"The Students"

My husband works at North Greenville University as a campus minister. We live very close to the campus. Jody LOVES his job. I love it too! My kids are so funny always talking about "the students". They wonder if "the students" have parents or why "the students" have to go to school and stop playing with them.

Its great. Its so good for my kids. They are learning social skills. They have all these big brothers and sisters who love to hear their jokes, get them some icecream in the dining hall, or play sidewalk chalk in our driveway. The see how our home is open to friends.

A new batch of students have come in. The kids and I haven't met too many of them yet, but we sure are glad to have the returning ones back! We LOVE when they stop by on their way to and from campus. We LOVE to have extra dinner guests. I love the qualified babysitters. I love how when we go to the dining hall I have all these extra hands.

The students do so much for us. I hope my kids grow into young people like many of them.

Hospitality is an ongoing life lesson, I think. When we lived in Uganda, I was thrust into this role I wasn't prepared for. Its so easy to just say, I'm tired or we need family time. Both of those are often true, don't get me wrong, but if that is my excuse everytime, I'm being selfish! I've learned that always being ready to make some coffee and sit on the couch is not only what a student might need, but it ministers to my soul too! The dining hall is a great treat for my little family to go to, I don't have to cook or clean, but the students enjoy a home cooked meal, eaten with a family as a treat too.

And I love to cook. I love to bake and not feel guilty about our family eating the whole cake. So I bake when Jody's leadership group comes over every week.

I doubt anyone who stops by my house would say that I have such a clean house. Or that they love the way I decorate. Or that they want 4 kids close together like I have. But I do hope they can say we set an example of sharing willingly what we have. I hope they return the favor someday to friends who stop by their homes and need to talk or have a meal. Besides, its really fun!!

Wordless Wednesday: First Day of School

Socks in the Toilet

If you were a six year old, how would you explain this to your mother??

You know you are a Mother of little ones if....

~When you sit down at the end of the day, you decide that the best part was you dentist appointment.

~You decide that if you learn to drink your drinks unsweetened (coffee, tea...) your kids most likely won't ask you for a sip.

~"Adult Movies" mean ones you watch without kids...it could still be a Disney movie, it just means its Mommy and Daddy's pick!

~You hear yourself saying the same things all day..."Oh, that's great" or "Yes, yes, whatever you want" or "uh-huh"...and you realized you have NO IDEA what the previous statement or question was!

~Being in the bathroom alone is a real treat.

~You hate Candyland. But sidewalk chalk is kind of fun.

~You wouldn't trade any of it!!! Plus you have clean teeth! LOL...I went to the dentist today.

Shopping Options

I'm not a big shopper. I really just don't like it. {Gasp!} I have so many memories of shopping with my mom, sitting under the circular clothes racks and praying I would hear her say, "Lets go, girls!" BUT I have learned some valuable lessons from my mom.

• Go straight to the back of the store, that's where the deals are.
  
• Wait for the BIG sales. You'll see in the paper something like 40% off clearance before 10am
• Go early, get a lot, go home and sort, go back and return.
• Shop out of season and save it for next year. This requires a lot of thinking about what size your kids will be or what size you hope to be yourself...but its so worth it!

Now, my mom does NOT like online shopping (in general). But I think, if done right, its amazing! Today I went to The Children's Place and got TONS of stuff for next summer. They are having their "monster sale". Plus I found a coupon code (it was: FA79) and got an additional 15% off. Shipping was only $5. I also didn't pay more than $7 for a single item.

I went to a huge local consignment sale today with my friend. I saw a bunch of gals from church there also. It was the last day and most stuff was 1/2 off. Now, I know that there was a huge, amazing collection at the beginning of the sale. I had an opportunity to go early as a guest of a consignor (Thanks Megan!) and I probably should have gone then. I didn't find anything to speak of really today. There was still a LOT of stuff, but you had to dig around and I'm just not good at that. I know consignments work well for a lot of people. You can make money and find good stuff. Maybe I need to give it better try next time.

If online shopping continues to work for me, though, I may stick with it. For $5 extra, I can shop without children, without using any gas and without ever stepping into a mall, parking my car or standing in line. Hmmmmmmm. All food for thought.

What's your system?

Not Naming Names

I've been in a certain situation now several times recently and there are these 2 women who are just RUDE. I've tried conversing with them, asking questions, kind of butting into their conversation...they basically ignore me.

Now I'm not saying they should be friends with me because I'm trying, but I don't get it. I don't understand why they are being so anti-social.

