Finally Getting to Potty Train Caleb

Caleb is in the middle of potty training finally.  The doctors told us to wait since he had to have surgery.  Well, it's not fun for him because he always has the fear that it's gonna be painful.  Slowly, little by little, he's starting to realize that it's gonna be okay and is picking up on it fast.  It's not going so great when we go out somewhere.  If I put underwear on Caleb he tends to think it's a diaper so I'm constantly reminding him to go in the toilet.  Not in his cool Spiderman underwear.  :)  When his older sisters work in their homeschool workbooks, Caleb likes to think he's homeschool also in his coloring book.  (Girls just finished in this pic).

The other day Charles was trying to talk on the phone and all the kids got into an argument.  When he got off he put all seven of them in time out.  We had just been loading to leave so Juliet was in her carrier.  As a joke we put her carrier in with them.  Heh heh.... I had to take a pic because when Charles put them in time-out the house went from crazy loud to completely silent in one second.  That's rare in our house unless everyone is sleeping.

Bad Days with Kids and Cars

Yesterday was just one of those days where you are so grateful the sun eventually went down and a new day could begin.  I can be a schedule nerd and have certain things scheduled for a certain day of the week.  Tuesday is Kroc center day and I went with a friend.  Between both of our kids, they fought at least half the time.  Someone kept coming to one of us to constantly tattle.  I always teach that you never tattle unless someone is being a pervert or someone is in danger.  It was just one of those days where tattling went rampant, and was over the most dumb stuff,  so I felt more like a referee than a mom.  I think this week we are gonna focus on the subject of tattling and nip it in the bud.

After the KROC center we went to IKEA for the kids eat free and to get my favorite meatball plate. I had to keep reminding my kids to sit down, we are not in McDonalds playland.  No running around tables or sitting under your chair.  This is common sense stuff I've taught my kids for a loooong time so I was frustrated.  On a good note I found something fantastic for organization in the boys room.  It was hard to relax because I had left Juliet with Charles before going.  I was fine when I left because I had just nursed her.  By the time I finished eating at IKEA I needed to really nurse her.  BAD. I started to be in a lot of pain and by the time I purchased my items and checked, all I kept thinking about was that I needed to get home.  My husband said she was happy and sleeping but I needed to get home quick.



Finally, we make it to the van, loaded the kids and the purchases, but my van doesn't start.  Argh!!  IKEA was closing and there were not many people left.  My friend thankfully hadn't left so we just had to find someone with cables.  I found a family and we sat there for a half hour trying to get the van to start.  Ashley kept telling me she had to use the restroom but by then everything around us was closed.  NOTHING was open anywhere near... or far. Just before we finally got the van running Ashley starts screaming that she pooped and peed her pants.  Ashley had diarrhea and that's why she couldn't hold it.  My friend cleaned up Ashley (which was soooo nice) while I loaded the kids in the van.  By now I was in TONS of pain and just needed to nurse Juliet.  She was fine at home with a bottle but I wasn't.  It only took 3 minutes to load everyone but once my friend drove off my van died again.  I was supposed to immediately drive off so the van would make it home but I couldn't.  By then the kids and I were really alone and I had to call my husband to come rescue us.  As soon as my husband pulled up with Juliet in the car, I immediately nursed her.  I didn't care what anyone else was doing, I was just so relieved and Juliet was happy to eat.  He drove off in the van so I could just sit and nurse before heading home.  Sigh.  When I went to bed I was so happy there was a new day coming in the morning.  This one I just wanted to forget about.

As frustrating as the day was, I was so happy waking up today to just peace and the comfort of my own home.  :D  After bad days like that it makes me just want to curl up with a good book and sip some hot tea...

Is Michelle Duggar Trusting God or Just Being Selfish?

Ever since the news came out about the Duggars losing their 20th child there have been some big online debates.  Some are sad for them, angry at them, don't give a crud, can relate, or are quick to judge and want everyone to know.  

I know everyone is entitled to their opinion.  This is America, right?  What happens when you get a lot of people who believe their way is right and that's that?  No arguing with them.  If you disagree with them they'll make fun of you, mock you, swear at you, insult you.  What causes this kind of anger in people over just a disagreement in beliefs?

