Counting My Blessings From Above

Today has been a wonderful day. We have had a full day; we had accomplished most of what we do in an entire day by 3:00, I was exhausted and so were the little kids as we were all piled up on the couch watching TV snuggling and eating turkey pita's for late lunch. As my oldest son took our plates to the kitchen..I looked down and my sweet little Bryson was snoring in my arms...I looked around and said "Lets go take a nap!" And everyone agreed! It was different this time though...Alyssa as usual went to her bed and immediately fell asleep, her pocketbook in tow. Joey got in his own room on his bed.. I stole a smooch from them. Then Bailey grabbed 2 blankets and made a bed beside mine in the floor, Isaiah (who usually wont separate himself from Jordan) asked me "mama can I seep wif you? and of course I agreed...there was Caelyn already snuggled down on her Daddy's pillow covered up to her neck. I got in the bed (thank GOD its a king sized bed) and held my sweet baby boy until he allowed me to put him in his co-sleeper crib.


Then the BIG beautiful moment... Caelyn began telling me how she has been talking to Jesus! (she is almost 5) She told me about how she knows He protects her and helps her to know that monsters are not real and how it helps her sleep at night. Then she said ...How do you ask Jesus into your heart mama?"  I started talking to her and praying with her...on her level...She was so excited and happy...my heart was full,and I held her tight and she said "Thank you mama for teaching me about Jesus" I don't think there is anything any better anyone could have said to me today.


As I lay there as the house was quiet...and I listened to the sweet noises of their little snores and sighs, I thought of all of the people who talked against all I have/do, they just couldn't understand what they are missing...I smiled. THIS is something that will NOT last long...and I would have missed out on that intimate moment with my sweet daughter wanting to know more about Jesus. I count my blessings everyday...I see them,I hear them. They are very real. They are each and everyone God given. I hold them close to my heart and enjoy every moment I can. Every moment counts. 


We aren't promised tomorrow.  When I am about to die, I surely wont say/think "I wished I had worked more" or "I wished I could have had more "me" time"  I will have a day when I can have all of that...right now...as time moves quickly and they are little...I am their mama. I will be right here.I will take in every moment..the good and the bad.I will laugh as much as I can at somethings people would probably be mad at their kids over... I will make sure they will always know I am right here. I love them. They are a blessing from God...and I am everyday learning more on how God would want me to be as a mother, and a wife. He has blessed me abundantly. I will never refuse a blessing from God. We never have had an unmet need...and I want to (with the help of my Father) make sure all of my childrens needs are met as well, even the small ones...all the Glory goes to God!

What Do You DO all day??

Ahhh... the ever asked question. When someone finds out I am a stay at home mom, the first question usually is "What do you DO all day?" then is usually followed by the statement "I'd be so bored, I'd sleep all day" (or something similar) 


I have heard this MANY times...it always makes me laugh..and shake my head. However, I don't believe I have ever had another stay at home mom ever say anything like this,because they know ITS WORK! The funny thing is most of the people who ask me this, already know I have 7 children and HOMESCHOOL them.  *shakes head.
If they know that, they should know already I DO a lot...but that is just the tip of the iceberg.... SO I thought I would break it down to a typical day here at the Craigo home...so if anyone asks me again, instead of trying to not laugh...cause I couldn't possibly tell them everything I/we do in a single day...I can just tell them to check out this blog! LOL

