Gratitude Sunday

It's hard to believe another week has come and gone.  I didn't do this last Sunday because it was Sam's birthday so I blogged for him. 

On my mind this week is how grateful I am for friends that bring me surprise presents for the littlest Ekblad.  These adorable Hungry Caterpillar shoes were purchased at Baby Bliss by one of my dearest friends.  She dropped them by yesterday.  What a treat!!

Jesse and I were away for a bit this afternoon speaking at a short retreat for married couples.  I'm grateful for coming home to a bunch of happy kids and joe joe stuffed chocolate chip cookies!!! (The recipe calls for Oreos but we buy Trader Joe's "Joe Joe's" instead :) ).

This morning while I was at Mass I was reflecting on how grateful I am for our parish, Christ the King, in Ann Arbor.  When we are there we feel like we are surrounded by family.  This Faith filled community is living their faith in more ways than just going to Mass on Sundays and it is a constant inspiration to our family.

Today

Today started out regular.  Not that our regular is bad or anything.  Scrambling eggs for half a dozen kids (or more some days), morning prayer together, hands around a warm mug of coffee left for me by my husband.  Today my inbox revealed a message from a good friend of mine.  An invite for a play date this afternoon.  I couldn't resist.  The laundry would wait, the baby could nap at home with big sister Hannah, the middle kids would have a blast!  I hurried and made the pizza dough I would need for tonight's dinner so I wouldn't have to scramble too much when I got home.  The kids buzzed around with excitement all morning. 

So this afternoon we travelled across town and I was able to chat with my friend while the kids played.  I met this friend quite a while ago.  We both had less kids then.  I believe she had three and I had five.  She now has six beautiful children.  The ages of our kids match up well and they all have a playmate.  I have always admired her patience and kindness toward her children.  I've watched the older kids grow from very small to very tall each possessing special talents and, most important of all, good character.  With our last babies we shared eventful pregnancies and bed rest.  She was on bed rest for a much longer time than I was but she handled it with grace.  On the way home I thanked God for this friend, her husband, and her whole family.   I am thankful for the homeschooling events that first brought us together.   I am especially grateful for those friends that surround us who encourage successful marriage and family life.  I need support for my decisions, shoulders when I am upset, and prayers when I am struggling.  My kids need those positive influences as well.  With so many toxic things out there to poison our kids it's very important for them to have friends that keep them in line with our moral and Faith values. 

So a seemingly regular day turned out to be a nice retreat for me.  A visit with a friend, play time with the kids, and a reminder to be grateful for all that God has given us.  The laundry was still there when I got home, by the way.  It had not gone anywhere.  That was a relief  :)

Thursday Thoughts

Clare is teething and has been crying for about two days straight.  I haven't slept in two nights.  Neither has she.  So, I'll do the best I can expressing my thoughts for this cold and snowy Thursday.

My grandma left to go back to Texas yesterday.  She arrived in September and planned to only stay for a week.  Unfortunately she became quite sick and was hospitalized.  She had to stay here for several months while my parents nursed her back to good health.  These past 5 months being able to see so much of her have been some of the best months of my life.  I can't remember spending one of my birthdays with her (she and my grandpa moved to Texas in the mid to late 1970's).  I can't remember the last time I spent Christmas with her.  My kids adore her.  Had she only stayed for the week she had planned I wouldn't have gotten to see Cecilia (2) hug her.  Recently Cecilia declared that she "loved great grandma" and that she was her "best friend".   Mary shied away for the first few weeks but opened up and expressed her love for her so many times these past months. 

Yesterday as we left for my parents house to say our final goodbyes Mary said "I'm so sad that great grandma is leaving".  Indeed, I was very sad as well.  I tend to hide my emotions from most people pretty well.  Aside from Jesse and my best friend I rarely show real emotion.  I try to be "strong".  Or maybe I just don't like the pain that goes along with admitting when your heart is breaking.  Either way I planned to make my goodbye uneventful so as to not make a scene or upset anyone.  Much to my surprise when it was time to say my final goodbyes I was overcome with real emotions that I couldn't hide.  As my parents, and aunt and uncle watched I said words that I hadn't planned to say.  As I prepared for this day I thought of the fact that I may never see my grandma again.  She is 94, after all, and living thousands of miles away.  It took me back to a day 13 years ago when my other grandma (my dad's mother) called me early one March morning.  I was "busy" (or so I thought) caring for Hannah (then 16 months), Brandon (6), and I was pregnant with Owen.  That was back in the day when long distance phone calls cost money.  I knew my grandma didn't have much money so I hurried her off the phone.  She was asking me questions like if I was happy in my marriage, did I feel like my parents were involved enough in my life, would I have more babies after this one?  I said everything was fine, I loved her, and I hung up.  A few days later she had a stroke.  She was never the same after that and died not long after the stroke.  And so I wasted my opportunity to tell her how I really felt about her.  I swore to never do that again.  But I do do that everyday.  I mean, just because you're not old or sick doesn't mean you'll live for another 20 years, right?  Every day could be the last day I see my parents, friends, my kids.  How many times have I failed to say what I really feel because I don't want people to see my true emotions?  Too many.  Another lesson learned.  Another thing to work on.  There's an endless list, it seems.

A Real Snow Day!

We don't get to actually "celebrate" snow days over here very often (in fact, I don't think we ever have since we started homeschooling 11 years ago!) But we're still digging out from a decent sized snow storm that hit Sunday night into Monday and our homeschool co op was cancelled. Daddy posted signs around the house this morning before he left for work.  Being the very mean mom that I am the kids had to do their schoolwork anyway (but now they'll have a lighter load on Friday).