I'm so glad I don't live in a country where how many kids I have is forced on me.  Whether I want one kid or 20, that is my business.  Not anyone else's.  Whether a doctor tells me it's healthy for me to have another one or not, that's my business.  Whether people think we make enough money or not, well, that's also our business.  Just as you have your own.  Welcome to America.  

Why is there such an anger towards large families these days?  People act like this is a new thing. Do people remember life before birth control pills?  My grandma remembers.  She had 9 kids and my husband's grandmother had 10.  She gave birth to her last child at the age of 45.  Having your last child at this age was common.  Yet, people are attacking Michelle Duggar for being pregnant at the age of 45.  Why?  Is it not Michelle's body as it was yours when you got your tubes tied?  Did the doctor force you to do that?  No, you were given a choice.  I think people who have such a dislike towards large families wouldn't of liked living in the days before birth control or the understanding of Natural Family Planning.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Psalm 127:3

Remember when having kids was considered a blessing from God?  I don't know if maybe after reading the bible several times through I somehow skipped any scripture on limits but please correct me if I'm wrong.  Where in the bible does God give limits?  I know the world can give TONS of worldly advice on the matter.  Money, doctors, health, material things, age.  I'm still waiting, and have been for a long time, for someone to point out the only opinion that matters to me and that's from the Word of God that there is a limit.

My pastor said it well.  He said, "People who treasure things above children just can't understand how someone who puts children above things can enjoy it so much.  They just don't get it.  Your children are your treasures.  Not material things." 

Recently, I heard the argument that it's not fair to the siblings. That EVERY SINGLE person they've met from a large family hated growing up in a large family.  That they had to be the mom and ended up not wanting to have kids when they are older.  Really?  So those 2 people they met are now a blanket for all large families?  Sure you have the parents that try to turn their kids into their own personal slaves but I've seen this in small families as well.  I've even seen this from families with only 2 kids.  Even if you took a poll and found 10 people from large families to say they hated being in one, you cannot throw the blanket over millions that are in one.  My husband's family LOVE being apart of a large family and are all really close.

Living your life according to scriptures will always, always bring hatred from the world.  I've learned that when the world agrees with my way of living, I might need to reexamine my life according the scripture.  Usually, when you are living for Christ (not just saying it but living it), you will get backlash from the world.  Well, smile, because that usually means you're doing something right.  Jesus died on the cross with the world spitting on Him, mocking, cursing, and laughing at him. 

Another argument people use is that large families make their kids work too hard.  Really?  Let's look back and see how kids worked around In the late 1700's and early 1800's.  An article called History of Child Labor points out that a lot of children either worked on farms or in factories for very long hours every day.  Over the years it seems to have turned into the other extreme.  Kids shouldn't have chores, teachers blamed for bad grades, and never even think about asking the older ones to keep an eye out for the little ones while mommy works on some paperwork or makes some phone calls. That is child abuse these days.  Well, the only problem with that is now employers are saying that kids are coming to work expecting an easy day, minimal effort, late to work, early to leave, and is expecting high pay. Whatever happened to a balance?  There is nothing wrong with expecting kids to have some responsibility around the house and even learn some about caring for others.  

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Regardless with what you believe, I think we should all have respect for each other.  I disagree with women using chemical birth control but I don't write hate notes on their page, send them mocking emails, or laugh at them for what I think is a lack of knowledge.  Facebook, TLC, and Saturday Night Live isn't my idea of research. The best thing any of us can do is our own bible study on issues and our own health studies.  We have to come to our own conclusions for ourselves and for our family and bathed in prayer.   In writing this, I am just hoping someone, anyone, will just understand that the best way to win someone over is using some respect and understand that not every person will agree or think exactly alike.

