Once again...We don't visit...

...we INVADE! Travelling with 5 kids in tow, is never conspicuous, but the older they get, the more obvious we seem to become! I have long been aware that as the children grow, we, as a family, grow increasingly closer to looking like a clown car when we arrive at our destinations. I slide open the door and one by one, they start jumping out. People at the grocery store have actually stopped and stared. Even our new priest at church commented when he met our family for the first time. He asked if I was pregnant again. When I quickly answered no, he said, well good--its good that you know how to do something just for fun!
So, the other day, after sweating it out at Daxton's flag football game. The one in which he got in position, gritted his teeth, put on his best "football" face (for him this involves scrunching up his little face as tight as he can and baring all his teeth--it could be mistaken for extreme constipation, but you get the point), grabbed the football, and ...ran the wrong way---AGAIN! It was very hot, so of course, while he was playing, his siblings kindly drank down his water bottle so that the child who was actually exerting energy had nothing left to drink. Not to fear, though, he apparently was not dehydrated since he still had to use the porta-potty twice during the hour game! On the way home, he began to cry that he had to go to the bathroom and would not be able to make it home (yes, we are beginning to think he may only have one kidney!). We decided to stop at our friend's house whose son also plays football. My friend just had major surgery and is recovering, so I don't like to drag my entourage into her house, but felt we had no choice. When we got to their house, it was apparent that they were not home. At this point, Dax is in panic mode, which means the other children are all reacting just for the fun of it. So I look at Shawn and say "what are you going to do?" I am assuming he should take this one on for the simple fact that he has the same equipment needed to get the job done. He decides to take Dax in our friend's backyard and Dax decides he wants to pee in their creek. We quickly get this done and try to scramble all the kids back into the van. We pass our friends as they are turning onto their road and it dawns on me that in the last two weeks, I have seen neighbors, friends, and church members dropping off food, flowers, cookies, and many other goodies to this family. In fact, as we were leaving, neighbors were coming over with a decorated box of cookies shaped like crosses! Not Team ADAMS! NO SIR! We won't bring you dinner, or cookies, or flowers. Good friends do that sort of thing. Only the best of friends will pee in your creek! I think they might sell a sign that says that at Wal-Mart. Just another time I tell myself-- I'm gonna miss this! :)

Where is Summer Going?

We are half-way through July already. While we have had a wonderful summer and done so much fun stuff, I just can't believe its almost over already! This has been a stressful week for our family and it is definitely wearing on the kids. My dad had to get a stent put in his heart because he had 90% blockage and today my friend is getting surgery for breast cancer. She is amazing, but this is going to be a rough road for her. I have been very stressed about all of it and the kids pick it up. That is one of the tough parts of being a parent and still being a person yourself. The kids definitely react to all of my emotions and feelings. I have to find the balance of allowing them to see that it is OK to experience all range of emotions, but you have to try to balance your reactions to the emotions--therein lies the hard part.
The kids got to make their handprint stones that we make every summer. With five kids, eventually I'll be able to pave our driveway with all of the stones. We've been doing it since Drew was two and he'll be ten in a few months. (That was difficult to type without getting choked up). I love doing those types of things because it always portrays my kids personalities perfectly. As we were doing the stones, Drew kept asking if the cement was poisonous and he was pretty sure that some of the dust got in his mouth and he wanted to know if he would be OK. Dawsyn was very particular about where she did her stone and how she decorated it. Delaney wanted to know if she could have a popsicle if she did a good job on hers, and Dax was acting like each decoration was a superhero! He even had superhero sounds for each one. I did Drake's for him and he through a fit when I pressed his chubby little hand into the stone for his handprint. He is going to give us a run for our money. He has developed his own mind and his own personality and quite frankly, I'm scared! Yesterday, he put his foot in the dog food bowl at a friend's house and he kept saying, "I Silly". I kept telling him no and that he needed to stop he just laughed at me. Finally I told him he had to stand in the corner and this turned into a fun game of him going to different places in the room and asking, "corner?" "Corner?" Knowing full well that it wasn't the corner. Just like the four that preceded him, he's too smart for his own good!
We also got Dawsyn's test scores in the mail, she tested gifted in math and reading so she will be in special classes this year, just like Drew was last year. She is pretty excited and I think it helps that she thinks it puts her one up in their "not so silent" sibling rivalry!