Marla’s Journey

As the mother of 4, I sometimes find myself being asked questions that AMAZE me about my kids. I was at the store yesterday, loading the van with groceries and someone saw the stickers on my back window representing our family – Norman, me, and the kids. Sully the dog, too, of course. The woman stopped, looked at the stickers, looked at me, and said “Did you PLAN to have so many kids?!?! I can hardly stand the 2 I have!” She shook her head, stood there lke she was waiting for an answer, then, FINALLY, walked away before I could even BEGIN to formulate an answer. I was just floored.

What kind of person, first of all, ASKS that kind of a question, let alone to a COMPLETE stranger. Second of all, how could you say that about your kids? Now, don’t get me wrong, I have had days where I have gone into my room, shut and locked the door, sat on the bed muttering about WHAT was I thinking, having ALL.THESE.KIDS. (I’ll tell you another time about the peanut butter on the glass door and kitchen floor inspired cry-a-thon!) but for the most part, I like my kids. The teenager is a bit of a challenge, and the 4 year old thinks HE is really in charge, and the 2 1/2 year old is TRULY a “spirited” child, and I fear the baby has inherited her brother’s LOUD voice, but for the most part, day to day, I like being with them and seeing how they are turning out! I enjoy the process of watching them learn and change and grow, and nothing in this world beats hugs and kisses from a child who’s toy you have just repaired/found/rescued from a tree. Also, as tough as it is to get them there, they DO sleep at night and there is nothing like the sight of a sleeping child to warm the heart and erase the Sharpie pen/lipstick/chocolate milk incidents of the day.

The other “Mouth Engaged Before Brain” question winner of the week : “You say you co-sleep with your kids. How do you and your husband have any alone time, if you are ALWAYS with your kids. You have no privacy. I like to spend intimate time with MY husband, so we would NEVER co-sleep.”  To which I replied, “We started co-sleeping with #2. We have 4. It works ok for us. Thanks.” Again, it truly amazes.

Yes, I am relocating. I found myself this morning in a “change everything in your life TODAY” kind of a mood, and since my real life is WAY too complicated to begin dealing with, I decided to start on my blog. Expect more, shorter, more issue focused posts, less “fluff” and puppies and rainbows. We’ll just wait and see where this journey takes us! Sit down, buckle up, and hold tight!

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