We've also had some fun today.  Clare got some play dough time in.

I made a cinnamon crumb cake for a treat.

I moved the play kitchen again and it was "rediscovered".  Mary got some fun playing house time.

Our new favorite game for the littler ones is called "Can You See What I See?".  It is so much fun.  Even Cecilia is able to play it on her own. 

Katie and Sam played a card game when they finished (most) of their school.

And I enjoyed a moment of quiet in the kitchen, sipping my coffee that I had reheated about 5 times and being grateful that I can once again light my favorite candles without the smell making me sick.  Have a blessed day everyone!!

An Independent Toddler

I posted a picture the other day of Clare with a cup and no top.  She insists on drinking this way.  And she also insists on feeding herself everything.  Including yogurt.

And, yes, it's still easier to clean up *this* mess then the others she makes ALL over the house. <3

Happy 6th Birthday Samuel!!

We're wrapping up "birthday week" at our house with Sam's 6th birthday.  Time flies.  It seems like just yesterday Sam was born right upstairs in this very house.  He weighed in at 10lbs even.  Today we went to Mass, out to Panera where he got a special cinnamon roll, back to grandma and grandpa's for a gift, home to hang out, bake cupcakes, and an afternoon of playing the Wii (Sam's dream is to play the Wii unlimited :) ).  He has requested gyros for dinner and Hannah made him a special cake.  We're expecting some snow and ice tonight so we'll just bundle up and enjoy the evening.

Around the House This Week

Here's Mary in her new dress that matches her Little Flowers Doll's dress.  She got it for her birthday.  Cecilia likes to be in all the pictures as well.

Clare thinks she should always drink in a cup with no lid.  That is a bad idea and always results in a mess for me.  I have to weigh if the mess is worse than her fits.  She usually wins and I just carry a towel around with me.

The girls had a fabulous time hanging out IN the cloth diaper box.  I have no idea why this was so much fun but there was a lot of giggling going on.  Notice Clare's "sash" (curtain tie) that she was wearing all morning.  Hannah kept calling her Ms. America.

Legos are the toys that get the most play in our house (mostly from the boys but sometimes the girls too).  Jackson has taken over many of Brandon's legos (which is fine with Brandon). 

It is very warm out today (by February in MI standards) and Clare enjoyed running on the sidewalk.  She's still intimidated by the snow and ice, though, and I'm pretty sure she was actually yelling at it today. 

Cecilia was working hard on this picture for my birthday.  When I told her my birthday was in 10 months she agreed that I should have it now.

Clare enjoys doing a little computer work each day.  Here she is before she fell off the chair (something she also must enjoy b/c she insists on sitting there and never fails to fall).  Yes, I do watch her.  And, no, she's never been seriously injured (or really injured at all).

Last but not least Mary received this beautiful gift in the mail from our friends, the Denja's.  It's a little wooden play set of a convent and a St. Therese wooden doll.  She played with it for hours.  What a beautiful gift!

Sliders are being prepared for dinner, I'm S L O W L Y regaining strength and getting a grip on the house.  Sort of.  The paperwork is going down a little, the laundry is almost caught up, the rest is, well, not really that important even though it keeps me awake at night.....

Happy 19th Birthday Brandon!!

Well, what can I say?  It's so silly but I am struggling with not seeing Brandon on his birthday.  I know he'll have a great day and we are all anxious to see him next month when he comes home for spring break.  Happy Birthday Brandon!  We love you!!

Here's Brandon on his way home from the hospital.  I still have that outfit hanging in my closet. 

Daddy says you're never too old for the Birthday Sign :)

You went from only/oldest child to oldest of 9 (soon to be 10) with grace.  Your brothers and sisters adore you and miss you so much!!  Enjoy being 19!!

Happy Birthday Mary Therese!! You're 4 Years Old!

It's hard to believe that our Mary is 4 years old!  She had a fabulous day.  She had a party in her homeschool co op class (Hannah made fabulous cookies for her to share with her friends).  Then we just hung out at home for the afternoon.  Daddy brought home pizza for lunch and made his traditional birthday sign.

Mary got a fun gift from Katie.  Then on to Grandma and Grandpa Jackson's house for a fantastic dinner with Aunt Teresa, Uncle Andy, Ellie, Thomas, and great grandma too! We had a yummy iced cream cake (we celebrated Sam's birthday with family tonight too so his name is on the cake as well).

Then it was time for gifts.  Mary has been asking for a rainbow rosary and I was happy to have one made for her.

Then it was back home where Mary got a birthday call from big brother Brandon (and he's her godfather too).

Cecilia was thrilled to get to talk to Brandon as well.

And so the birthday ends with a story from daddy and a grateful heart. 

Happy St. Valentine's Day!!

We don't do much for Valentine's Day since it's the beginning of "Birthday Week" at our house (Mary's birthday is tomorrow, Brandon's is Wednesday, and Sam's is Sunday).  But we did do a few things today to honor the day.  First we read a story about the real St. Valentine.  The best info I found online was here.

Hannah made this great fleece heart pillow (Cecilia "helped" of course).

We had to have hit 40 degrees today.  Clare insisted on playing outside but once she got out there she realized that she didn't really like the snow very much.

Grandma stopped by with some candy for the kids.
Clare was a BIG fan.

I made some chocolate covered strawberries that turned out really yummy!!

My lovely children and husband made me some beautiful Valentine's.

And I got each of the kids a heart shaped Pez dispenser.  I haven't lost my love for Pez after all these years :)
I hope you all had a fun Valentine's Day!