Random Thoughts

It's been a crazy 6-8 weeks for our family. Started with pneumonia in November and progressed to what we thought were common colds that have left both Mike and I with "plugged" right ears for over 6 weeks, fluid in the ear and nothing they can do to relieve it. I've tried everything I've read about, you wouldn't believe some of the things I resorted to using just to get it to pop. But alas, it still hasn't popped and I'm done putting odd liquids in my ear. I've tried a bunch of Chinese herbs given to us by a friend of ours and every homeopathic treatment I've come across, but nothing helps, not even the antibiotics prescribed by my doctor (I feel I've given it a good try, attempting every form of treatment and not being picky). It started out really annoying and now is just part of life. It's amazing how we adapt and make the most of our circumstances, I think it's just human nature and a blessing from God. I only really notice it if I'm in church or when Mike and I sadly attempted a dinner date and ended up both using raised voices just to hear each other, it was quite funny to watch I'm sure of that.
Random thought #2
I've been thinking a lot lately and I've come to realize over the past few months just how careful we need to be in where we allow our children to go and spend their time. I have to say that there have been some eye opening moments of late that have left me to think "THERE REALLY IS NO SUCH THING AS BEING TO OVER PROTECTIVE" when it comes to your own kids. I am amazed at how the standards vary from home to home. Even people who appear from the outside to share the same values and standards as we do in our home have come to surprise me. My children are truly the safest in my own home, and I'm going to do my best to make it that way for all the children who come here.

I've also come to value even more the importance of being at home with my kids. In a world where careers for women and the phrase "MY TIME" tend to take over mothers lives. I see an even greater need and importance for me to be at home with my kids. In all honesty there is NO WHERE that I can go, nothing I can be doing outside of my own home that even compares to what I do IN my home. At times it may seem like a huge sacrifice to give up the "girls nights, dinners, parties, get together invites, showers, luncheons, fund raisers, etc." But looking back on each of these events that I chose not to attend, I wouldn't trade my choice to decline and spend that time with my children.

As they say "there is a season" and I know that there will come a day when I don't have little ones in my home, when I have much more free time to choose to spend doing those things that seem to make me happy. For now my children are my life and I have to remember that they are what is most important and my time with them can't be replaced and I can't pay someone to give them what I can give them. It feels really good to know that I am needed and as a mother I truly am needed, no one can give my children what I can.

My children will be grown and out on their own before I know it. For now I am more than happy to be here with them, day and night. How else would I ever see the pain or needs on their faces if I'm busy scurry about to my own events and desired destinations? Being a stay at home mother is not easy but I know at the end of the day it's where I am supposed to be and being able to say I tuck my children in, kiss them good night, wake them and feed them 3 meals a day may seem trivial to some, but to me it's the greatest blessing in my life. I love what I do, every tear, every smile, every hug... it's so worth it. No career could ever compare or give me more satisfaction than this!