I apparently am. : ) However, I have been thinking long and hard about this over the past week. We are getting back on top of the house which is good since some things have really slipped over the last week. It doesn’t take long for 11 people to notice even minor lapses in dishes or laundry.  The little boys had hit a bit of a rough patch too. Combination of schedule irregularities and holiday treats at every turn when they go out.  Oh and mom being out of pocket.  Allen and I were disappointed initially but the more we talk and think the more sense it is all making. Its not that we failed, it is that we are necessary. If children weren’t so darn well, childish, then they wouldn’t need us, would they?  This whole life I have built here would amount to little more than a token role.

Like the poles that support young trees and keep them growing upright, our job is to continually counter tendencies that would stunt or alter growth in unhealthy ways. I remember Sally Clarkson talking about her little Dachshund named Happy. She said he would run back and forth along the fence until no grass would ever grow there.  She saw an analogy in that path he created to her own parenting. Her guidance was effectively telling her children over and over, "Not this way, that way," until they were no longer inclined to make those mistakes. Their errant behavior was like the weeds that would appear along that fence. Her redirection was like that little dog continually checking that growth.

Someday these children will be able to run a home and make consistently responsible decisions with no outside direction. That day is not today. That is why I am indispensible here. The corporate world will go on without me. Retail stores find new clerks. Even hospitals can replace the best of physicians. But no one else can be their mother. If this job doesn’t get done diligently and lovingly there is a hole left noone will be able to close. So I will nurse this baby in close proximity to the washing machine and I will ask again if the dishwasher has been emptied. I will remind little people to brush their teeth and feed the dog. And I will remember that I can be something to everyone or I can everything to these 10 people.

Not the TV show. Our stuff.  I was reading Angel’s post today nodding my head over this part:

<<More and more pieces of our school routine come unglued and float off every day.  With the proliferation of all the great Advent posts — the crafts, the books, the activities — it can seem a little daunting to those of us who aren’t in a situation this Advent where we can do everything we want to, most of what we’d like to, or even sometimes a little of what we really think we need to do.  But learning pokes out of the cracks, like grass growing up through the sidewalk. >>

Oy vey.  So true! But around here it’s not just the routine floating off.  It’s our STUFF. While the cat’s away….

Allen went back to work today and I am officially downstairs.  Lucky me <g>.   Now I am face to face with the current lineup of missing items which looks something like this:

the camera – really, the camera, with dhs work memory card in it because mine had gone kaput right before Tess was born

a math book (never mind – make that two)

a library cd

7yo’s wallet

the old baby sling (with the good rings needed to finish the new baby sling)

16yo’s birth certificate.  He was born though, I can testify to it

my marbles……. Ok seriously though. How does this happen??  Even in the absence of excessive clutter we lose things. We keep St Anthony so busy that if he had a Divine retirement program he would likely disappear to a balmy section of heaven altogether. We have tapped him out!

Enough griping, I am hitting the couch again. Angel, I hear you girlfriend! Not getting to all the advent stuff around here either. And not some of the things I would consider essential – like finding all that stuff.  Or the laundry…… The candles on the wreath havent even been lit this year. But learning, like grass peeking through the sidewalk cracks, is happening.  They are still reading and doing math.(the ones who can locate their math books anyway)  Alannah has taken over cooking our meals. Asher is learning to milk the goats and take over for Allen in anticipation of next month’s travel schedule.  And I have learned how sweet it is to hear Moira croon to Tess, "You are such a beeee-U-tiful baby!" over and over again while I slowly and sometimes painfully get myself dressed and presentable in the mornings.  Life is good.

Just wanted to pop on and once more thank you for all the sweet comments about the baby. I far prefer to respond privately to my blog mail but I am trying very hard to remain as horizontal as possible for these early days or else I pay in later weeks.  So please excuse my manners.

I was able to do some scrapping right before Tess was born so am tossing those up here today. Very simple. Ok back to the couch. Hope to be in touch soon! – Kim

from the storm – used those printable letters from allsorts

ditto.  no date yet in the bookplate.  Baby came ; )

and now I know all the answers to those questions : )

…. for some football?  Tess doesn’t appear to be either but in honor of Colin’s homecoming today she is sporting (pardon the pun) her new Dallas Cowboys outfit.  And yes, you heard that right – our first baby is flying home today for Christmas break.  It is a good day!

And the other excitement is that Tess has begun to open her eyes and look around more. The world must still be awfully bright judging by her expression this morning. Still, it was a treat to see those big eyes.

and yawning. : )   Even after 8 other babies it doesn’t take much to impress us lol! 

Mama’s got her camera ; )        Bear with us folks – the gramma’s don’t want to miss a thing.

Baby Tess was born this morning at 1130am.  Her full name is Therese Claire and she weighed 8lbs 8oz and was 20 and 1/2 in long.  It was a truly peaceful, quiet event and we are certain it was due to all your prayers.  Thank you! Here are a few early pics.  We hope to inundate you with more in the days to come. : )

These first three or four are right after birth.  Her face was a little discolored but she is rosy now. : )

All the little boys are thrilled.  Brendan especially thought this was a great idea… <g> He got to hold her after his bath.

  See? Rosy  : )   

I had the book by this title saved for many years until my girls were old enough to read it.  Alas the time has come and my copy has long since been loaned out to who knows where. I was so pleased to find an e-text of the original and thought I would share here.