Parenthood and some recent pics

Parenting and loving and caring is HARD work - don't let anyone tell you any differently. This past week and few days the kids have all been sick - the symptoms have run the full gamut. It has been a stressful, tiring week for Mathwon and I. They are coming out of it now, though poor Mekai now has a rash from this nasty virus. The poor things have taken their turns being miserable (thankfully not all at the same time) and needless to say we can't wait for this virus to be out of our little ones and our house.

But back to my first sentence...this is hard work. We think, plan, love, bathe, feed, tickle, clean, shop, clothe, discipline, play, teach, cook and then at the end of the day we fall into bed to get up and think, plan, love, bathe, feed, tickle, clean, shop, clothe, discipline, play, teach, cook all over again. Parenting is constant - your mind and heart are always busy loving and teaching and and in the midst of that I am trying to be patient, trying not to yell when frustrated, and trying not to burn the grilled cheese. Sometimes I wonder how I am supposed to fit it all in? How is that you teach the values of life in the midst of diaper changing, lunch-fixing, and folding laundry...in the midst of life itself? How do you keep up relationships, near or far, spend some time with the Divine Creator, or simply trim your toenails? Some days it just seems to be too much - I think to myself, "how do I....(fill in the blank)? And I/We manage one way or another. Mostly you just keep moving, keep going and it all gets done and you manage to fit in the lesson that there are consequences to not listening to your mommy. These are mostly fleeting thoughts triggered by weariness or frustration but I am sure hoping that someone else feels these things...

These pictures help my perspective :)

Playing with Papa
Full of life.
"Hey mom I am helping Seren put my shirt on!"
Demani took this picture of Seren and I and I like it :)
You can't help but smile, right?
Putting Seren's hat on.
Puppies and Demani with big boy underwear on! (Don't get too excited - we've got a longgggg way to go!)
Pony rides at a gourd farm nearby. It was an interesting place.... Demani did very well and enjoyed his ride - he was a bit tentative at first but he did great (and wanted to go again)!
Seren made me cry she was so sure of herself - she just seemed all grown up in an instant...She reached to hold on the the saddle as soon as she sat down - as if she'd been doing it her whole life! Then, part way through the ride she reached for Mathwon and wanted off, now! I was like okay...whew...she's still 16 months...and not 16 years :)
Mekai cracked us up because for the most part he had his arms waving around and didn't hold on much at all. He would wave his hands and grin and Mathwon was just holding on to him for dear life.