Sunday Dinner

I love the times my family is together. Sunday I had both my college students over, they went to church with us and we ate dinner together. The family felt so complete sitting all around my huge table at mealtime. Before we ate we took family pictures outside in front of our big beautiful bare tree. It's been more than 2 years since we have had a family photo with everyone present.

I know that this year and even this coming month will bring many new changes in my family. Nathan will move out today. He found an apartment in Tyra's BYU ward. BYU begins next week. Johannah will graduate in May. And the twins think they can get their Learner's Permits and drive. Yikes! I am glad that we can cherish this journey together.

Kate's Birthday, Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always an emotional day for me. Ten years ago on Christmas Eve I went to the doctor for a regular pregnancy check up. Later that same day I had an emergency C-section. I had no idea when the doctor sent me to the hospital for observation that he really meant that I was going to have a baby that day. Kate wasn't due until the end of January and all my kids come late so I thought she might be born near Valentine's Day. Scott was home tending the other seven children, the oldest being 11 years old. I called to tell him the doctor wanted me to go directly to the hospital with no stops in between, all I could think about was that the Christmas shopping wasn't finished. I went directly to the hospital, but stopped in the gift shop for a moment because I hadn't yet eaten breakfast. I grabbed a snack and headed upstairs. With the large medical file in hand I gave it to the nurse in the Labor and Delivery area. She looked at the file and her eyes opened wide. She grabbed my arm and told me that I was going to have a baby today. People began rushing all around me and soon I was in a bed with an IV and nurses were padding the side rails with blankets. I asked what the purpose was for the padding. The nurse told me it was just in case I begin to have a seizure.

I don't remember exactly how it all happened but Scott arrived and delivery options were presented to us. This baby was very small not like my 10 pound Andrew the pregnancy before. This baby had stopped growing because of damage to the placenta, she was estimated to be about 4 pounds. I had known that something was wrong when I didn't seem to be growing bigger and she seemed to be less active. She was still for long periods of time. These are the reasons I went to see my doctor that week. The first time I brought all seven children with me. School was out and I had no where to drop my children off. After the nurse took my blood pressure multiple times and in multiple positions, the doctor asked me to return in 2 days without the children. That was Christmas Eve day. I didn't understand the significance of blood pressure readings at this time.

Entering the surgery room I was extremely worried, not so much about Kate (I was too ignorant to know that I should have been) but about whether or not the anesthesia would work properly. I tried an epidural with the twins, it didn't work at all. I tried it once more because of back labor, with Andrew and one side of my body became numb. I don't like hospitals, needles, and the smells associated with them. I never wanted to have a C-section. I just knew that I would feel everything. This time they would use something different and faster. The surgery room was filled with people and my arms were strapped out to my sides. The baby was delivered quickly and she was escorted out of the room.

The following minutes or hours as it seemed were the longest of my life. I suppose that the doctors were sewing me back together. It took forever and I was so nauseated. I kept heaving with every movement. Eventually I ended up in the recovery room. I can remember being freezing! When I asked about the baby I was told that she was doing better than I was. She was breathing on her own and seemed to have all the right reflexes. I was not recovering as the doctor's expected. My blood pressure did not return to normal, but remained high. I was restricted to my bed, no lights, no phone and no company. I was hooked up to a blood pressure monitor that took my blood pressure every 15 minutes. How unrestful! I demanded to see my baby. I nursed her and she did very well considering she was only 4 1/2 pounds. I relaxed considerably with her near. Finally the nurses allowed me to breastfeed her regularly.

I received injections about every 4 hours, of something to help keep my blood pressure down. Alarms went off as the drug wore off and a new dose was needed. I remained in the hospital for about a week. Kate was 3 pound and 11 ounces when we were discharged. A home nurse was assigned to visit at least twice daily to check on my condition. I was on 10 times the normal dose of beta blockers and ace inhibitors just to keep my blood pressure close to 150/100. I didn't understand at that time how close to death I had been. It wasn't until I had follow up visits with my regular doctor that I began to understand the gravity of the situation. Scott had been worried about having 8 small children, four of which would be in diapers. I could never have left my small children at that time. Of course that is if I had any say in the matter. I am grateful I was spared. My greatest joy comes from my children.

Reading Christmas Stories

Last night we read Christmas stories by the light of our Christmas tree. We usually start this tradition at the beginning of December and try to read every night until Christmas. Sometimes we light a candle and the children watch the flame as I read. I bought a new book called, A Christmas Dress for Ellen, written by Thomas S. Monson. I love this book. I could hardly read the book outloud. I had to stop several times to compose my cracking voice. I think the best part of the story is that it is a true story. This book is going to be an annual tradition.

Encourage, Guide & Love

“Too frequently, women underestimate their influence for good. Well could you follow the formula given by the Lord: ‘Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God’ (D&C 88:119).“In such a house will be found happy, smiling children who have been taught, by precept and example, the truth. In a Latter-day Saint home, children are not simply tolerated, but welcomed; not commanded, but encouraged; not driven, but guided; not neglected, but loved.”
Thomas S. Monson, “The Spirit of Relief Society,” Ensign, May 1992, 101-102

I just had to post this statement by President Monson. I believe as mothers we can have such a great influence for good with our children. I like the words he used about children: encouraged, guided and loved. These are mothering words. I have tried to come up with a consise family motto. This is my rough draft: "Encourage, Lift & Inspire".