I can think of another specific time when this happened to me. It was when we first moved to Bismarck...but out of that I met one of my BEST FRIENDS ever (Stacy). Let me clarify, Stacy wasn't being rude, a couple of other's were and Stacy and I started talking to eachother.

I've been thinking about this. The last thing I ever want to be is classified as rude. Or for others to think they are unimportant to me. Or what they have to say, I don't care about. Jody has taught me a lot in this area. He can find something to talk about with anyone...no barriers. He could make friends with a tree.

Jesus was an amazing example in this area as well. He hung out with sinners, prostitutes, and children! In a time and culture where men did not associate with women, Jesus did. When children were regarded as annoyances, Jesus said, "Let them come" AND he touched them as he blessed them!

I have a lot to learn in this area, I know. I get busy. I get consumed with myself and my kids. I am selfish!

Anyway...this is just something fresh on my mind.

Happy Birthday to My Man

Today was Jody's 32nd birthday. I make the ugliest cakes...I know. I have NOTHING on Stacy! She makes beautiful cakes! (Happy belated birthday btw....) I did use a golf club tin and we used a good bit of icing. The kids loved it. They also loved making decorations and pictures for Daddy! And home-made vanilla icecream was soooooooooooo yummy! Acutally, one of the first memories I have of Jody, after meeting him in 1996 was making him a birthday cake. (My mom reminds me of that too, since she never got her good 9x13 pan back! I am SO SORRY mom, I'd be mad about that if it were mine, now)

I've made lots of cakes for Jody in lots of locations. I'm SO thankful he was born 32 years ago.

Jody is a man of God. He is consistent in his walk with God and his life in general. He's funny when people are around and when its just us. He RARELY gets angry or even annoyed. He's unbeleivable patient and kind. Really, he is the example of ICorinthians 13 kind of love. I NEVER doubt his love for me or our kids...or people anywhere. Life with Jody Ben is fun and easy.

Happy Birthday Jody!! I love you!

(I think I'm going to plan a party in one of the upcoming birthdays for Jody...I'll let you all know so it can be BIG)

Clean House

Have you ever seen the cable show Clean House? My sister Joy introduced it to me one time. Its CRAZY!! This team of people ambush this family who is living in utter disarray and by the end of an hour, the house is organized and madeover.

I have watched that show and think, Oh Lord, please save me from ever being THAT BAD! I know I have pack-rat tendencies. TENDENCIES...I said. I am at least admitting that, but its not out of control.

Anyways....

My mom and her first cousin, Trudy do NOT have these tendencies. They offered to come to my house and help me get organized and do a "deep clean". All in all, it was great. Trudy loves blinds and did a marvelous job cleaning them! (I must admit, I have never thoroughly cleaned these blinds). My mom is so good and clearing a flat surface. (I am only good and making piles on a flat surface.) We rearranged the family room, scoured the kitchen floor, vacuumed every corner and baseboard, and threw away a good bit of trash....

I am SO happy with the result. I have several projects to work on, but it feels so nice!

I think I'm back!

You know that Johnny Cash song, I've Been Everywhere?? I wish I could (or would???) make up my own Jennings' version to tell you about our summer! But we are HOME.

We've driven with the kids to Delaware (Rhehoabeth Beach)and back, Wilmington, NC and back, Roanoke/Salem, VA and back, Buchanan, MI and back and Charlotte and back (in one afternoon for Elijah's bday). We need to go to visit the family in Georgia (I KNOW!)...but I can't put the kids back in the car just yet, or myself for that matter. Although they are amazing travelers and we had a great time! Even with more frequent stops than we are used to because Luke is actually potty training!

Some of our highlights include:

• The Creation Museum - near Cincinatti
• Hanging out with extended family, great friends
  
• Fun at Family Camp
• The Beach (Hattie especially!)
• Camping in the pop-up

I think that is over 70 hours in the car! Who knows how many hours of Adventures in Odesseys, Movies, Travel Bingo, and sleeping...only God know how many times I said, "its time to BE QUIET NOW!!!"

I have TONS of good pictures to share, but the camera battery is dead right now. I have been unpacking today and yesterday, on top of trying to clean up and get other stuff put away and semi-organized.

I cannot believe:

• that school starts for Silas so soon
• Jody will be 32 on Monday.
  
• Millie Grace is pulling up to stand. (She looks TOO little to be able to do this)

More to come, I promise!

