passed, my Mom and I said some goodbyes. I remember telling my dad that I needed him. I needed him to help me be a good Mom. One thing is for sure, he is still in my heart and certainly helping me!
When Noah finally came later that year, my Mom had new life. She was blessed with a beautiful granddaughter shortly after Dad passed, and Noah came a few months later. Our family is just close. Sometimes so close that we annoy the ba-jeebers out of eachother! We love hard and we fight hard :) But, weere always there for eachother! I have an uncle who has been staying at my moms since dad got sick. You would never even be able to imagine the things that he would do for my family! He loves my kids and they love him right back! He has definitely help fill a spot in their lives that I'd always hoped my Dad would have. I'm just greatful for his patience and love for us all.
Matts mom has been a blessing for us. She lives in Mankato where the kids Doctor and its nice to be able to provide each kid with their own individual time. Noah especially enjoys his grandma. She gets right down there and rolls on the floor with them. Crafts, baking and lots of hugs.
Our help doesn't stop there... We have hearing therapists and audiologist and ENT that know us by name and call us friend. They are even on our Christmas mailing list (don't feel bad.. no one got a Christmas card this year... whoops!).
I'm so blessed! I also have friends that are there for me, a church family that I adore and I have trust in an awesome God!! It's not always easy to count your blessings. Sometimes I still get caught up in ugliness. Frustration easily takes over if you allow your attitude to roll with it. This year, I'm challenging myself to keep my attitude in check ;)
Thanks family and friends! My life is full of love.. and after all, isn't that was God calls us to do? Love on another, with all our hearts! And I leave you with this..
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)
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