A few minutes ago Dw and I were sitting on the couch….we were having a cup of coffee and a snack with the four little ones. We are exhausted. We have been working on inventory. Which means, we type over 190 pages of “stuff” onto a spread sheet on the computer. Each line has to be specific as to what each item is, quantity, how much replacement cost would be and what year we bought it in. Yes, you read that right. Over 200 legal pages. That’s alot of entries friends. And yes, it is overwhelming and we are only on about page 71, and we have been working on it off and on for weeks now.
After we finished the snack we were slumped on the couch snuggled up together moaning to each other about how frustrating and overwhelming the process is. Liberty and Isaiah had run off to play. Elijah and Elizabeth were climbing all over the other chair kind of screaming like little rowdies. (Now if you are someone who doesn’t let your babies climb on stuff, pretend I never said that, okay?)
Elijah and Elizabeth were screaming and being rambunctious and Dw turned to me and said, “I’m 54, you’re 50. So what time do these grandkids go home? They certainly couldn’t be ours.” He and I started to laugh. We then laughed and laughed and laughed. It was therapeutic. I told him that I wanted to blog about it. He said, “Good idea. That way if anyone thinks we have it all together, they will know that we most certainly don’t.” So just in case you thought we were perfect parents who are perfectly happy with perfectly behaved kids in our perfect little world….Yeah, not so much.
I love this picture! They are way too cute. They have changed so much in just a few months. Adorable, sweet babes!! I love ’em.
trina
Oh my… What beautiful babies you have..
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Tracey in MA
Those babies are so cute. That’s something my hbby would say. Often I hear him saying to M, when your 52 and have your own home you can be boss. It cracks me up everytime. Thanks for sharing a part of who you guys are.
Hugs…
Well-timed humor!
Does anyone, even young parents, have it all together? A wise person (you!) once advised me to cut myself some slack. I’d like to return the advice :0) Besides you know you love every minute of it!!!
So glad to hear that. I was beginning to think you were Mother Theresa and friend. lol
Nancy
Linn,
Except for the obnoxious list that HAS to be finished, it DOES sound like you are “perfect parents who are perfectly happy with perfectly behaved kids in” A WONDERFULLY “perfect little world”. You love the Lord, each other, and all your precious children.
Hugs,
Barbara Lyman 🙂
Marysville, WA
Love it! And y’all are young looking 50 year olds!! 🙂
Oh kindred friend …
We, too, are NOT perfect.
Our kids, too, are NOT perfect.
We have little “rowdies” also. NONE of our 13 children are the shy, silent type. No, not one.
And, we sometimes look at each other and say …
“Wasn’t life easy when we only had 10 kids?”
But … I can’t imagine how boring our life would be if we had stopped at “just 6”, since all 6 of our oldest are now young adults. I have no desire for an “empty nest”.
Many Blessings,
Laurel 🙂
Well, nice try, but kids playing rowdily is still not misbehaving in my book! 🙂 It’s a blessing to watch them having fun, isn’t it? It’s part of the therapy! I’m so sorry you have to put up with all this insurance mess. Cherish every minute with your “grandkids.” LOL!
Well you may not be perfect…..but you are darn near close! Love and Hugs. Wish you were here to help me see through the mud….I need that right now! Can’t wait to see what happens with Kate!
Love it, love it, love it!
I agree with Trina( hi Trina)!! Those 2 babies are way too cute!!!Beliieve me, I turn 50 in a few months and I am exhausted at night, and I only have 1 3year old!!! But my husband is only 38!!!
Love and hugs from NY
Kathie
Dw is too funny. You guys are great. What parent has it all together… and if they do… BLESS THEIR HEARTS! (giggle) thanks for the chuckle. Have an awesome weekend my friends. I am praying the holy spirit give you peace beyond measure. You deserve it. Love you, jen
Thanks for that bit of reality…and humility! You’re incredible parents and incredibly love the Lord–the greatest thing for your kiddos! Blessings to you!
Sarah
LOVE the honesty! 😉
When are they going home???? Too funny. Not letting kids climb all over the furniture–that is one battle I am so not willing to fight! Let them climb!!! It’s just stuff 🙂
Linny – is there any way that I can help you? I’d be glad to do leg work on replacement cost for you. Or how about someone to help you type it up? I’m sure tere are plenty of people in your area that are professional typists. I would be extrememly willing to cover the cost for a day or two. I’m betting that there are lots of other readers who would commit to this as well. I’m serious. What would help you most?
In His peace – Cindy
MoM(Mom of Many)
http://www.faithfulpromises.blogspot.com
You guys have learned so much through this fire in having to deal with the legalities, adminstrative tasks, etc. You really should consider writing a book/pamphlet about it. While no one hopes or expects this to happen, it would sure be good to have a resource available to reference on what steps need to be taken, etc. I love your blog!
Linn
I love the rowdy kids with OLD parents stories as that is what John and I are!!They keep you young but make you feel your age all in the same moment–lol!!!
Praying you get the inventory done soon as it’s so hard to have to go through every single thing you have ever owned and loss in the fire. God will make up for what you don’t get back in the insurance money–He is faithful to provide for HIS CHILDREN!!
