Full Quiver Family: Easter Break

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Easter Break

What a nice week to take a break from the daily routine of life! The kids were all too excited to store their books away last week and start some spring cleaning preparing for a much antcipated grandparent visit. With Gray-Gray and Papa flying in around dinner time Friday evening, there was much to do! No matter how much I work each day, there is always more to do. And some things still wait to be done (windows). But we did manage to have the house presentable for a few hours.

Sarah and Miriam were moved out and the room readied for Gray-Gray and Papa. Sarah was heading out Monday morning for a week of service with the high school group and Miriam was back in our closet:). In fact, when we moved her out on Saturday (her belongs, changing table, etc) our room felt huge! If you haven't read some of the children's books like "Cows in the house" you need to! The basic premise of the story is a man is feeling overwhelmed because his house is too crowded and noisy with his large family. So, depending on which ethnic version you read, the dad consults the local wise man. The wise man tells him to bring in the chickens, later the pigs, then the cousins, visitors, and on and on until the cows are living in the house. With the man going crazy, the wise man finally tells him to have everyone visiting go home and he should put all the animals back out. The man is estatic because his home is suddenly so large and quiet, with only his large family living there. An excellent book on perspective.

I digress. Back to Easter Break. The weather was incredible and the visit enjoyable. Gray Gray and Papa were probably ready for calmer waters, but the grands would love to have them closer. The little ones all woke up looking for them and hoping for some snuggle time. Right when Gray Gray and Papa thought they might get to read or sit, Bekah and Jon were ready for a basketball game or Hannah and Naomi were getting the dominoes ready!

Gray Gray and Papa were also able to enjoy Hannah and Naomi's art reception, Bekah's soccer game, the Sonbeams Choir (Joey and Jael) sing, the Lightshine Choir (Naomi, Hannah, Bekah and Jonathan) sing, Sarah pick them up from the airport (!), a trip to the zoo, Miriam practing her walking, ice cream, theological talks with Josh, trips to Sanger/Orosi/Kingsburg to visit Sarah and observe the work projects and see Lolo and Lola, a trip to the jungle, dying Easter eggs, Easter egg hunt, some residual illness symptoms :(, and LOTS OF NOISE!

Having my mom here made breakfast, lunch, and dinner chores much more fun and the kids enjoyed a break from some of the chores she did for them! It was also nice to have a professional clothes folder present. What a difference. Next time she comes I'll have her do a workshop for the kids on folding. She's also a master weeder. And perseveres much longer than my youthful children seem to be able to endure.

Pop managed to get up a fence with Paul to keep the animals out of the oranges, trim many bushes, and get a closet organizer in for us. I guess he'll have to stay in a different room next time so we can have him organize that closet :)! Plus, with the daily damages he was Mr. Handy and able to put the toliet paper holder back on the wall, fix things, and help us get a bit more organized and uncluttered.

I'm sure they have memories, as well. Their oldest grandchild driving them, Mr. Monk, techno teens, Bek in the same clothes all week, Joey getting eggs, dogs barking, ducks quacking, Jon whistling, Miri grabbing noses, toliet paper, bathrooms always in use, H-O-R-S-E, noise. . . .