How do you do it

I get that question a lot. Mostly when I am dragging my 4 kids thru Disneyland by myself, or sitting at a restaraunt with 1 adult menu, and 4 kid menus, or going to the beach with all 4, or making a train thru the grocery store to keep them all in a line. I always smile and say "I have no idea". I don't. No super mad mom ninja tricks on this blog to share...sorry. It gets exhausting, but I think being a mom in general gets exhausting. I remember just having Elijah, and being exhausted, then having Elijah and Tori and thinking about signing myself up to go to a place with padded walls. Then I had Jake, more exhaustion, and straight jackets seemed like they should be mandatory, right next to the binkies in the baby section. Then Tara came, and I realized I didn't actually know exhaustion before...I think I went 11 days without sleep when she was first admitted (I should see if I quolify for Guiness book of world records). Then Jim left to Qatar, and I became a 5/6th single mom. So here is my secret...wait for it now...the word ALL. I know life changing huh? The word ALL has changed my life, for the better. Here is a few ways I like to use it..."Cast ALL of your cares upon Him" "Trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart". "pray ALL the time" "applaud God, ALL you people" "peace to you ALL who walk in His ways" "I am ALL He wants, I am the World to Him" "families stick together in ALL kinds of trouble". These are just a few of my ALL words. See why I like the word ALL is because it does not mean some, a little, or most, but ALL. I have to Trust God with ALL I have, not some little or most of my life, but ALL of it. I can't pray "some" of the time, but ALL the time. I am ALL He wants...not me and 20 billion other people, but ALL. See God does not pick favorites, just like I can't pick a favorite kid, God can't pick one of us. He chose ALL of us. He died on the cross for ALL of our sins (another great ALL). So there it is, I guess I do have a secret weapon, and obviouslly mad mom ninja skills...

Jake and the sandwiches

When I was sitting on the couch reading my new favorite book (The Shack, you must read it!) Jake came up and was cuddling me. He then asked "Mom, since you are reading your book, can I make lunch for everyone". Jake is so sweet, he always wants to help, and ifIdosaysomyself he makes a mean PB&J sandwhich. I said sure and asked "whats on the menu today dude?" "Sandwiches" was his reply, I was thinking I was going to have this great sandwich, with Jelly oozing out, and with enough peanut butter to make a dog lick his lips for weeks. I continued reading, and he even went outside and picked me a "flower". Its was a dandylion, so it reminded me I needed to get out some weed be gone for my grass. He brought me my lunch. Complete with a diet coke. My boys knows me well. I said "boy, Jake this looks really good! What kind of sandwich is it?" his reply. Peanut butter and mayonaise. My dilema...do I eat that or the dandylion which is looking pretty appitizing at the moment....