Overruled: Government Invasion of your Parental Rights

This video really hits home for me since my parents and I experienced this when I was in school.  I was raised Christian.  Not just where we called ourselves Christians, I mean that my parents had higher standards than most but only to protect us.  Thank goodness.  Well, my school disagreed and forced me to go through counseling in middle school.  What was my parent's big offense?  We didn't have a TV and we weren't allowed to listen to any radio station that was offered.  Especially a particular one that was very vulgar.  Well, while sitting in one of my classes, I was surprised when the principal himself pulled me out for questioning. He said he had found out that I couldn't listen to that particular vulgar radio station.  He told me that he set up a meeting with the school counselor.  While in the counselor's office she found out that we also didn't have a TV.  So she wrote up a letter, I wasn't sure what for at that time.  When she found out I also got swats when I was bad, well, that made her really upset.  Never mind that it was perfectly legal.  What I didn't know was that she was writing that letter to CPS.  She talked to me about how my parents were abusive and over sheltering me.  She successfully turned me against my parents over time and I began to think of my parents as my enemy.  Eventually I ran away to seek a "normal" family that would let me do whatever I wanted.   Of course that "normal" family had much more freedom but I ignored the fact that the father was an alcoholic.  Sometimes the kids had to protect their mom from their dad.  Over and over I would run away looking for a family where I could do whatever I wanted.  However, each time I saw that it came with some major consequences having those freedoms.  Eventually, I fell into deep depression as I was constantly told my family were freaks.  The school had taken a confident girl on honor roll and made her into a grade failing girl with serious depression and suicidal tendencies.  I started cutting myself by high school and would burn things in my room.  I felt like I could find comfort nowhere.  Especially since the school told me my parents were my enemy.  "You have to go to church 3 times a week?  You have NO choice?"  When you have an authority figure constantly feeding this stuff into a kids brain, it's gonna do some damage.  It wasn't until I saw family after family after family who looked like they had it all and had all sorts of worldly freedom did I start to understand the love of my parents.  Those families had some major issues and weren't so happy after all. To this day those families are torn apart.  I began to find comfort in my parent's protective boundaries.  It was because they loved God and they loved me.  The scary part?  My parents NEVER knew the school did this to me until recently.  They had no idea why their honor roll daughter was spiraling down hill at an incredibly fast pace.  Don't think schools are out to protect parent's rights. I know.

Fighting Mommies on Facebook

Caleb holding his pants up and dancing

My husband and I were sitting in the homeschool room yesterday and just talking about how fast time flies. Baby Caleb walks into the room with just his little diaper on and talking to us.  If he sees you have a drink he will climb onto your lap and try to talk you out of it so he can have it.  I have no idea what he's saying but it's probably some sort of a sales pitch as to why he should have that drink and not you.  Charles said, "I can't imagine not having little ones around anymore."  It's so true.  It's WONDERFUL!  Yet, it's HARD raising kids

I have people all the time say, "Oh, you just wait till they get older, it gets so much easier.  They don't wear diapers, don't need help getting something to eat, and it's easier to go places."  Yeah, that does sound easier on my body but not on my heart.  I loooove having my little diaper babies toddle up to me and take me by my hand to show me what they want. Or show me something their excited about that's tighty held in their little hand.  I love having conversations with the kids about their future even though they are only in elementary school and their minds might change a thousand times before they are an adult.  I love that the girls always want to be just like their mommy and the boys want to be just like their daddy.  Things change fast when they are teens.  

I've almost completely backed out of mommy groups on Facebook because there seems to be so much fighting over different beliefs on raising kids. People having a hard time letting each other have an opinion. There is always the argument of how many kids someone should have and what age they should stop at.  On one extreme, some feel you should leave it up to God and on the other some feel only 2 should suffice. Although there is no law about how many kids someone should have, people fight about it like there is.  If you want to start something really explosive, bring up the subject about vaccines, the Duggars, or spankings.  For the sake of my heart, I had to back out of the groups.  I looove visiting for sake of learning, gleaning ideas from each other, and the encouragement.  However, sometimes there seems to always be the fighters on there looking for a debate to start. I wish, I wish, I wish moms could understand this one point.  If they did, they could peaceably have discussions.  This applies to moms (and mother-in-laws) we know in person and moms we know online.....

There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one.