When #4 got sick with arthritis, there was an outpouring of love from my blog readers who loved her fighting spirit wanted to know how they could help. I didn’t know what to tell them, because I couldn’t think of anything. When she was sick from the chemo and spent all day curled up on the couch, you asked again “How can we help?” I asked for prayers and had no other ideas. When she was in the accident earlier... Read more

Two and a half weeks ago, my eldest daughter started working out with me at the gym. After some heartbreaking things going on with the homeschool cheer team she’d been a member of for the last two years led her to decide to try something new, she decided that that new thing might be Crossfit. I was a little wary at first. The gym had become my little refuge in he middle of a busy day. For that one hour... Read more

My eldest is a typical teenager who doesn’t always manage to get things in the places where they ought to be. Things like makeup. That I told her needed to be off the floor or her little siblings would find it. And get into it. And use it up or ruin it. Because little kids don’t understand that the good mascara is expensive. They just see black paint and a cool little brush. See? Read more

I’m ready for summer to be over already. The long, hot, unscheduled days have begun to blend together in a haze or boredom and complaining children. It must be August. Every year we wait until the day after Labor Day to begin school and every year the last weeks drag until we are all thrilled by the respite of “something to do!” that September brings. Which means that we are perfectly on schedule around here. The bored whining has begun... Read more

 I went to Confession this week after a solid month of trying. It’s hard for a girl with seven kids and ADD. A friend of mine doesn’t believe me, so I wrote down the last week’s Confession-related activities. This is why I never quite get there: Recognize that I’m not in fact perfect and that I really do need to go to Confession. Go make lunch for the kids and forget all about Confession. Two days later – Sunday –... Read more

There was a time when my husband and my eldest daughter were really close. She was definitely his little girl and he was the love of her life. Then puberty happened and an awkward distance grew between. It was as though they forgot how to talk to each other, so we lived with an uncomfortable silence in the house. He missed her and she missed him, but the longer it went the harder it became for them to talk to... Read more

Dear #7, My sweet baby girl, I love you too. In fact, I don’t think anyone has ever loved me to quite the degree you seem to. At first it was flattering, but you’ve begun to take it to a point that might be called unhealthy. I used to love it that you wanted to sit on my lap to eat, but last week it took an ugly turn when you decided that the only food fit for consumption was... Read more

No, I’m not pregnant. What is it with you people? Babies come in their own time, plus my husband’s been in Turkey! It’s #4. Again. We’ve been through the arthritis and the broken jaw and the missing teeth. We were seeing the light at the end of the rainbow. She was in remission and we were starting to learn how to breathe again. But she keeps throwing up. We originally thought that her constant nausea was the methotrexate. Chemotherapy will... Read more

The Computer Guy arrived home this weekend. I think the look on the baby’s face when she spotted her dad just about sums it up for all of us. Read more

Somewhere over Europe right now, my husband is on his way home to us. After two weeks of working his computer guru magic in Turkey, he’s headed back to Texas at last. It’s going to be a long night for both of us. His plane doesn’t land here until 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. He hates to sleep on planes, so will be up reading and watching movies. I hate for him to be in the air so I’ll be praying for... Read more