Here's to 15

I was trying to be really clever and fill in all the number blanks but I'm stuck so here's what I have come up with the some fun numbers for the 15 years we've been married

One of the two anniversary date crashers

15 years of marriage

14 times the dishwasher is run in a week

13 loads of laundry done a week

12 flowers given every special occasion 

11 Kibbe Party of 11

10

9 olive shoots

8

7 girls

6 different cars (and another van on the way)

5 different church locales - but finally no more moving!

4

3

2 boys 

1 set of twins

'Crown them with Glory and Honor O Lord'
 

November 1 we celebrated being married for 15 years. Sometimes it feels like forever and other times it seems like we just got married. When I think back on that day it was such a great day. When I think back on all the years it has been such a great time. I definitely wouldn't want any other life even with all the crazy adventures and ups and downs we have had. I am a much better person for it. Marriage is sanctifying and all these little people that are the result of it are part of the sanctification process for us. We have learned so much and come so far. It is hard to imagine what the next 15 years will look like but I am quite sure it will be great. 

A few other thoughts and pics.

September 2023

Just catching up a bit

We kicked off the month of September with an open water swim that got delayed because of weather and then canceled due to thunder (while some of the swimmers were still swimming) so that was reeeaaalllly fun)

H and J befriended some kids at the park who shared their juice jugs with them and they couldn't have been happier. Its strange reliving some of the stuff I used to do with the bigs or the middles with the littles. 

I've been plotting a rework of our photo wall. I have since spaced out the pics a bit to give them a little elbow room but it remains a work in progress and there are never enough black and gold frames to go around

H is super into dipping her food - even if it is sour cream. 

The Gs are still going strong at work and have even starting stretching a longer nap in the mornings which I very much appreciate. Yes their shirts say I'm the Favorite. I've been accused of only holding my favorite : ) 

Sometimes, some kids can express parental emotions better than the parents themselves 

H had all my feelings locked in her facial expressions the afternoon the van was towed - I think she was just scared of the tow truck but she and I were tracking

One Thursday afternoon I whip into the driveway after hearing a weird noise as we drove down our street. I sat in the front seat texting but then knew we were toast when E announced - ummmm Mama I think you need to see this. 

I hop out to find fluid pouring out of the front underside of the van. I hustle everyone out since I didn’t know what it was. Well come to find out it was coolant and a week and a thousand dollars later the van was back. Transporting 11 people around in two cars for a week gave us even greater appreciation of le Van. Also, we have the exact same van on order because this one is fast approaching the 150K mile mark. More on how we came to that decision later. 

Six month old twins. I love them and I am so grateful they are ours

J helped me make his bday cake and I let him lick the beaters and he proceeded to dip them back into the batter... but I couldn't be mad at him. Also on his bday week we realized that if you are painting with OIL based paint you CANNOT use your oven (unless you want your food to taste like gasoline or propane). Fun Fact

He is FOUR! He loves everything outside. He is not a huge fan of playing soccer but he will stand on the field. He is a very early riser. He is probably the most perceptive kid - he notices where we are when we are driving and if we take a different way. Trains, trucks and machines make his day

For he bday he really wanted a lawn mower - like a real one. We talked him down to a wheel barrow which he loves to fill up with leaves and dirt and yard trash and dump it. Also he has conned A into giving him and C wheel barrow rides. 

Seven months of Twinning

 Or alternatively titled…

I haven’t Slept in Seven Months

The Gs are seven months old today. Crazy to think that it has been that long and crazier to think they haven’t always been here. They have fallen right in line with everyone else and all the activity. 

They are just over 14 lbs which is supposedly on the smaller side of average but when they were on the scales today they looked enormous. I just started jar food two weeks ago and they have taken to that. I was hoping that might push them over the sleeping thru the night edge but alas - still waking up for nightly snacks.

They have used a bottle since the day they came home from the hospital so that has been a super freeing aspect of not being able to nurse both of them 100%. I have been able to run to the store or pick people up or go on a run and they go between formula and BFing without a single issue.

The girls are so funny to watch. They hold hands and talk to each other and make each other laugh and cry and sometimes hit each other when they nurse together - it is really the best.

Twins hasn’t been a cake walk though. The not sleeping thing and taking two babies to work has been a challenge. I think they have gone with us to dinner the two times we’ve been out in seven months because I just can’t leave them - along with the rest of the bunch. Maybe if they weren’t 8&9 in line I would feel better about it? 

So how are they different? Personality wise they are pretty the same. The biggest difference I see is Gi LOVES to roll on her tummy and Ge LOVES to scoot around on her back and go all over the place.

And then God Laughed

 It seems fitting to check in on the blog life front - today 10/17. I've missed writing about our adventures and, while I'll probably never get caught up, there's no reason not to try. I do enjoy writing carthartic... just me and the screen.

I left off with our beach trip of 2022 - actually I never posted it. It was a fun July 4 week. Sun. Sand. The works. 

