The week began busy. We went to worship Sunday morning and then didn't stay for class, but instead headed to Missouri to celebrate Papa Curtis's 62nd birthday. Everyone was able to make it for lunch and visiting, which is no rare feat with a family as large as we are getting.
Vance invited Xavier to go fishing and he had a great time and even caught a couple fish.
The rest of the crew spent the afternoon playing in the sprinkler and having a water balloon fight.
Aunt Lauren showed them how to blow bubbles with the water balloon connectors.
Papa had a really encouraging cancer check up a few weeks back - one year post treatment. We're so thankful for that good report!
When we were coming in home, I text Lannea to see if Xavier might come over to tell Quinn and Cade bye before they headed back to Colorado early Monday. In the end all the kids walked over with Mike to say bye. Lannea sent me this photo...
What a great group!
(Cade, Xavier, Quinn, Natalee, Kendall
Zayden, Evalynn, Ameliya)
They ended up making a spur of the moment plan to go to the skate park while the sun set. I kept a tired Evie home and tucked her into bed and Lannea was kind enough to include me in the fun by sending pics that she snapped of the evening.
I'm so glad they got this one last hurrah before the Bottins headed for home!
Zayden getting some pointers from Cade.
We sure do enjoy this sweet family so much! What kind and loving hearts for Jesus they have and it shines through!
Monday morning the kids slept in a bit and then we started the day out with scrambled eggs and toast. Then we loaded up and headed to the city. Natalee had an appointment with her PM&R and we decided to do our furniture shopping. I really had zero desire to take five kids furniture shopping but there were no other arrangements knocking at our door to make it easier so we decided to just take advantage of the day and do it. The kids were as good as kids can be after hours and hours in a furniture store. I took zero photos of the process. We just got by and handled it. That's all.
The appointment with Natalee's doctor was terribly discouraging and disappointing. He completely dismissed the struggles that we deal with daily and the hard work Natalee puts in to be at a functional mobility. After three years of only "kind of" liking this particular doctor anyways we decided this was the final straw and we won't be going back. He is the only peds PM&R anywhere near us so I'm not sure what that means for her case. I guess we'll either go back to St. Louis or find a neurologist who specializes in CP closer. Natalee and I both left the appointment in tears feeling completely dismissed and unheard.
Monday was a long day. We took the kids for a big supper at Texas Roadhouse after the many hours of furniture shopping and the terrible appointment. Then we hit a Half Price Books, which was the highlight of the kids' day. I let everyone choose two 'new' books and then Xavier had birthday money he wanted to spend, too, on more Hardy Boys books. We closed down the bookstore at 8 p.m. Then we ran across the street to a Five and Below - Zayden has been asking to go to one for a year now because they often have mini transformers and he remembered to bring his money just in case. He found one he didn't have and was a very happy kiddo and I bought a skip it for the kids to try.
Then I ran into two different Targets, neither of which had what I was looking for in their Dollar Spot, before I just called it a night and told Mike to head us home.
Natalee had early morning OT and PT on Tuesday morning and Zayden had a follow up appointment for his ear. His ear is clearer but we are going to have his hearing tested by an audiologist just to make sure his hearing is as it should be. I took zero pictures. We were tired.
Wednesday Mia had OT and then we headed to a co-op friend's house to swim for a couple hours.
The kids played outside when we got home from swimming.
Thursday we got up bright and early to head to a different co-op friend's house for a morning of encouragement. We left the house at 6:30 and the 30 minute drive turned into an hour when we met many road closures. I'm thankful I can read a map, not rely on GPS in a pinch, and have a sense of direction, because I needed those skills. We finally arrived, me on the verge of tears just from frustration. The many road blocks have kind of felt like the theme of my life lately honestly, and that was just about the final straw. Bone. Weariness.
I'm glad I didn't give up (I almost did), because the morning was lovely and the kids were glad to get out, even if it was early.
