Lunches with J

J loves to have people come and eat lunch with him.  I have gone nearly every week since he entered Kindergarten.  It is more difficult with two babies, but we have made it work. 

He got to eat lunch with Grandma and Grandpa and A on Tuesday.

A loves going to lunch with J about as much as he loves having A come.

They loved it so much that we did it again.  This is A and J on Friday (Their last day together).

V thinks sitting at the table as a "big girl" is soooooooooooo cool!

Baby C was cranky, so I held him.  Then, V was a little pill, so I held her.  I didn't even know until A took these pictures that baby C had fallen asleep.

I am so grateful for my kids.  I love them so much.  I ended up taking J, C, and K all out early from school on Friday so that they would have some more time with A.  She left to go to her other home on Saturday, but those three went to their dad's on Friday night.  It was worth pulling them out.  The four of them spent about an hour in the rain playing foursquare together.  Memories that would not have been made had they stayed in school.  :)

Life is tough, however.  I didn't realize exactly what I was getting into with these two babies and four older kids.  I knew it would be hard.  I wasn't prepared for exactly how tough it is.  I spend most of my day with our cranky new guy.  What extra time I have away from him, I spend corralling and/or playing with my defiant little toddler.  The remaining moments of my day go to talking to, driving, cooking food for, and loving my older kids.  This leaves almost no time for house cleaning / tidying, or quilting, or anything else that I enjoy and miss.  It even is difficult to spend time with CK.  I know this is but a small moment in our lives.  I also know that I will miss it terribly some day when all six have left home.  But, for now, it is a challenge that I am striving to rise to meet.  President Monson has said that we can choose to be positive in ANY situation.  I know this is true and I am working on this as a personal goal.  I hate piles.  I hate a messy home.  It is easy to notice these and what else DIDN'T get done, instead of all the good that I enjoyed in that day with my kids that I am blessed to have.  Working on it!  :)