The summer came to a crazy end with camps, work trips, COVID, school supply shopping and morning sickness. We thought 7 kids was a lot but God apparently thought we needed an eighth so we were rolling with it - because that's what we do - pray thy will be done and carry on. 

School, soccer, swim, choir, scouts - all the things - kicked into gear and a few more work trips. Completely normal life for us. I finally got around to check on the baby because I mean, eighth kid... been there, done that. Plus they canceled my first early October appointment because I was too late - even though I told them I'd be late because some one has to get all the kids to school!

Anyhow the super nice appointment lady got me in one October 17 because I was well past the 10-12 week mark I was supposed to be seen at. Do all the things. See all the people and sign in for step 2 of 3 of the visit - ultrasound. And everything was totally normal up until the kind ultrasound tech said...

Hey there's two babies in here. You're having twins. 

And that is the point I which I am quite sure God laughed and laughed so hard He might have cried - and smiled a whole lot. 

I lay there is silent disbelief - and gratitude too - all the thoughts swirling. 

I could do one. I got one. I'd done it seven times. 

But two?!?!?! How was I going to feed them? And how were they going to sleep? And how was I going to sleep? Could I take two babies to work? 

Then I saw my doctor - who we have HAD a running joke that I was going to have twins at some point and I had prepared my line of, NOT THIS TIME, only an hour before - but now was eating every single letter of that prepared statement. I can't tell you what he said because I probably wasn't listening.

My BP, which is typically on the lower side of the charts, was definitely on the higher side when the nurse took it. 

Do twins run in your family?

You didn't know? You're 15.5 weeks!

Does anything feel different? 

What is your husband going to say? 

What would the other half of this exponential child mathing equation say? You know, he wasn't there for the shock of everything. Everything at the OBs office had been so routine - he hadn't been there since 2013 when we talked about induction (for the first of five times). 

I rode back to work in silence and surprise and awe. 15.5 weeks with a single baby - you are pretty much in the clear but with twins? Some twin sets are born at 25 weeks - 9.5 weeks away. 

Still pondering how exactly to drop the twin bomb on Lee, I got to the office and talk to a friend who asked the same thing - Well, what did Lee say? Which I didn't have an answer because I hadn't told him. Finally I couldn't bear it any longer and I opted for the text option: 

Which was followed by him calling me moments later inquiring - if what he was looking at this right? Which I assured him, he most definitely was seeing double. 

Hoooooo Boy. Is probably what he said. 

Then we were tasked with telling everyone. Which I was not ready to do. We didn't need 25 million questions and shocked faces and everything. But it was getting increasing obvious that I couldn't hide this these with a hoodie for much longer. So we went to the mountains that weekend and had a totally normal family trip without the twin news being broken. 

We went to church on Sunday at this tiny little church in Bryson City and the priest was super nice younger guy and on the way out he said he was the youngest of nine and E pointed to H and said she was the youngest of seven and all I could think was... nope. 

When we did get home that Monday we told the kids at dinner. There was shrieks of excitement wonderment of TWINS! How were we going to do it? Where would they sleep? All the logistically questions that had been thought of a hundred times over in the last week. Then they wanted to call their grandparents to tell them - but Lee and I saved the honors for ourselves. We told our parents in the off chance literally fell out of their chairs - which they didn't but still twins is shocking and when twins are babies eight and nine in the family - well you know.

The next morning I dropped everyone at school with the news and flew out of the parking lot so the siblings could announce their news. I texted several people once I got to work - we had really kept the twins under wraps so the kids would be the messengers of the news. 

I think my favorite text I sent that day was to several other moms. It said... Well I guess I will be joining the ranks of TWIN moms. 

So that is where we have been for the last however many months it has been since I posted. It has been a journey and maybe I'll check in with more updates 

Spring Soccer Recap

 

I can OFFICIALLY say that spring soccer is in the books - as of about sundown on the first Friday of June. 

PRAISE!!!

We reeeeeeeeally got ours moneys worth this season. 

E played because her mother thinks she needs to play a team sport. I mean then all the swim things happened so soccer got even more lower on the totem pole. E had a great team and some fun coaches so it made the season the more better. E almost scored a goal on her bday - because she was just that fortunate to have a game on the birthday. They ended up coming in second place and runners up in the tournament. 

R&M played together and I'm so glad they'll get to again in the fall. Their team was not the most talented but they were a very dedicated group. Both girls got a ton of playing time and learned how to lose with grace. One of the bottom of the barrel teams found their way into the championship game after a PK shootout the night before. It was an emotionally nerve wracking three days - especially because the season just have been over like 25 days ago. Even though they didn't get the result they wanted in the championship - definitely a reminder that sports are not just about winning and losing but also excellent character building opportunities. 

A had a fun go with his team. His age group is a tough age group to coach so I passed the buck on that. He loved every minute of practice and games. He is definitely looking forward to next season and maybe a soccer camp this summer if we can squeeze one in. 

