I think this might help

I totally forgot about this whole blog thing.  Ok wait that isn't entirely true, I got busy with other things.  Things like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, kids, work (keeping a baby), Jeff, well mom things.  After living here for 4 years I still feel a bit discombobulated.  So, what did I do to make it better... we moved.  Yes, we moved... but we moved closer to Jeff's work.  In an effort to save on gas, tolls, and time, we moved from the house we had built when we moved here into a rental home.  We will see what happens in a year or so.  For now we are living closer to Jeff's job, church and life.  We loved our home and if we had been able to pick it up and move it closer we would have.   For now it has been nice that Jeff can hang a bit longer in the morning and we can enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning before the kids get up.  It has been nice that he calls me from work to say he is coming home and we see him in 30-45 min instead of 1.5 to 1.75 hours.  The house is not as big and is one story.  What we have discovered is that it is nice to see each other again.  With all the kids upstairs and us down, we learned that we didn't see each other much.  This set up is better and allows us access to each other and that feels nice.  I am hoping we will get boxes unpacked before school starts and get everything settled.  It is going to be an interesting year for sure and I am excited to see what it will hold for us.

Parenting is challenging

Yep, these are my children, and indeed they are crazy!  They are fun loving and spirited.  They are loud with laughter so very often.  They are smart and sweet (and show both sweet and smart 97% of the time).  I love being a mom!  Seriously, I do.  Being a mom is something that I prayed for and God really did answer that prayer.  For each of my 4 blessings I am so very grateful.   However, there are weeks like this last one where they are a handful.  I wonder sometimes if it is the weather, their exhaustion due to lack of sleep, or if it is their diet, or all these things combined like the Bermuda Triangle.  This was one of those weeks that no matter what I prepared for them to eat it wasn't right.  What I provided for them to wear -they didn't want it.     They didn't want to go to bed when asked.  They didn't want to get up when it was time.  They didn't want to do their chores (and seriously they each have like one it isn't like they are my slaves or whatever).  They didn't even want to put their own things away.  I never asked any of them this week to put away anything that belonged to someone else, just to put their blankets in their rooms or put their shoes in the closet or whatever.  They wanted to be by my side, in my bed, in the kitchen, in my car- wherever I was they were, but they didn't want to do the things that I was requesting of them.  Weeks like this puzzle me. Multiply the children and you multiply the grumpy, grouchy and whiny cries that come from their mouths. Today at lunch I actually held up my hands in the stop position and said the words, "everyone wait".  I realized that I had one child tapping my shoulder saying, "mom, mom, hey  mom." while there were two others who were in the midst of talking to me about two different things.  My ears and brain had had enough.    When all that is within me wants to scream/yell enough already you people need to get control of yourselves, I remember that I am the one in charge and I know what is best for them.  I have to calm my spirit and my soul in order to know what to provide for them.  In order for me to calm my spirit I often turn to music (it soothes the savage  beast you know)  I found myself this morning in dire need of quiet and calm.  I needed that quiet and calm to remind myself that there are others who would love to have the chaos of the Babcock home. Their lives have taken turns that caused them to hurt whether through the illness or the death of their children, or divorce and so they have seasons where they are without their children or whatever... they don't have what I have.  I try to think of things like that when I am tired of having little hands touching me constantly. I try to remember those people when there are interruptions during a show I might be watching, or a book I might be trying to read, or even the visit to the bathroom.  So on the way home with two in the car with me I turned on the radio and began to allow the music to wash over me as I have done so many times before.  No such luck as the 2 that were with me argued all the way home.  Once home all 4 of them were struggling to get along. It took a good 2 hours to get everyone to the point where happy faces began to appear again and the creation of a big tee-shirt with the words "our get along shirt we love each other" written on it (an idea from pintrest/facebook)- and what was I doing during those 2 hours... writing this article and listening to worship music in my headphones (between breaking up fights and redirecting).  Seriously they are now all 4 getting along and being sweet to each other and haven't complained once - and so I post a video (one I might have posted before) of what I do each and every time I find myself at the point where I need God to help me through and lead me back to a calm spirit... here it is:

Thankful so very much for those who use their gift to remind me of my blessings and of The One who gave them to me!!  Peace out!