Gingerbread Houses or Christmas Boxes

After years of experience making gingerbread houses with my family I have added a few short cuts to the preparation and execution of this annual tradition. I now buy multiple boxes of graham crackers, and more cans of premade frosting. We use paper plates for the foundation and plastic knives for the spreading of frosting. I buy about 10 different kinds of small candies.

This tradition has become more of a competition about who can have the biggest house with the most candy used. We should really call it Christmas Boxes. Each house is built more like a fortress with a hollow center where the candy is hidden. Who ever has the most candy with out the house collapsing is the winner. Our houses are not for decoration but for consumption within a day.

This year we had a couple extra guests who went about buliding the traditional houses. They were frustrated because the frosting wouldn't harden and hold their candies in place. No one told them the "rules". Even with frosting difficulties their houses were the beautiful.

St. Nicholas Day - December 6th

Saturday we found wooden shoes filled with small treats, a candy cane and an ornament. The wooden shoes represent our dutch ancestry and the custom followed by many in central europe. St. Nicholas brings candies to good little children and coal to the rest. For our Saturday fun activity we made chocolates in molds. I love my big table! We all fit comfortably around with plenty of room for the chocolate stuff. I noticed that some children took their time and made beautifully detailed chocolates while others made a mess and smeared chocolate on each other. I had to create some rules like, no licking the molds with your tongue. You would think that I had little children that wouldn't understand the importance on not licking public things. But no, it was a 14 year old who couldn't figure out why licking was not allowed.

December 1st

It's December 1st! I love the Christmas holiday! Over the weekend we put up the Christmas tree and put lights on it. The children are excited to begin reading stories around the tree tonight. A tradition we began when they were tiny. We read short stories and a few longer stories like "A Christmas Carol". I like to add to our collection every year.

Every year, I look for ways to bring "Christ" into our Christmas celebration. For this reason I am irritated by the "greedy gimmies" that seem to infect our family. I try to encourage the children to think of others (like their siblings) and what they would like to do for them, rather than what they want for themselves.

Pilgrim Party

Yesterday we had a Pilgrim Party. What fun! We dressed up as Pilgrims, the boys wore button up shirts with vests and the girls wore long skirts with aprons and white blouses. We also had a Thanksgiving feast at my wonderfully large table, we ate lots of good food like turkey and ham. We played games like "ships & sailors", "pucker up" and "thankful charades". I think we spent most of the time laughing. How fun! Pictures forthcoming ;) I am so grateful for my blessings!

Where's the milk?

Do you ever begin Monday morning without milk? That's a problem when at 6:30am kids want cereal for breakfast. I guess I miscalculated how much milk would be needed to get us through the weekend and Monday morning. Knowing that milk would be an issue I got up a little earlier and made pumpkin pancakes for breakfast. It would have seemed a treat, but I had also made them for Sunday morning breakfast. Some of my children are grouchy in the morning if the routine is off just a bit. The children eat while I read scriptures to them. Off they go to finish getting dressed. This morning with 2 minutes before the van leaves, one of my kids was wrapped in a towel just hopping out of the shower. How is this possible he was awake and finished eating breakfast more than 30 minutes ago? He ran to the van with shirt, shoes, backpack and lunch in hand. He just barely made it. You would think this is a rare occasion, but alas it is not. Almost everyday his exit is the same. This morning we can blame it on the milk.

Mom!

"Mom I can't find any underwear!". I'ts 6:30am and the high school kids are getting ready for school. About once every two weeks one of the boys finds himself without underwear. I often wonder how this is possible. I do laundry 6 days a week. I used to wash about 20 loads a week, now with only 6 children at home I only wash about 15 loads a week. Still ... where does the underwear hide? James came up with a story once about how squirrels come into his room at night and shred his underwear. I think he has part of the story right. The underwear can be found on the floor of his room, not in the laundry bucket.

Family Fun at Thanksgiving

I am planning a Pilgrim Party with my family. I spent some time this morning sewing costumes for the event. I hope Thanksgiving will take on new meaning as we learn about our Pilgrim heritage. Over the summer I discovered that we are descended from the Fuller's that arrived on the Mayflower in 1621. I love being a mom!

It's Morning

I've been up since 6 am. Time to get the gang off to school. The process take about 2 hours every school day. The high school group leaves for school at 7 am. Johannah is a self starter and is usually out of bed right away. Josh loves his sleep! He has a harder time separating himself from the mattress. The middle school group leaves at 7:30 am. James is an early riser, Jacob is not. Jacob insists that he should be woken up just one minute before morning scripture study. We try to read together at 6:45 am, every morning we have a different mixture of children. The grade school kids leave at 8 am. Kate gets going, eats breakfast and takes a shower. She will even make lunch for her older brother Andrew. Andrew needs a little tender coaxing. He is such a loving snuggly child.

My older kids on on their own. Tyra lives at home and is responsible for herself. She gets up much later than everyone else. I think she planned her college classes that way on purpose. Nathan is in Texarkana serving as a missionary. He is grown and doesn't need me by his side in the morning. I'm very proud of the man he has become.

This morning it is cold (10 F) with snow on the ground. I love the light in the sky just before dawn. Everything is soft. As Josh left for school he said, "Mom, I love you!". What a wonderful morning!