C and the Killer Whales had a good season. C tried very hard to keep her emotions in check while on the field and was much improved from last season. C HATED when anyone else other than her scored a goal which is only a small problem. C was most excited for the season to be over but she'll be back in the fall for all the post game snacks 

The friends weren't on the same team this season but they are hopeful for the fall

The Many May Things

May is such a busy season with so many activities coming to a close but our mantra for May is embrace it rather than buck it and sometimes it means a late dinner or a meltdown or taking off from work but surely we will look back and know that our energy, time and efforts were worthy.

May kicked off bright and early with 

E prepping for FL by swimming at Jordan Lake early early the first day of May

The water was cold enough for a wetsuit so Amazon find to the rescue

It was foggy so the race was delayed 15 minutes. The pointe where the race took place was really pretty

We found her at the finish

And the infamous Kindergarten bug project commenced. 

I think the girls did butterflies and ladybugs but of course A mixed it up and went for a

ROACH! 

So we looked at pictures of roaches and made sure this roach had hairy legs (curiosity of the evergreen needles - from this project) 

Here's to crafting with boys and turning in the project a few days early

The tractor was back in the field and so we HAD to go check it out. I love that we live 3 houses down from the field and so do they

Preschool was closed for two days so we took advantage of a completely free lunch schedule and had lunch with the big school kids. Lady C introduced herself to her teacher and made herself comfortable in her future stomping ground. 

The weeknight soccer games sprinkled the first few weeks of May

Which usually meant later bedtimes and good night sleeps

H has never been the best of nappers because she's still coming to work with me so some afternoons C would play with H during rest time and you never know what big sister might have in store

Quiet afternoons at home were few and far between but they did happen sometimes

Bath time is so much easier when the baby tub is not required!

Mother's Day breakfast at preschool with a fancy dress and purple tennis shoes - of course!

The singers enjoyed the fruits of their efforts after their choir competition in Williamsburg with a trip to Busch Gardens

We rode some rides. I rode Apollo's Chariot just to prove to E and R roller coasters aren't scary - my eyes were closed basically the entire time. Fortunately we hung out with friends who were much more seasoned coaster riders (and better prepared for the chilly weather!) and watched H while R and E and me rode InvadR. 

E decided she liked roller coaster about 15 minutes before we left - after riding Lochness Monster four times in a row and twice without me - which is a terrible time to decide to be adventurous on a day where the ride line were basically none. 

After InvadR, R stuck to the swings 

And H mostly stuck to the stroller except when we rode the SkyRide. 

Lee manned the non singers soccer games and I would send him pics of what he was missing out. R did enjoy listening to the screams of people on Griffon as they hung over the edge for a few seconds before this MASSIVE drop. No Kibbes patronized Griffon : ) 

There were more soccer games

A birthday!

What one is supposed to do with a birthday bow!

Just a little trip down to FL to swim in a lake

C wrapped up her time at preschool with the program

I've found my new favorite seat for preschool programs - second section, first row. 

And all her buddies

And her BFF!

Its off to all day PreK at the big kids school next year 

Then there was the final day class celebration 

Which was the same day as SnoCones at the big kids school

We survived that week!

Friday night was the choir concert. Grammy gave the girls a rose - because well - I don't think of that kind of stuff. I am glad I called in for sitter reinforcements to manage things because Lady C had her last soccer practice and the girls had to get ready. We went out for a late skillet cookie dessert to celebrate!

Saturday was soccer games all around - end the end of the season for A and C - which we are still patiently waiting to wrap up for E and R&M

H is loving all the food these days. Her latest love is sweet potatoes

AHG and TL wrapped up and I could have sworn I had a group pic but I clearly failed in that department. E is happily aging into the Pioneer group. 

The weather was rainier that usual which meant some earlier evening home for Papa. One afternoon I went to do the swim pick up and heard something in the van as I was leaving the neighborhood. Skittles decided to come for a ride. He has since come along to the dump - I knew it that time - but I think he prefers his paws on firm ground. 

My boys plus the girl sandwiched between them live for the outdoors. J was in their 'puddling pool' which had collected rain water before I even got out of the van! Between the puddling pools and the 'crown thorns' they like to play in in the background they are forever filthy. 

I do relish in the moments of doing things with the little ones - like swinging on the swings (during bigs choir rehearsal). Having a wide family and I can get lost in the repetitiveness of the little years and just trying to maintain sanity but swinging giggles and shouts for MORE and HIGHER remind me to live in the happy moments. 

J and C walking around the lake during swim practice brought me back to A and C walking around the lake during swim practice in May of 2020 as the world was learning how to emerge from covid. I don't miss that time but I do wonder if our kids will look back on those weeks in the similar way that I can reflect on it. 

Summertime HAIRCUT!!! I think Grammy asked A if he liked he haircut and he insisted it wasn't short enough!

I promised J a haircut before he goes to the beach but I can't bear to have his toddler mop trimmed. 

The pool opened in the nick of time for heatwave we had over Memorial Day weekend. Popsicles all around!

The last week of school kicked of with rescheduled Field Day which is not a bad way to end the school year

June started with an end of school party, soccer games and a naughty little boy stealing cookies from the dessert table 

Happy Summer Y'all