Birthday Months

The summer and early fall months are what I consider the birthday months in our household.   You see 4 out of our 5 children have birthdays starting in July, then August, and ending in September.  So, for three months straight we are talking about cakes, games, presents, friends, food, and dates.  I love my children and I relish in the celebration of their lives, but by the end of September I am thankful that there are no more parties to plan until February when our Juwan gets to celebrate his day!  We do not go all crazy for birthdays.  Yes, we try to do some sort of fun cake.  This year Lola wanted owl cupcakes, Brennan and Samuel had s'mores cupcakes, and by the time we got to Lige (and our foster daughter) we were tired of cake so they had tractor cookies with apple crisp.   Each party we try to have some sort of theme, but we usually make some small decorations ourselves and definitely do not break the bank to accomplish this feat.  Since Lola wanted owls each table had a little thrift store owl figurine with a saying like, "Owl always love you."  Even though it was rainy we managed to do a scavenger hunt with clues.  Samuel and Brennan's party didn't have decorations, but who needs that when you have an obstacle course complete with zip line and bow and arrow practice.  Then Lige and baby still being little needed only some tractors and green pinwheels to complete their party.  It was great having lots of helpers decorate tractor cookies and make pinwheels.  The only negative to their party was that Scott was sick and couldn't participate.  Anyway,  I'm sure I could make the parties a little less work intensive, but there is something about putting the labor of love into making each party a little special.  I hope that looking back the kids and I will remember and see these parties for what they really are: an expression of love and thankfulness for each one of them!

Unfortunately, due to our lack of organization around here all I could find was a brief video from Samuel and Brennan's Birthday, a video from Lola's actual birthday, but nothing from the party, a video of the zip line used for the boys' party, and a blurry picture from Lige's birthday party.  I guess that's what happens when your either busy enjoying your child's birthday, hosting your child's party, or trying to do it all while your husband is sick and no one else seems to care about taking pictures of your child's party....  Yes, as I type this post I'm feeling frustrated!

Lige 3 years old

Just a Little Leg Room

"I'm glad Lola's not here," were the words that came from the backseat of the van one evening after we had left Lola at our good friends' house to spend the night.  I was about to whip out the Mama response.  You all know what I'm talking about.  The voice that is filled with disappointment, scolding, and disdain.  The one that can invoke instant shame and remorse...umm yes that one, the one that really doesn't work.  Anyway, it was on the tip of my tongue, when suddenly something in me said, "Wait a minute...don't jump to conclusions, let's see what he means."  WOW, I know right?  I mean this doesn't often happen.  I usually am quick to speak and quick to bark! But in this rare instance I didn't bark, I simple said, "Brennan what do you mean?"  Then in the sweetest most innocent voice, without hesitation Brennan said, "Because I have more room back here when she is gone."  After a moments pause the car erupted in laughter.  Samuel, Juwan, and I just couldn't stop laughing.  We all expected some nasty response from Brennan, but instead he completely surprised us! We have five kids and one foster child at the moment; all of which are smashed tightly into our van.  There are two car seats in back and then Lola.  Then in the middle there are two car seats and Samuel.  This does not leave much room.   He didn't hate his sister, he didn't rejoice in her absence because she aggravated him, he wasn't exhilarated because he would get to ransack her room while she was gone.  No, he just simply loved having a little leg room!
Isn't that the case in life?  I mean sometimes we just need a little space, a little time, a little peace to stretch our legs.  No matter how much we love our families, our friends, our jobs, or our church, sometimes it is so refreshing to have a little time to ourselves.  I know that this is the case for me.  Here is one reason I completely relate to what Brennan was feeling that evening.  When Lige, our youngest son, was about 4 months old Lola came back to live with us.  Now, we decided it would be a good idea for Lige to move into our room in order to give Lola the space she needed.  There was not room in the boy's room for a crib; thus he ended up in ours.  Well, for many of you who have been in this predicament, you know that a baby who wakes up in his crib, which is in his parents' room, instantly knows that his parents' are in that room.  He will not go back to sleep in that crib for anything!  Then begins the long road of co-sleeping!  Needless to say, there is no leg room in a full bed with two adults and a baby.  Even less leg room when that baby is a two-year old!  In the morning, when Lige would wake up,  Scott usually got up with him.  I would stay in bed and just stretch my whole body out!  I loved even those 5 minutes when I could have all that leg room to stretch, unencumbered by my clingy two year old and  husband.  Don't get me wrong, I love my husband and Lige, but sometimes you just need a little room to move, a little time to just be.  As a little side note, Lige is now sleeping in his own bed with his brothers.  Even though most nights at least one of us has to go snuggle with him when he wakes in the night.  But this is progress believe me!
Whether you're a 7 year old boy who comes from a big family, a mom who has a clingy baby, or fill in the blank.  We all can rejoice in a little time to ourselves now and again, and not feel guilty about it either.  It doesn't mean we don't love our families.  We just need a little leg room from time to time!

