Slow re-entry!

Hmmm....it's been awhile, and I hardly know where to begin! I don't know how many of you are this way, but I am very much the kind of person who does not want to do something unless I can continue through with it wholeheartedly. This is sometimes a good thing but sometimes a not so very good thing! This is the reason that I took an unplanned "vacation" from blogging. This summer was absolutely nothing close to the way I envisioned it. Yes, you remember those previous blogs.... I pictured my LITTLE pregnant self sitting on the porch basking in the sun while I watched my four little perfect angels play happily together after having taken the time each day to work with them on character training. BAHHHHAAAA!!!!!

Instead, my summer was more like this....I gained weight at an unmerciful rate, felt like a huge blob, had terrible headaches that left me in bed for days at a time, and had so much to catch up on when there were no headaches that I could feel myself sinking into the "Great Depression" as I looked at my house! I finally felt human again for about 4 weeks and was able to catch up on a lot of my to-do list. But alas I feel that plummetting feeling again as I try to make it through each day after very long sleepless nights due to allergies and back problems!

Wow....nothing like an encouraging blog, huh? I hesitated as to whether or not I should post this, but my goal since becoming a mom has been to be real. I had such an ideal picture of motherhood that was slammed into outer space before I even brought my first baby home from the hospital. I determined then that, yes, I can be positive, but I can still be real too. I am not going to pretend like I have it all together because I don't. I am not going to act as though other moms are horrid for saying "that" because, usually, I've thought much worse! Right, moms? Admit it. We have so much pressure on us to be perfect and to make perfect angels, but all we are really doing is showing our children what a perfect hypocrite we are! (Ok...I'll step down from the soapbox now!)

So, how's that child training been working for you, Christy? Well, to be honest...it has not been ideal, but my children have learned how to help and sacrifice when Mommy isn't feeling well. Some of their behaviors and attitudes are not what I want them to be due to a lack of discipline and routine while I have not felt well, but all in all, I must say the summer was not a complete failure...and there is always a new start. How thankful I am for those! We began our school year a couple of weeks ago, and we have begun incorporating our character training into our schedule. It is a work in progress, but isn't it always? I am looking forward to the gardening being finished up and slowing down a little more so that I can be a well-rested mom (there goes that unrealistic thing again!) who can example the character traits a little better than what I am right now! I'm also trying out some new vitamins that will hopefully energize me a little more and maybe a few more trips to the chiropractor will provide more sleep. I can always hope, anyway! :)

So, all that to say this...life was not ideal this summer, but I have learned a lot. I've learned that sometimes my expectations are not God's. I've learned flexibility. I've had to exercise humility. Most of all, I've learned that I have lots more to learn. So, I will take each day one at a time, accomplish what I can with the strength God infuses me with, be grateful for what was done and wake up the next day ready to do it all again! :) And soon, less than 12 weeks to be exact, I will finally get to meet this little one who has done a very good job at upsetting all my plans. What a great reward!