What will 2013 bring?

Sometimes I look into the faces of my children and wonder how in the world could I be so lucky.  I know many parents feel that way but seriously God gave me some pretty ones.  I look at those blue eyes that all of them have (they are all a different color of blue) and the shape of their lips, their dimples and even that little part under their nose above their top lip and think, "wow God you done good!"  2012 marked the end of "little" at our house- no more diapers- I have been changing diapers for 12 years.  I gave away all clothes for the boys that were size 5 and below and gave away all of Zoe's clothes that were 4 and below (for the most part although I have found a few here and there that need to go).  I told someone the other day that I have enjoyed for the most part watching the boys grow and change but Zoe is killing me... when I go to buy her spring clothes I will be buying size 6 clothes- I have no one in the baby/little kid section at any department store or wally world or whatever.  Where did my babies go??  So what will 2013 bring?  I don't know but one of my resolutions was to be more like Mary and store all of these things up in my heart.  So I post this picture of my kids at Thanksgiving 2012 and take a moment to thank God for the blessing of my "babies"!

Well so much for keeping up

Ok well life gets in the way and so I don't post... big deal... I can catch up- here goes nothing...

This guy is about to go to middle school!!  How crazy is that?!

This dog (Molly) joined our family and we love love love her!!

This guy is still as crazy as ever and continues to challenge us every day- he keeps us alive!

This guy loves life - the phrase live, laugh, love is built deep within his soul!

She brings balance to our world... tiny and mighty, tenacious and independent all wrapped up in pink!

The kids rocked the school year!  Mason and Cooper both made straight A's and Jaxon learned to read and was promoted to 1st grade so with regards to our move they are settled.  We have found a fantastic church home- The Branch @ Vista Ridge- we placed membership and began to serve and that has helped solidify the feelings of home here in DFW.  We just put in for the last of the "issues" to be fixed in our house before the year warrenty runs out (which is crazy to think about).  We love the community we are in and have met lots of people and are starting to "do stuff" with friends.  Each weekend as we drive to chuch we talk about how we are beginning to feel more and more settled and at home here.  We have even discussed purchasing a piece of property where we could have animals and land and stuff... who are we?!  LOL!  So... there it is the update on the family-hope you enjoyed it! 

Loving my kids

The kids and I left for Nashville for Christmas via car the week before Christmas.  I have done this in the past and have really struggled to push through the drive from San Antonio with kids by myself.  This year was a little different since we only had a ten hour drive (give or take) at least a one day drive.  As I have in the past, I had new crayons, markers, coloring books, a new game for each child for his ds/dsi, basically entertainment for the road along with snacks of all shapes, sizes and flavors that are not normally something we keep in the house.  I never tell them what I have bought... I load up the car and get it all ready and when they get in it takes a while for them to discover all the new fun stuff.  It was no different this trip.  It was however different in that this trip, Mason was big enough to hang with me in the front seat and keep me company or help me out with the other kids by reaching something they might want or need.  He didn't stay too long up front with me.  He stayed in the back with Cooper and they enjoyed vs. each other with their games.  The kids traveled really well.  They had lots to entertain them and were thankful each time I pulled out something new.  I loved hearing them laugh and color and share.  My heart was full each time I looked in the back seat and saw their little faces.  It did take more than 10 hours and as it got dark they fell asleep at the time that they would have if we had been home.  Except Mason, he crawled back up into the front seat and chatted with me and laughed and sang and spoke of how he was feeling more settled and happy.  Music to this mommy's ears I tell you.  Today I shared with someone that from the moment I knew what babies were I loved loved loved them.  I began to pray that God would allow me to know the joy of having children and as I have said He did not let me down.  While it is not always easy, I have challenged myself to take a breath and as I have said before be like Mary and charish all of these things in my heart.  These things are moments with Mason in the car when we talk, or shopping (because I am teaching him the fine art of grocery shopping).  These things are teaching Zoe how to make a salad for lunch (which she loves and requests often), or listening to her sing, dance and tell a story as she is playing with her toys.  These things are watching Cooper's entire body change when he comes into contact with any animal or baby.  These things are that Jaxon is going through a fear stage and doesn't want to sleep in his bead but will fall asleep in 2sec. in my bed and when I crawl in he is all warm and snuggly.  I am loving my kids right now and spent a lot of my time driving to Nashville thanking God for the blessing that comes through parenting my kids!

