A Walk To Remember

I had many ideas for posts in my head for today. Mainly ones where I complain about the M-O-U-N-D-S of laundry waiting for me, or how I got only 2 hours of sleep last night from a very stuffy Sweet P.... the list goes on. But, for whatever reason, they never happened. Instead I trudged thru the day, with a pudgy baby on my hip and a boogie-rag draped across my shoulder. Miss P has a horrible head cold and sleep has left the building.

Despite its downfalls, the day ran pretty smoothly. School managed to get done somehow... even though I would have loved to do more. And now that the house is quiet, order is once again restored. The kitchen is clean... a clear sign of victory in my book.

But just a few hours ago, our Little Red House was buzzing with chaos. Penelope was in desperate need of a nap and my shameless attempt of laying next to her to "settle" her spirits resulted in a half asleep momma and a very late dinner. 

But dinner was cooked none the less. 

The little kids escaped clean-up by running out the back door and playing on the trampoline. They come alive in the cooler evenings that have been paying us visits. I brew my evening coffee... the much needed cup to get me thru the last few hours of the day.

My older girls are drifting around chattering about whatever comes to mind and hubby is balancing a fine line between schoolwork and a baby. Literally... one on each knee.

Looking at the dinner-disaster aftermath and its never ending mess of spaghetti strands and sauce stains, I throw my towel down and decide to go for a walk. 

"It will calm P down and settle her right into bed..." I convinced my husband as I abandoned him at bedtime and ran out the door. RUnning on 3 hours sleep is something im not good at. Nausea followed me all day. Headaches followed that. Perhaps the quiet and fresh air will calm me down as well. One could hope.

The evening was perfect and still....

For a second...

Before I knew what hit me, my two oldest came flying down the driveway giggling and laughing as young girls do...

"We're coming with you MOM...."

And with that a small part of my heart sank. I saw my quiet smashed to bits...

before long, my girls took on a life of their own... as they usually do. Down the street they sang, made fun of people said hello to passerbyers and created characters that they only knew. As I followed behind them, I was completely entertained. Wondering what they would do next and proud of their silly-ness. Penelope laughed out loud and joined in on the shrieking... rest was something she would not get on this walk. But that was perfectly alright.  Some people just stared at them but I didn't care. They were mine and it was moments like these that made me so grateful for every bit of busyness I have.

People tell me to enjoy the chaos now because one day it will be gone. With 6 kids, I often laugh and say that will never happen, and a part of me believes it.

But tonight will be gone. And evening walks that I take for granted so often will one day be a memory. So I did. I soaked it all up and said a prayer of Thankfulness. Most women won't answer the call for 6 children, but I did... and even though the work is hard, the rewards are plentiful.

So, right now my laundry stands about 10 feet tall but my kitchen is clean. The house is quiet and Im in my bedroom, in the dark. I guess I got my stillness after all. Link is curled up in my lap purring away.

Im dead tired but can't sleep and Miss. P is restless again. Another sleepless night is on my horizon. In 9 hours it all starts again... But I will pray for strength. And like everything else in life, this too shall pass....

but before it does, I want to enjoy every second.

Even if it is in a spaghetti-stained house.