Tim and I love the part about being a
parent where kids are the excuse for us to act like kids again. It’s always fun to take the kids to the
newest Disney movie, or go rollerblading.
We get a kick out of watching all the wipe outs that occur at the
skating rink. We love to go to the water
park and ride the slides “so the kids aren’t scared.” In the grocery store, we
can throw a pack of Skittles on the counter and smile and say, “It’s for the
kids, of course.” At Christmas we bought
a large trampoline “for the kids.” It’s hilarious when Tim gets on there with
his massive jumping skills and to watch him knock all of them over like
bowling pins and they bounce around uncontrollably knocking into one
another. They are just crazy enough to
holler, “Again, Dad! Again!” I’ve even
been known to go out there to jump and knock a couple of kids over. They call me “Popcorn Mama” because they
bounce around like popcorn.
Something else that is funny to us is
hearing them communicate. Girls are
quite expressive, but when you add a couple of Ukrainian boys into the mix, really
it’s quite entertaining. We gave up our
television 4 years ago and frankly I haven’t missed it much. The kids are all the entertainment I need.
Here are a few of my favorite
dialogues from our crazies.
I put my ice cold hands up the back of Haley’s
shirt to tease her and she said, “It’s okay, Mom. I keep my back nice and warm just in case
anyone wants to warm their hands on it.” She was dead serious.
For
the Spring Elementary program Katie was trying find something dressy enough to
wear within the dress code guidelines of her school and we realized her growth
spurt since last time it was Spring left her with hardly anything to wear. Kylie says to Katie, “No offense, but the
clothes in your closet are SO 10 years ago…..and you are only 11.”
Katie
says it is more enjoyable to hug me than Dad because I’m “soft and squishy”
whereas Dad is “rough and hard."
The kids were eating ice cream one day in our
unseasonably cold Spring weather. They
are so random!
Child
#1 says: I am so cold.
Child
#2 says: I am so freezing.
Child
#3 says: I am SO getting diarrhea tonight (lactose intolerant child)
Child
#4 was speechless
Brandon: Mom, you’re so fun. No. You so funny. ..
Fun..... Funny.
Fun? (laughing). He always got the words “fun”
and “funny” mixed up. I still do not
know if he thought I was fun or funny???
Brandon:
Oh, look! Sponge Buggy. Katie: You mean
Punch Buggy (for Volkswagen Beetles).
Brandon: I said dis Sponge Buggy.
Something
else I love is my love notes I get from the kids. I keep a stash of them tucked away in my
Bible and in my lamp stand to go back to and they always bring a smile to my face. I’ve included some of these precious letters
below & left the spelling errors in place.
Katie,
5 years old: Dear Mom, You are so pretty.
You’re my butterfly mommy and I love Dad too.
Kylie,
8 years old: To Mom From Kylie: I love you verry, verry much. You are a gift from God. You are the loveliest women in the
world. You have a kind heart. God made you the best mother in the world. PS, Dont show Daddy. I wrote him a letter too (which basically
said exactly what my letter said).
Brandon,
11 years old: To Mama, Happy Birthday, I love you, Brandon Kerr
A2,
10 years old: Mama, (picture of a cat and stick figure family). I like my family. A2, Mama, Papa, Katie, Kylie, Haley and
Me, Mama, Papa, Sister, Sister,
Sister, and Brother
Haley,
7 years old: Happy Birthday Mommy. I
love you. I hope you have a grate day.
Kylie,
9 years old: Dear Mommy, I am going to be praying for you. I hope you feel better real soon. If you want anything I will give it to
you. You are a blessing in my life. Take Care.
Hope you feel better. I don’t
like it when you are sick. I hope your stumic feels better.
Haley,
4 years old: Haley. Mommy. I love you. Yer
pritty.
Kylie,
6 years old: To Mommy From Kylie. I had
fun at the beach. You look rilly nice in
your blue sundress. Thanks for bringing
us to the beach. You look prettier than
a peacock (she was obsessed with peacocks at the time). I live you.
Kylie,
8 years old: Thank you for being so kind.
I Hope you have a fun time with us girlies when Daddy is on his man
date. Thank you for taking good care of
me and loving me. I love you. My mom
loves me whenever I do wrong or wever I lie.
Your just to kind. I don’t
deserve to have just a kind mom like you.
Thank you for all you do. I love
you. I love you.
Kylie,
9 years old: To mommy and daddy: Thank you for loving God and your family. I’m also thankful that I get to go to a
Christian school. I love you two. Your more than a mom and dad. Your God’s children. Daddy + Mommy. I love you.
What can I say? I love all of my babies. They are just precious and they make us laugh
continuously. “Children are a gift from
the LORD; they are a reward from him.” Psalm
127:3