Growing Pains

There seems to be a lot of focus on the 1st born...she's 1st!  First, at just about everything.  The younger siblings, for awhile, seem to just be going along for the ride until it's their turn.  Well, this week, it was Emma's turn.  She started pre-school.  She had been against the idea of school since I planted the seed in her head early this summer.  I will never forget when she was outside wearing her new school shoes and purposely dragging them through the dirt.  I had been telling her that these shoes were for school and had to stay clean.  So when I told her to stop getting them dirty, she looked at me with a sly smile and said, "Well, if I get them dirty, I don't have to go to school!"  And then I thinked she actually winked at me as if to say, "Gotcha, Mom...now what are you going to do?" 

So her big day was on Tuesday and to make a long story short, there were tears.  I had to force her to get dress.  I had to carry her to the car.  I had to carry her into school.  The teacher had to carry her backpack and take her by the hand.  Emma just looked back at me the whole time and cried.  And let me add, that I had the ONLY crier!!!!!  Why ME????  Ella liked to be the solo crier, too!!!!  I had several parents come up to me after the kids left and tell me that that just about broke their hearts.  Well, you can just imagine my own heart then. 

At times, we want these little people to be so brave and grown-up.  Other times, we tell them to stop growing so quickly.  How confusing for them. 

Well, Emma had a note from the teacher saying she snapped out of it within minutes of class starting and ended up having a really good day.  Today, her 2nd day of school, went much better.  She gladly got ready for school and just teared up when I was leaving.  I'm proud of her, though.  She did it on her own even though she really didn't want to.  Growing up isn't easy...especially when you're only 4!

A Great Day to be a SAHM

I have been a stay-at-home mom, a.k.a. SAHM, since Ella was born.  Every year, we look at our funds and say, "How do we make it?"  Somehow, someway, by luck, by chance, by bargain shopping, I don't know, but we have made it.  To be honest, this was the first school year I found myself looking through the employment section of the newspaper.  Could I be ready to get back out there in the "real world"?  Updating my resume will wait a few more years as I know I will stay home until the twins start school and I will make sure to not take this time for granted.  And it's days like today when I am so grateful for the position of SAHM.  It was beautiful and calm and I got to spend it in the company of some little ladies.

Emma, Maija, and Lexi



I had Ella convinced that a squirrel took this picture!



 

Emma said this looked like a slide.



Have Faith

I am Catholic.  Josh is Lutheran.  My mom was Catholic.  She was a Marquette School graduate and not only did she "know" her religion, but she also had a wonderful, loving relationship with God.  She always maintained a strong faith and it helped her through many difficult times.  However, she was very quiet about it.  My dad is Lutheran and his position on religion remains a mystery.  He entered into a Catholic Church only when necessary...baptisms, First Communions, confirmations, maybe a wedding or two.  He stayed home during all the Christmas Eve masses to "guard the presents".  Growing up, I did Sunday School, Wednesday night religious education classes, confessions, retreats, and I went to church every weekend with my mom and siblings.  I know all the prayers said throughout mass.  I know the more "popular" Bible stories.  But I never truly understood... As a family, we never openly talked about God, or prayer, or what this all means.  Looking back, I feel that I was completely going through the motions. 

And now I have 4 children who I have chosen to raise Catholic and I want to do a better job in helping them develop a relationship, an understanding, a true faith in and love for God.  It's a difficult position to be in when I feel like I have so much learning to do myself.  Ella and I are having some wonderful discussions and she is asking questions that I don't have the answers to...right now, but I hope to get her the answers she needs to understand.

It's hard to admit your weaknesses and your short-comings, but I believe it's the first step in making a change.  So I pray for guidance as I take this journey with my 4 blessings in raising them up!

Fall Beauties

                                                                                               

Someday, I would love to own a nice camera and take some photography classes.  I am mesmerized by the work of some professionals and amateurs out there.  For now, I will pretend.  Last year, I spent some time photographing each child and I hung the best ones on the wall.  Well, it's been a year and it's time to update the pictures and attempt to capture their beauty in a single snapshot!  Some are more cooperative than others and one has a snotty cold so her picture hasn't been taken yet.

                                                                                             

Our Year In Review 2009-2010

Click here to view this photo book larger

Watch What You Say

This blog may turn into a confessional for all those "mom" mistakes I am going to make.  For example, I may swear in front of my sweet, innocent babies.  I'm not proud of it, but @*it happens, and golly-gee, it might happen again.  Well, Lexi and Maija, at the ripe old age of 2, have begun to repeat my less-than lady-like words.  But I've got to admit, when I hear Maija say, "Damnit, Lexi!", it's kinda funny.  I repeat, I'm not proud of my behavior.  Another thing I like to say is, "Seriously, _________!"  Fill in the blank with any child's name.  I often say this in disgust when whoever is throwing a temper tantrum or she is over-reacting about something ridiculous.  So, today, I had the twins in Target and I had purchased a bag of candy.  Well, Lexi didn't want to wait the 3 more minutes until we got to the van to have it.  She wanted it now, actually, she wanted it yesterday.  So there was crying, and yelling, and falling over...and my sweet Maija, sitting calmly in the cart, says in her little, 2-year old voice, "Serious, Lexi!"  I laughed myself right out of the store!!

Finally!

I have been a mom for 6 years...well, actually 6 1/2 if you're talking to Ella, and I have made numerous attempts at journals for my children to read when I am no longer around.  I am hoping this route will FINALLY stick! 

I chose the name for this blog for several different reasons.  First, Ella, Emma, Lexi, and Maija together make up the 4 leaves of my lucky 4-leaf clover, and a 4-leaf clover is hard to come by--once you find one, you hold onto it dearly.  I am blessed to have 4 healthy daughters and I will forever treasure these beautiful girls.  Second, the 4 leaves of the clover stand for faith, hope, love, and luck.  And when raising 4 kids, who doesn't need all 4 of those in every day?? 

I hope you, Ella, Emma, Lexi, and Maija (when you're old enough to type in a web address) enjoy and "treasure" all that is to be blogged about in the days, weeks, months to come.  And for anyone else who comes along on my journey, thanks for reading!!