•  we all wake up and begin the day...coffee for me and a shower for Jonathan...kids get breakfast and watch cartoons...
• maybe if I am lucky I can jump in the shower once Jonathan gets out while the kids are still watching tv/eating breakfast...NOT typical.
• Bryson is wanting to nurse by this point while I do this and direct the little ones on which outfits to put on and try to brush the girls hair while nursing the baby.
• put bryson in his jumperoo and break up the two middle boys from fighting...OH and get Isaiah out of the pantry...while he climbs to get the cookies...
• switch out the laundry...quickly fold those towels (no, they are never folded fancy or perfect...but hey, they get folded) while directing Jordan and Joseph to clean up from breakfast...put things in the sink, sweep the kitchen floor and then we clean up the living room and put away all of the blankets/toys they drug into the livingroom to sit and watch TV when they woke up...
• unload the dishwasher from the night before...while asking for the school work to be taken out and to get their clip boards out that tells them what needs to be done today.
• begin loading the dishwasher...STOP loading and get Bryson who is tired of the jumperoo... I place him in the highchair beside me and finish the loading the dishwasher. ...
• get Isaiah out of the bathroom...he is squeezing baby wash in the toilet...GREAT.
• Wipe the baby wash off the toilet and change Isaiahs clothing.
• Break up a fight between the girls who are fighting over who gets to use the hello kitty pencil to do their school work.
• start the dishwasher.
• sit and nurse Bryson,again....while answering questions about todays schoolwork and googling a picture of a queen ant and its drones for my very visual learner.
• change brysons diaper and clothes....while telling the girls to get out of my bedroom...they dont need to change clothes AGAIN.
• AHHHH ....now get the vacuum cleaner out to vacuum the living room floor where Isaiah just dumped out all of the babies snacks in the floor. 
• get bryson some of his baby toys so he can have tummy time while I hear "MAMA! ISAIAH is gonna write on the wall!!!" I run down the hall..he drops the pencil and hides in his room...WHEW..caught him before he could do it.
• Checks Josephs spelling work...tells him to write the words 3 times each and then to write them in a sentence and tell Jordan to begin math, tell Bailey to write 3 sentences using the word popcorn and Alyssa and Caelyn needs to draw pictures of ants and what they do...
• Play with Isaiah in the floor with the baby...BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ the dryer is done...
• fold the laundry (if there is time) otherwise it will get plopped on my bed and the next load in the dryer while I load the washer.
• Joey is done with his work...He gets to go give food and water to the dog and get the mail.
• ME...MORE COFFEE,and maybe a big glass of water...
• Nurse Bryson, he needs a nap...put him down while whisper yelling telling the kids to GET OUT of my room so he wont wake up...fan on, and back to the living room. 
• Check Jordans work...now Jordan needs to finish his weekly book and do his online test...
• Help Isaiah with beginning to write his name.. and to get him to NOT eat the erasers on the pencils.
• LUNCH TIME...
• I fix something quick...burritos,sandwiches,leftovers,salad...etc.
• CLEAN UP homeschool items and get the kids to all pitch in and do table chores...BAILEY sweep the hall!
• WHAAAAAAA.....Bryson is crying...run to the bedroom get the baby..change poop, nurse baby, NOOOW Jordan hold the baby for me!
• Jordan holds bryson,and they kids get to watch tv so I HURRY and rush and take a shower,and get dressed :)
• now I re-load the washer/dryer again and fold quickly what is clean and pick up my bedroom and quickly sweep the kitchen floor...I already cleaned up the bathroom before I jumped in the shower.
• TIME to go outside.!!!(weather allowing)
• I water the garden, check on all of our veggie plants and pick up trash...bryson is usually in a sling on me,but he also has a pack and play we take outside to put his toys in so I can get some yard work done ;)
• Keep everyone in the back yard, and out of the road and out of the poison ivy, LOL..(seems like this lesson should have been learned by now!!)
• Back in the house, change baby,nurse baby...give every one a snack/water.
• give everyone a chore to complete while I begin dinner..sometimes dinner is already in the crockpot that I did at breakfast time so I have more time to complete something this time of day. 
• Jump on facebook while the kids are chilling on the couch waiting for dinner.
• Back to unload the dishwasher BEFORE dinner so that it can be easily loaded after...
• fix plates.
• hold bryson while I am eating, he is always fussy this time of day.
• dinner over, bathtime begins.
• girls go first..(10 minute limits) then 2 youngest boys together..I stay with them, then showers for the oldest 3 boys... 7-8 minute showers..one finishes, the next gets in (THANK GOD FOR A GAS HOTWATER HEATER!)
• kids dressed for bed. snack time. they can watch tv.
• me-nurse baby, he will normally fall right to sleep after his bath.
• do another load of laundry...
• wipe counters in kitchen after loading dishwasher, sweep floors, mop kitchen.
• kids brush teeth, BED TIME.
• me-quiet time. If Jonathan is late closing I will sit and read a book/my bible or check out a few websites/facebook, if he is home we will talk and watch tv together...since this is the only time we can actually HEAR tv,LOL!
• BED time for us...usually LAAAAAAAATE. 

