Tonight, as dinner was cooking and I sat down to chat with my boys, Andrew took the girls out in the backyard. Pretty soon, Ellen came trooping back in with a dahlia for me. Next came Willa.
She’s in her pj’s (backward) at 5 pm because I was trying to get all the fall clothes swapped out this morning before I dressed the girls. However, I was missing a box or two from storage and couldn’t finish the job and, I’m not quite sure how, this meant the girls stayed in pajamas.
That’s pretty much how the whole day had gone: Backwards and half-dressed.
Mira slept in her “spinny dress” last night because she doesn’t like to have it removed from her body.
I had to go and buy her a fall version of the Spinny Dress just to avoid an every-other-day fit when the Original Spinny Dress needed to be washed.
My last flower came from this guy:
It was like my own little Rose Parade.
Although lately Andrew and I have been referring to this life we lead like a boxing match. We tag each other in and out as needed. He does the coffee and breakfast routine. Tag.
I do morning school, laundry, and three hours of basic need meeting. Tag. I go to my room to sit and stare like a boxer who is punch drunk.
Andrew starts lunch until I pull it together and jump back in so we can double team the gang for a few minutes. Tag.
And so it goes. This isn’t to imply that our children beat up on us or make unrealistic demands. It’s just what parenting seven kids feels like right now. And I recognize I’m lucky that most days, I can tag in and out a time or two because Andrew is home.
But I’ve been kissing the canvas a lot these days. (Boxing term for “knocked face down.” Seriously. Look it up. I did.)
We’re blessed. This fight is the Good One. But it’s hard. And I’m no prize fighter. I’m just a girl with bloody knuckles and no time to pee.
But we keep at it.
I may lay face down and beg for mercy, but the Mercy comes in the strength to get up and keep going. The Mercy comes when I can’t so He does. And sometimes, Mercy troops in wearing pajamas and carrying a flower the size of her head.
But it comes. Praise God, Mercy comes. He is glorified all the more when I need Him the most. His mercy makes me live and stand up to fight another round.
So I get up off the mat and, after some chocolate and a good night’s sleep, I’ll come out swinging again.
*What’s your life feel like now? I could have waxed poetic for paragraphs more with the boxing analogy, but I had pity on your eyeballs. Plus, I had to look up almost all the boxing terms I was using. So: Analogize your life for me. (It’s a word. I made it.) Paint me a picture…
Breathtaking. That’s the picture for me today. Because today I sat down with my beautiful four-year-old daughter and explained to her what it means that she’s blind. And she gave me a huge hug and we agreed that it’s ok. Then, she got up and said, “Mommy, look, I’m dancing!”
Oh, yes. This is a great description.
Have been living by “His mercies are NEW EVERY MORNING” for years…
It is the good fight. How you find time to write about it and so encourage all of us is what I just don’t “get” but I am VERY thankful for!
Blessings,
April
Phew! I needed to hear from mommies who are where I am. Thanks Lora Lyn! From the moment I get out of bed until late late in to the night we are going, doing. Really, just living. I love it but it is getting quite stressful and Mark and I are like ships passing in the night (to quote a long forgotten poet). I’m so glad to see I’m not alone.
Erin J. That is beautiful and made me cry! What a beautiful blessing your four year old is! Tell her to keep dancing!
Erin J. – Wow. Sending hugs to both you and your sweet punkin’ today!
I only have 3 kiddos and that’s what my life feels like right now. Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone.
I don’t have seven kids, but I do have three and I so remember the kind of days you are talking about. Now, I only have two kids at home. My daughter was married in May, my oldest son is living here but commuting to college, and my youngest son is a junior in high school. My husband and I got married at 17 and 18 and felt like you did until this May. The wedding was over, my oldest son graduated which meant the end of band and theater performances for us to attend, and we have finally come to a place where we are able to just be “us”. We’ve never had that since we started off with a baby before we got married, but life is so very sweet right now. I am very thankful!
I love the way you describe your life. So very familiar. Travis doesn’t work from home but is able to be here a lot more than a lot of husbands. I’m so thankful. I’m often telling people that the reason our life works is the flexibility his job affords us.
Spinning plates.
I feel like I keep the plates spinning all day, running back and forth from child to child to child. And with Corey traveling, sometimes, I have to wait until the plates go to bed to have a kiss-the-canvasa moment. But you know, he’s always faithful to meet me there.
(I”m all about analogizing. Anytime you want to work on a good one, just call me.)
I’m a whirling dervish these days. I haven’t slowed down to notice how stressed I even feel. PLEASE DON’T LET ME GET SICK PLEASE DON’T LET ME GET SICK!
Beautiful post, friend. I hope you get a reprieve soon.
XOXO!
Oh my. You were exquisitely perfect in your metaphor! One of my favorite LL posts ever!
Brandi – *blush* Thanks, friend!