It feels normal

My how the kids have a way of keeping me busy. I know, that sounds like an obvious statement but sometimes I need to hear it to remind myself why I don't accomplish everything I think about doing. Most of the time six kids feels normal, just like two, four and five felt. Other times I feel like I am surrounded. In fact, at church the other day I was holding JG while walking through the lobby, with every step I took, all of the rest of the kids were right beside me. I made a quiet plea to my friend for rescue from the sea of youth when she said I looked like a Verizon commercial. Great, I have my own "network". Now, if I only had those extra minutes. Sometimes I need to remind myself that the twelve "Mom"s I've heard in the last ten minutes came from more than one child. There are days when a "low roar" is all the quiet I can hope for. You know,I wouldn't have it any other way. I love hearing the excited voices fill my van after school. The conversations overlapping at the dinner table are like music to my ears. The crescendo of laughter ringing down the stairwell, warms my heart every time. Sure, I relish the sound of silence when my dear husband takes the kids to school. I do find myself stretching my own bedtime a half hour or so later just to hear my thoughts. And I am wonderfully blessed each time some one mentions how well behaved my children are. But, who wants quiet, perfectly behaved children who leave you alone? My kids do a great job at being kids. Sometimes they make my job easy, sometimes, they make it difficult but they always make it exciting.