Ok,so this is just what it is USUALLY like on a day where I don't do coupons, or make candles or have testing for the kids, or have to clean out the fridge, etc. This is just a typical day...with no bedding being washed...and no sick kids....


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....the next time you think a stay at home,homeschooling mom of many could possible have the time to get bored...THINK again! 

Stopping The Madness...Be REAL..Jesus knows the truth,so who else matters?

Today as I sit here in my home and look around at the Chaos around me, I still laugh and continue to do what I do, every single day. I have no EXACT schedule and I have always been a bit random and can change my mind at the last minute anyway. I get off track and begin another task easily...to a flaw..Thats me, flawed. 


Some, women especially do not want to admit they have flaws and try to hide it from the world...put on a different face for each person they meet, clean up and make everything look perfect for someone we have never met, or try to keep up this for people who "thinks" they know us. Its all FAKE! I can see these people miles away...WHY? I use to be one. I was raised by one. I hated that life...that wasn't me and I didn't enjoy trying to look perfect on the outside when I was crumbling on the inside.


I am ME...I have always been different and never much cared what anyone thought about me...ever..UNTIL I had kids and met other women with kids and THOUGHT they had it more together than I did, so then came the contest of who has it together more, who keeps the cleaner home,the best behaved children etc. 


THAT is EXHAUSTING! (and ridiculous!!) 


Then one day, after crying all day because I was freaking out that the house wasn't clean enough and the kids were acting "bad" and I was literally breaking down and couldn't keep on track...I had made myself miserable trying to keep up appearances. I locked myself in my bedroom and prayed and immediately had peace!  JUST BE YOU...God made you and you are perfect JUST the way you are. HE gave these things to you, HE blessed you with this family and HE knew it would be hard, but HE chose YOU! 


I was chosen to do this...ME! I was given this! If God loves me enough to give me all of this and HE knows I am NOT perfect AT all...but I try my best and I never stop praying all day long to make me better...I want to better, but IF he trusts me with this and knows my mess more than I do, he know EVERY single secret and loves me anyway...HE knows how big my laudry pile is , how I HATE pairing socks and that they end up in baskets, how I procrastinte EVERYTHING until the last minute, how my kids talk back to me, and how I hate to wear a bra at home, and wear flip flops all year long, how I can't make up my mind and dye my hair every color of the rainbow, how I HATE my handwriting and will start over anything I write 10 times, That I am a control freak and want everything MY way, and that when I get frustrated I may yell, and that I am utterly and completely in love with my children and husband and HATE being away from them...EVER. <3 This list is SHORT...I have so many flaws...I am real. I AM REAL human and have so many imperfections;so are the other moms. Yes, every single one of us have ISSUES, and secrets, dirty laundry and YES we all have picked our nose, scratched our butt and gone a day without a shower and most of us don't shave everyday. WE ARE REAL... and that is what makes us beautiful. God made us, he knows who we are, what we like and what we do. HE loves it all. We are for his pleasure! I have to say , I think God must have a great sense of humor though,lol. He must LAUGH! 


I am STOPPING the madness here... Jesus knows the truth...we cant hide it from him and he still loves us...


SO, If you love me. You will love my flaws as well...and I will love yours. You will come to my home,which is always loud and chaotic, will ALWAYS have laundry to wash, fold and put away...Most likely no beds will be made and IF you decide to take a chance on going to the bath room after one of my sons...WELL...good luck :) 


I love all of my friends, I love their mess, I love their realness. It makes me smile :) We all have flaws and that is what makes us beautiful.


Dare to BE real. Who cares what anyone else thinks? If they are your friend, they are real flawed too, some may not admit it and try to cover it up...but its a bit like a M&M shiny and slick and perfect on the outside but goopy and brown on the inside! LOL..((just sayin))


Sometimes we have to just wash off the make up so we can breathe. 


Today is a new day! Thank you Jesus!!