Mommy Needs

I was thinking about stuff I just can't live without these days. Here are some, please add to the list if you want to!

1. Coffee - it just helps me open my eyes better in the morning and be ready for the next wave in the afternoons. My favs right now are Montana Cherry mixed with plain old wonderful Dunkin Donuts in the morning and Cafe Bustelo in the afternoon...but I'm not really picky. I can't wait for the college kids to return so I can have some coffee company!
   
2. Shower - even though I HATE getting up early, I set my alarm and try to get up before the kids each morning so that I can take a shower and shave my legs and get dressed and put some makeup on. I know some of you are rolling your eyes and saying YEAH RIGHT. But it REALLY HELPS. If I don't do this, Jody leaves for work and I am lucky to get a bra on before the wild rumpus begins. Plus this way if I happen to pass a mirror or someone pops in, I don't scare myself or the visitor.
3. Adult Conversation - My 3 oldest could talk the paint off the walls. Ugh. It NEVER stops. They get it honest, I know. I love to talk. (So does Daddy!) But if I get towards the end of the day and I am just on edge, most of the time I can trace it to not having had a decent conversation with an adult.
4. Nap Time/Bed Time - If naptime doesn't go well, I am a goner. I will lose my mind. I cannot describe it, but if my kids are not well rested, its as if I see the brain cells evaporating out of their little heads as well as my own! I need some quiet to either read, click around on the computer or nap myself. If we are out and I know its past bedtime, call me uptight (because I am) but I cannot enjoy myself! Pitiful, I know.
5. Hugs and Kisses - My kids are really good kids. They travel well. They play nicely (most of the time) together. They make me laugh. But there are times when they drive me NUTS. They are messy. They talk too much and ask too many questions. They beg and demand. So, I've realized that in order to remind myself of how fortunate I am to be the mommy to these 4 little guys, I need to have regular hugs and kisses from each one of them. That's when they say the sweetest things too! Like:

Silas: You are the best mommy ever

Hattie: I love your earrings today, can I have them when I grow up.

Luke: I love how your neck is so long, mom.

Millie: slobber slobber smile.

Laundry

Really laundry is the bane of my existence.

If you do a load or two every day you ALWAYS have some to fold and put away. If you wait to do it all once a week, by the time you get to it, people in the family are out of clean underwear!

I actually don't mind separating, washing, switching it over...its the folding and putting away that kill me. I can't fold when the kids are awake. They are too much "help". And I can't fold them fast enough to get them out of the way. So I wait till they go to bed to fold and I'm tired...Jody helps...but its a lot! We bring it all upstairs, spread it all out putting them in little piles all over the floor and furniture and watch a movie or something. Then we put them in the laundry baskets. The girls in one, the boys in one, and Jody and I in one or sometimes different ones and the linens.

I HATE to admit this, but I loath putting the laundry back into the appropriate drawers so much there are many times that the baskets of clean, folded laundry sits in the rooms for days.

Jody and I folded clothes (that had been sitting in the baskets, clean for a while!!) last night. Today I decided I was going to put them away! (Well, the kids' at least, not mine. And I don't put Jody's away...I let him do that. ) Hattie decided she was going to help me. Millie Grace sat in the middle of the room and we went to work. Hattie was so helpful, really. This is not sarcastic. She even helped me with the boys clothes! When we were finished, Hattie said, "Mommy, I LOVE laundry!"

What?? How wonderful! I was thrilled!

Now, I have a few questions for you.

What is your laundry system?

Also what is your favorite choice of detergent? Do you care? Is it whatever is on sale or what you have a coupon for? Or are you brand loyal? I like All Free and CLear...I like clear for some reason. But I recently had a coupon for Tide and it was on sale and EVERYONE loves the smell and feel of the clothes. I thought that was funny.

Comic Relief

We had a great day. The kids have been getting along great and entertaining themselves well. But by the end of the day, you know, around supper time...its just HARD. I was craving some adult conversation. Or at least the cessation of little ones saying "mama, watch this" over and over. SO on the way to VBS we stuck in an audio book. Junie B Jones and the Little Monkey Business.

Let me say, she does say stupid and dumb excessively, in my opinion. We had a big talk about it. I told the kids that as soon as I hear those words come out of and little Jennings mouths, we would no longer listen to or read these books.

But man, I was laughing out loud. Its funny stuff! The kids were laughing, I was laughing...endorphins were released and we all felt better by the time we got to church.