Having 4 Kids

Sometimes having 4 kids that span the ages of 9 years old through 3 is hard.

Sometimes people look at my family like we are crazy.

Going out to dinner as a family has become a team sport.  One where my husband and I have little pep talks in the car on the way over with sayings like, "You gotta bring your 'A game'!"  

And we actually high-five each other walking out of the restaurant for surviving and not creating too much of a scene.  

This past weekend, I literally said to the children as we left dinner, "Congratulations!  Nobody spilled their drink, licked their plate, or fell out of their seat!  And none of the other people in the restaurant even had to ask to move to a table farther away from us because you guys were being too loud!  Well done, kids!"

My 9 year old replied, "Well, I did lick my knife."

I was at a playdate with 2 other moms and their kids recently and one of the moms (who has 2 kids) was talking about the decision to have a 3rd child or not.

It definitely got me to thinking some things.  Like how much less chaos we'd surely have with 50% less kids.  And just how long it's been since I had a manicure (can't remember the last).  And how ridiculous the laundry generated by a family of 6 is!

But if we'd stopped at 2 kids, I'd miss out on the blessing of scenes like this:

My oldest teaching the two littles to do jumping jacks.

And that, my friends, is way better than manicures or fewer loads of wash!

(Disclaimer in case anyone is considering an intervention:  This picture is from a few weeks ago, I have actually taken the Christmas cards down now!)

Find more Thankful Thursday here.