Get ready friends 2012 I am gonna be adding pics and doin' some bloggin' about these crazy blessings and I hope you my faithful followers will enjoy what is to come!

Looking back

As I reflect back over the last few years of keeping up with this blog, I have noticed that the feel of it changed from being one that reflected on my love of my babies and all things that get wrapped up with them to one of how stinky some of our life has been. I started this blog as a legacy to my kids because let's face it the more kids, the more activity, the more activity, the harder it is to remember everything both good and bad. I love my kids and the things they say and do. I want to use 2012 to restart the original intention of it. It will be filled with stories and pictures, and other stuff that will allow them to look back and see what a mess life is with 4 but what a blessing they are too me (even on the hard days). I will close 2011 by saying that I see a shift in where we are now vs. where we were earlier in the year. I am listening to the 3 boys play together with the hot wheels wall track. They are laughing and giggling together and Zoe just went to join them. While sometimes what comes out of their mouths is not always pleasant today is one of the days that my heart is filled with joy! I spent many years of my life praying that God would bless me with kids so that I could be a mother. He answered that prayer with 4 very different, unique children. I pray now that I will not fail them as a mother. I pray that 2012 will bring lots of laughter to this home through my kids and that they will know the love that I have for them! Kids, when you read this one day, please know that every single thing I did in the world and every decision I made was made with you in mind. I love you with every breath that I take and nothing you ever say or do will ever ever change that!!- Much love, Mommy.

The end of relocating

Whew... no more apartment! We were able to close on our house on July 15th and moved out of the apartment on the 16th. The house in SA now has a new owner and we are getting boxes unpacked and getting ready for school to start. Well, ok actually as I write this we are in Nashville on vacation, but we did do some shopping over the weekend during tax free time! After spending the last 4 mos in the apartment, waiting for the SA house to sell and waiting to get into a house here in Dallas, I realized that through all of this God was answering a prayer that I started praying in 2009. It was a very dark time for us. Our marriage was struggling (to say the least). We were struggling finacially. We were struggling to be on the same page parenting our children. It just seemed as if nothing was going the way it should. I began to pray that God would intervene as only He can. I prayed for finacial peace. I prayed for parenting solutions. I prayed for God's wisdom concerning my marriage. I had no idea that God would answer my prayer the way He did. There is no way financially we would have been able to prepare our house to sell had it not been for relocation. There is no way we would have been able to put any type of dent into our debt, were it not for relocation. There is no way we would be in a bigger home were it not for relocating. In the midst of frustration and trial came blessings and answers to prayer! I am so very thankful to God for being the faithful giver of so many good things! It just reminds me to stick and stay with the other prayers that I have been praying for the last few years. It reminds me to be still and know that God will answer the prayers that I pray in His timing with His way. It isn't that I didn't know because I have always been aware of prayers being answered. But, this is the first time that in the midst of utter chaoas that I have seen His mighty power bring peace to us in a way that only He can bring it. Day after day as I meet new people I can see God's hand guiding us through this relocation. I know there are more great things that will come of this. For now I will be focusing on unpacking boxes, getting the kids settled in school, and focusing on training and fundraising for the breast cancer 3 day... get ready for a post or few on that passion to find a cure!!! Until next post... God Bless!