LOL…I love that line! I can’t wait to share it with my (tired) husband who is turning 50 this year.
SO sorry about the inventory. I will pray for you–I can’t even IMAGINE how overwhelming that task would be.
hugs…
Oh my goodness…the inventory project sounds like cruel and unusual punishment. I can’t even imagine how overwhelming that must be.
Glad to know that you are human. Being exhausted isn’t much fun but those sweet little faces can sure cheer a tired gal up, don’t ya think!??
Ok, I’m tired. I’m goin’ to bed. 🙂
We have broken two couches letting the boy’s jump. Oh well my friends say when will you learn. I looked at them and said when are you going to learn I think it is o.k.? Let them jump in fact jump with them it is good for the soul!!
Love your bloggy friend
Sheri Keys
Oh, Linny! Those 2 sweet babies couldn’t POSSIBLY be little rowdies. And they are surely not the same little children who were in the lotion just a few days ago?!?!
Thanks for the laughs.
Melissa
Linny,
A little laughter and a little honesty are good things. Thanks for sharing the “reality show” that is everyday life. It was great to catch up with you.
Blessings,
Teresa
I cannot imagine trying to remember everything we owned for the last 27 plus years- What an overwhelming task that would be.
I love the grandkids joke- I often feel that way especially when Jim is out of town. Thank goodness these little ones are so darn sweet and everything they do is so cute!! We are right there with you at 50 and 51!
keep laughing!!
Blessings,
Jean
Linn,
Love the honesty, and the fact that you can laugh yourself out of the overwhelmingness for a bit. Not to mention the cuteness of your “sitting still for a minute rowdies” who are there for the long haul! Thank you Jesus!
When I announced my “on purpose” pregnancy of Brogan at age 40, my baby brother joked, “Tina’s having her own grandkids!” And then at age 45 came Teddi, my China girl, the answer to an eight year prayer. It’s tiring (and I have no idea how you do it at 50 and 55, times many bigs and littles–but for God) 🙂 I wouldn’t have it any other way . . . after all, “How blessed is an empty nest?”–It’s not for me!! Oh how GRAND our kids are, each and every one of them!!
Love you guys, praying for strength for you and Dw.
xo Tina
My husband is 52 and I will soon be. We are waiting to adopt from China and have been waiting since November of 2006. We sometimes worry about having enough energy when she finaly gets here! Of course when our paperwork was logged in, we thought we would have her in a few months or a year at the most! I keep reminding myself that none of this has taken God by surprise, even our ages when it finally happens!
That was funny! And, yes my children climb…and sometimes fall, even Ellie who had surgery 6 months ago. The most successful adult, I’m told, had parents who weren’t afraid to let them fall.
Maybe, I took the quote too literally. 😉
Robbie
I love this, I am 52 this month, single mommy to three, soon to be four..and I too wonder..hmmm why aren’t I a grandma?
🙂 At least, on weekends, when my youngest takes a nap, I do too. (With one ear open for the older two, 10 and 8)
Thanks for sharing this. I know it was meant to be funny, but we had "one of those afternoons" around our place, and this was just the story I needed to hear. Sometimes it's easy to feel sorry for myself and wonder what in the world Bob and I am doing in this position at ages 51 & 50. You guys are encouragements!
~Linda from Northern Colorado
I love this post. They are adorable. thank you for sharing
HAHAHAAH! Well, forget coming to speak here then! We only have the “We’ve-Got-It-All-Together-And-We’re-Perfect” family speakers come. Sheesh. You had me fooled!
HAHAHAH KIDDING, my friend!
Glad you’re NORMAL!
Hey Linn!
An amazing family I know just lost their house to a fire–it went down in five minutes. Everyone’s lives were spared but they lost everything. Please pray for this sweet family. I have a feeling you will be an amazing prayer warrior for them as you face the same struggles.
Thanks and blessings,
Lauren
Love the innocent picture 🙂 And your sense of humor is great! I can relate – oh, how I can relate. We are the ‘new 30’ right?!?
Grinning from ear to ear …
I love it. You are exactly were I hope to be in a few years.
I love your family.
We would appreciate your prayers for our daughter, Abby.
this just made me smile. people always say things to me like, “oh, your kids must be really well behaved since you have so many.” or “you have it so easy – ALL girls! boys are touble.” and I just laugh and think, “yea… you have never met my screaming-at-the-top-of-their-lungs, bouncing-on-the-furniture, coloring-on-eachother-with-permanent-marker little girls.” haha thank the LORD that we were just called to love, and we were not called to have it all together!
I love your heart! The other day an older gentleman said to me, “you’re so young! what are you going to do when you are finally old enough to have children?” and I just looked at him in bewilderment and said, “well, THIS!”
we are never too young or too old to share Christ’s love with His precious children!
love from africa!
Oh boy we are virtual twins from one imperfect parent to another!!!
Text on the way with the rest!
But boy are those two adorable, thank goodness when you are tired and need a break!
Thank you for the chuckle…. I was just sitting at the dinner table after a day of whiny kids, putting my head in my hands praying for patience and strength, when one of my kids said “Shhh, Mama is sleeping”.
And so it goes, doesn’t it…
Wishing you much “stamina” to get through the rest of the Inventory process.
Barb