The drive home was easier because once I finally found an open route, it wasn't difficult to navigate. We got home in time to move the old couch and do a quick floor vacuum before our new furniture arrived! We did "door drop off" because that meant we'd get our items much faster than in home delivery, so the delivery man brought them to the door and then Mike and a couple of co-workers carried them in for me. Because we were in the Transit Monday and Mike had emptied it out, we actually brought his Lazyboy home from the store with us, so it was just the couch and love seat to be delivered.
Rearranging, clean, reflecting, and trying to get my brain to accept something new with joy instead of anxiousness consumed much of the rest of Thursday. I thought we were supposed to have hippotherapy and speech, but I'd mistaken those appointments and we didn't - another shout out to the frazzled state of my brain lately.
Our old brown 13 year old couch went to a young man starting out in his first apartment. This time we chose a sleeper sofa, Mike finally got a good recliner for himself, and the loveseat was kind of an afterthought but we love it. We went for "complimentary" instead of exactly matching and after it's all said and done I do think I like it a lot.
Because of our early morning I had all the children lay down for an afternoon rest on Thursday and many of them slept. The last couple of weeks have been a slow but steady pace of deep cleaning in preparation for me to host a ladies encouragement and planning weekend at the house. The furniture actually wasn't part of that - it was just time - but I was excited that delivery worked out in my favor before my weekend gathering.
On the prep list was to get our 6 month baby canvases hung.....
I just do love them so.
Friday morning the kids and Mike helped me strip down their beds and put fresh linens on for my friends. I inflated two new air mattresses and dressed them, and then the kids and Mike headed out for the weekend. I finished some minor tidying, took a quick shower, and then had a couple hours to just sit and read in peace before my friends arrived.
All but one of the ladies arrived Friday afternoon and we spent that time catching up and then went out for Mexican for supper. I did not do a good job at all taking pictures.
Saturday morning that last friend joined and we ran to Pella to the Dutch bakery and bread store and several grabbed a Smokey Row coffee, too. When we got home a few grabbed some meat/cheese, veggies/fruit, etc. and we ate too much good food and did finally get to work on the many projects we'd set aside for the weekend.
Some of Mike & the kids' shenanigans in MO.
Making jelly with Grandma.
Playing trains...
Playing cards...
Eating burgers...
Saturday evening the ladies and I went out for supper again, at a local pizza/steakhouse. Our waitress was having a frazzled evening and it felt good to get to love her through it as a bunch of chill moms instead of add to her stress.
Between us we have 34 children earthside and are quite an eclectic bunch!
A few of the gals made a Wal Mart run after supper, while I took a quick shower. We did a little more work and some of us finished up projects for our upcoming school year.
This is the video I sent to Mike when he asked me if we were working or just visiting.
{Side note: when we were looking at moving we prayed for a house that we could use for hosting and for loving people like Jesus. We thought that would be something we bought and my mindset has been a little "stuck" here in the rental. God has been doing a mighty work in me lately and showing me that this house is quite sufficient for hosting and loving on people. Mike and I have been using the one line motto "houses are for living" to remind ourselves to welcome others in, allow messes, not stress the little things, and use this space for His glory. So when I sent him this video I jokingly captioned it "houses are for living??" and he replied "whoooaaaa. Yes, houses are for living." LOL. Turns out a bunch of middle age moms can make a jumble just like our kids. But it wasn't really a mess because we each had our niche and knew exactly where things were. As quick as that jumble was made it was cleaned up lickety split when we were done because we are efficient moms who don't mess around!}
The other Jenn and baby Titus headed home after supper. Her hubby is a pastor and she wanted to be home for Sunday morning. Sarah visited awhile longer but then headed to her own bed. She only lives 20 minutes away so I can't blame her for choosing that over an air mattress. Ha.
Of the five of us left, two went to bed at a sensible midnight, while the other three of us saw 2 a.m. Homeschool moms sure know how to party. (wink)
The weekend was a great way to pause the demands of motherhood and focus on ourselves and friendship, while organizing our thoughts about our upcoming school year. The 36 hours went by entirely too fast and we packed as much chaos and as many memories as we possibly could into those hours!
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