The Making of M.O.M.

My blog has been so silent lately but that's not because my life is that way! Things are busy, busy around here and it doesn't look like a slower pace is anywhere on the horizon.

Luke and I are staying busy with normal work and parenting duties plus we're diligently working on our Bible Training Requirement for Africa Inland Mission. We're also working on filling out all the paperwork that goes along with moving your family of NINE to another country in approximately 8 months. (Yikes!) Tonight, I snapped this picture of Abigail so that we can go apply for her passport soon.

It cracks me up that she'll be four when we come back and yet her passport photo will still look like this. So funny.

Lucas and Ashlee are talking nearly non-stop about their birthday that is in 29 days (but who's counting?), Elizabeth is reading everything she can get her hands on, Aaron is moving from little kid to big kid, ditching naps for good now, staying dry all night long and actually being able to make some jokes. Olivia is busy doing all the things that pesty little sisters do when they are 3.5 years old and at the same time doing all the things amazing big sister helpers do when they're 3.5 years old. Ella is peeing in the potty and wearing undies exclusively during the day (oh YES SHE IS!) and Abigail is busy sleeping and growing and giving her Momma amazingly long stretches of sleep at night (like 4.5 hours!). Did I leave anyone out?

I've been working on a more in depth post about what each of the kids are up to (and I started before Abigail was born) and I'm hoping to have that done soon.

For now, we're pressing ahead with school (only 6 more weeks!), living life at full throttle and soaking up all the smiles, coos and goodness that our sweet, littlest girl is newly offering.

Life is good. Life is busy. Life is sometimes stressful. Life is blessed, indeed.

How are things with you all? I miss reading your blogs! I've got lots to catch up on. Leave me a note and let me know how you are. :) Now, I'm off to bathe, feed and swaddle my littlest love. Ahhh...the smell of a freshly washed baby head. Nothing quite compares, does it?

Welcome to a LONG overdue edition of Das Not Funny! Friday.

Das Not Funny! Friday is where I share the funny things that our children have said and done. After all, if having 7 children ages 7 and younger isn't funny, I don't know what is!

Since it's been a sweet forever since I've posted a Das Not Funny! Friday, some of these will be from a while back, but they still make me chuckle.

First of all, a while back I read a post about Why Having Toddlers Is Like Being At a Frat Party. Read it and I think you'll agree.

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The first few weeks of Abigail's life our amazing friends rallied around us and set up meals to be delivered (Do you know about takethemameal.com? If not you should it's awesome. And no, I didn't get paid to say that.) Anyway, one of our sweet friends came by and brought us dinner, complete with a container of chocolate chip cookies. Lucas saw them, raised both hands in the air and said,

"Thou shall NOT covet!"

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The awesome thing about having a new baby when you have older children is their desire to help. Elizabeth is probably the most consistent helper, offering to change diapers, grab a pacifier or help a younger sibling while I'm feeding. But every.single.time Abigail cries I have a barrage of helpers all ready to tell me the thing I usually already know.

"Mom! Abigail is crying!"

"Mom! Abigail is screaming!"

"Mom! You made Abigail cry!"

It's sorta funny when she's in the next room and borders on annoying and hysterical when I'm holding her, while she's fussing.

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Luke and I both have an iPod touch. We're both holding off on smart phones for as long as humanly possible. At any rate, our older children take a special delight in taking videos and pictures with our iPods. The results vary anywhere from humiliating (for Luke and I) to side splitting.

This is a small glimpse into our evenings at home. Except that the it's 4 less kids for this match because Lucas, Aaron, Olivia & Ella were already in bed.

Here's what I love:

1) Elizabeth's accent. What the heck? We don tawlk lie-yuk thay-ut here in tha Sow-uth.

2) Elizabeth promoting her new "Toe Nail Shop" which is located in her bedroom. Only $20 folks! It's awesome that all of her advertising is on the walls (hallways, kitchen, living room) of our house but she "doesn't charge family." Next time a stranger shows up at our house looking for a mani-pedi, I'll know where to direct them. Or not.

3) No wonder Luke is having to go through extensive treatment with a chiropractor.

4) "Here's where I come in!" Hysterical.

5) Ashlee's last effort at crazy just before the camera clicks off.

And that's just with 2 kids y'all. Just two. Imagine 4 more crazies in the mix.

Happy Friday y'all.