To Be or Not to Be...

To be like our parents or not to be like our parents, that is the question.  I'm sure many of us have said or done something, that has made us think, "I sound just like my mom/dad!"  More often than not, growing up we all thought there is no way I will do that when I get older.  But as fate would have it, we usually end up with many qualities that resemble those who raised us.  I would like to think that all of my children have at least a few of my admirable qualities.  I would like to hope that they have not and will not pick up many of my less desirable ones.  But if I had to choose one child that reflects a similar character to my own, it would have to be Brennan.  Now, others may disagree and think we are not alike at all.  Or for that matter someone may even believe that another of my children resembles my character far better than Brennan.  Also, Brennan may resent this statement of mine or he may be thrilled. I do not know.  The point being, this is me making the comparison and I know who I am around others and alone.   Anyway, my hope in this post is to shine a little light on Brennan.

Brennan is our 3rd child who will be turning 7 years old this August.  He is an old soul.  I say this because he is a deep thinker.  There will be times when he says something that lets you know his little mind has been working and thinking.  The other day we were riding in the car and a song came on that I just absolutely love.  The song is I'll Keep On by NF and the chorus goes, "Oh these hands are tired, Oh this heart is tired, Oh this soul is tired, But I'll keep on, I'll keep on, I'll keep on." After the song was over Brennan says, "Mom this song just makes me feel close to God!"  And honestly, that is how I feel after I hear that song every time.  Here I am driving along, praising God, not really even sure if my kids are getting what this song is saying and then Brennan says this.  An old soul...  He was telling me about a friend of his sharing that his father is in jail and he said, "I asked him, are you sure you want to be telling me this?" He knows how we have stressed the importance of one's story and that it is not something to be taken lightly or to be nosy about.  An old soul...  It also seems to me that Brennan seeks out older people.  When my Grandma Spelbring was alive Brennan would be the one to sit next to her and chat.  In this area he and I are very much alike.  I love talking to older people.  I love hearing their stories.  I drink in their wisdom. An old soul...

Yet, with all this Brennan is also great with little ones.  He is still at that age where he truly loves to play.  His imagination still runs wild and free!  To play with little babes is not work for him.  Often we will find Brennan playing bunnies with Lige and Juwan.  He is really a good big brother when he wants to be.  We also have a new little foster baby (more about that later) who he loves to help watch and play with.

As with all my children, Brennan is not a perfect little cherub who flits around the world filling it only with ooey, gooey sweetness.  To pretend that any of my children only have good qualities would not do justice to them.  They would remain flat, unrealistic, uninteresting characters in an ooey, gooey, super sweet children's story.  Brennan is passionate like me.  His sense of fairness and injustice in the world sometimes comes across in very passionate ways.  The way he handles conflict is not quietly to say the least.  He resembles me in this way.  We both can come across as being angry, when in reality we are just being passionate about something.  Actually, I have seen this quality in most of my children.

Brennan with all of his similarities to me, has one very distinct quality or should I say talent that definitely differs from me completely.  He is a great builder.  LEGOs were created for a soul such as he.  He and his brother Samuel can come up with some really cool creations.  Ones that move and transform and catapult things.  They amaze me how they can do this all from their own little minds.  Brennan will often go back and rebuild past LEGO creations using different parts if he can't find the originals.  I can barely make a LEGO car that actually moves.

In a nut shell that is my Brenny.  Like I said I hoped to shine a little light on this little boy of mine.  And that is what I feel like I have done.  I've only shined a little light on this old soul, a little light that  only reveals a small part of what an amazing little boy he is.  To be like me or not to be like me, this is not the question.   If he resembles me in character a little bit well, great.  But more importantly I would be proud to reflect and resemble Brennan's character!