4 Down and 6 to Go

Well, last month we had yet another one of our children graduate from high school.
It's always a surreal moment and one that doesn't get any easier no matter how many children you have.  They are each so unique and it really is a bittersweet time.  
The Christian high school that our children have attended has a wonderful way to celebrate these precious young men and women.  There is a baccalaureate service for awards and such, including a slide show of the graduates, and then the graduation service that evening.  Each student has a table of pictures and memorabilia to celebrate their accomplishments and personalities.  The teachers and students who speak are awesome and this year the main speaker was NC Supreme Court Justice.
All that to say, my little guy grew up.  He became a strong, fun, personable, lovable man of God and I know God has great things for him ahead.  We all love him so much and I think he was also a little sad at graduation.  He made so many special friends as well as being a role model to younger students.  Teachers kept coming up to me and saying how much they will miss him, his smile and friendly demeanor.  I'm so thankful that I was able to homeschool him for 9 years and then have him attend such an awesome high school.  
He will be staying local and attending NC State, so I'm super glad about that!  Here are some pictures from that evening.

Laying the Crib to Rest After 23 Years

It was kind of a sad day last month.  We took the crib down!  For the last 23 years, this precious white crib has been up in our house with one of my little ones sleeping soundly in it.  It was a bittersweet day.  We've moved a good bit, so my husband has taken it down and put it back up numerous times (and it's not one of those easy cribs to tear down and put back together) so I think he was kind of glad to take it down one final time.  I would love to know if any of you "moms of many" have had the same crib for 10 or more kids or had the same crib up for 23 or more years.  My in laws bought it for us when we were expecting our first.  Well, let me tell you, we definitely got our money's worth!  I'm sure it is not "code" anymore so my wonderful sister-in-law suggested that we make it into a bench.  My brother-in-law knows how to do this, so I think we'll enlist his wood working skills.  I think I would like to put my children's names and birthdays somewhere on the bench too since they all slept in it. We do have another Ikea crib that is a little smaller and easier to take apart and move. It's in better condition and "code." We will save that one for grand babies or who knows, wink wink.  
But it was time to move my two little guys into toddler beds.  We haven't been sleeping quite as well since we've moved them out of the cribs but it's getting better.  You know what they say, "the only thing you can count on in life is change."  That is so true, especially in this parenting journey.  And while I did shed a few tears when my husband took it down, I don't miss lifting my boys' heavy little bodies over that bed rail anymore. 
When I put this up on my facebook, here are some of the comments I received.........
Epic
Congratulations
No Way
For Real?
You'll probably be pregnant next month!
Oh, that is sad....
You husband looks happy!
It's not the end, but rather the end of the beginning.
One anointed crib.
OMG, you should bronze it!
Don't be too hasty, you never know : )

You Know You Love Mothering When..........

 It's 9am on a Saturday morning and I'm taking the little guys to a birthday party 30 minutes away.....It's OK, I love mothering!
And speaking of Saturday mornings, as a mother they are no longer sacred.  Most of our Saturday mornings start way earlier than this.  Many a tennis tournament and soccer game has started by 8am and require leaving the house by 7am!  So, you know you really love motherhood when you don't mind this at all, in fact, you actually like it.  Sleeping in is no longer a luxury that you even dream about : )

So, here are some other ways that you can tell you really love mothering. (For those of you who aren't mothers yet, you probably think we are all crazy, but just wait! : )

-Potty training is seen as a challenge and not a yucky, messy thing to get through.  I'm getting ready to potty train my 10th child and actually am looking forward to it. Just bought some cute little boy underwear : ) He's smart, he's ready and I'm up for the challenge!

-When you actually enjoy making eggs for your big teenage boys at 6:30 in the morning.

-When you look forward every year to shopping for fall/spring clothes and switching out the kids wardrobes.

- You'd rather stay home, bake cookies and read books with your little ones then go to a movie and eat popcorn.

- You really don't mind getting woken up in the middle of the night by a little one because you know they grow-up way too fast.

- Pregnancy and breast feeding are looked at as a privilege and not a burden.

- You actually enjoy all the soccer games, football games, tennis matches, dance recitals, swim meets, etc. because you get to see your child in action and cheer them on.

- You don't mind the messy house because you know that all too soon it will be clean and straight and actually stay that way because no one will be there!

Well, this is about all I can think of right now.  Feel free to add to the list.  But really, motherhood changes your perspective on a whole lot of things!

Here is me and my biggest baby (not oldest, but the biggest).....love him so much.  Wasn't he just a little blond toddler that loved to walk around with bowls on his head and call them hats? 

The Pain of the Launch

Ben Now~

No, it doesn't matter that I have 10 children.  No, it doesn't matter that this is my second to leave "the nest."  It's so hard and I'm sad.  What happened to my little boy?  Each child is so unique and so special and so very different.....it will be hard when all of them leave and I will grieve.  Yes, I'm so glad he is such a fine young, godly man.  I'm so glad that he chose to go to a small,Christian college and I'm so glad he wants to go to college but I will miss him terribly. The younger ones will miss him terribly and his sister who is less than 2 years younger than him, will probably miss him the most.  He's going off to Tennessee this week and while I'm happy it's not any further than that, it's still a day's drive away and it will really never be the same again.  Pray for me if you think about it, because I know all you other moms out there can sympathize.  Whether your little boy is 2 or 20, I know you understand.  They don't stay little long....but they will always be our little guys!

Ben just a few months ago, really!