In a nut shell

Our friend, whom we haven't seen in awhile, asked about our kids. This is the email I sent. And I realized that while this is not a complete description, as there is also more good and more of the challenges that could be added, it was a pretty good nut shell of our family dynamics for the moment. Enjoy :)

The kids are mostly good. I'm sure I will miss this time shortly, but some days....I just want to sell one, or all of them, until someone else fixes their issues, but then of course I'd like them back immediately when they are perfect thank you very much! Luckily, most days are not like that.

Let's focus on mostly the good, while still keeping it real, shall we. Agreed.

Karaia: She is 9!!! It's nearly impossible to wrap my brain around that fact. She is gorgeous and has started worrying about what her teeth look like (poor thing. There is NO question she will need braces). She is a good student if she is not distracted by her friends. Her giggle is infectious. She is sweet and loving and never lets her or any parent leave the house without at LEAST two kisses and a hug. Sometimes two hugs if she starts heading her way and feels the first won't last until we are reunited. She will run back and remedy the situation and then happily return to her way. She also has started to have an attitude of the teenage variety....just to keep me highly aware of the law of oppositions. Sigh. She loves soccer and wants to be a cheer leader and a mom...not at the same time, heaven help us. But those are the long term goals. She is super tall and it will not be many more years before she passes my height. She is an invaluable helper when it comes to her little brothers and has improved a TON in her reliability this past year.

Beckham:  (7) Oh Beckham! This one is full of extremes. He can be SO funny, but he fancies himself the class/family clown...not everyone is quite on the same page with that self diagnosis. We try not to crush any spirits per say, but there are times when the same joke after the 20th time is just no longer funny...or was not funny the first time it was told. He has a temper that we are working on. He must run around the house 10 times or a half a mile if his temper gets the better of him. This has resulted in many loud, verbal, public shouts of how awesome we are as parents and what a grand time he is having under our care as he is performing the task he has earned...it's fantastic *eye roll* HOWEVER, every time he finally completes the physical activity he has earned he comes back very penitent and introspective AND willing to have the hard conversations and look at how HIS behaviors contributed to the situation without flying off the handle. It's hard, but I can see it working and if I can save his future wife from having to train the temper out of him it is worth it. He is also my most spiritually in tune child at this time. He recognizes and feels the Holy Ghost strongly and recognizes his error quickly. He longs to understand perfectly and asks many of the important questions. He wears his heart on his sleeve. It's never hard to tell what Beckham is feeling, good and challenging. See, I told you. Extreme. He's a fun one to watch learn because it often doesn't take long. Family is important to him. He has started baseball and is loving it along with playing soccer. Super busy.

Both Karaia and Beckham play the piano and have started to really, really bloom into very developed players. This is the fun part. This makes all the practice fights worth it! They will have been playing for 4 years this July.

Tennyson: He is 4 and will be 5 in June. Tennyson is stubborn. Period. He has this twinkle in his eye that melts anyone's heart, but especially mine. He is also my child that gets me the most frustrated the quickest. He is STILL working on keeping his underwear dry ( see we are true friends...I'm sure you care nothing for the bathroom habits of my 4 year old, but you asked about my kids and frankly, THIS is what we talk about most when we talk about Mr. T as of late). I can't seem to find his pay off when it comes to this subject. He has an excellent talent of being able to take whatever life hands him and find joy. This makes any punishment nearly ineffective as he just copes with his newly restricted situation. It will serve him well later in life, but right now I wish he would just WALLOW for half a second about his hard life that he chose because of his actions. Then maybe he'd decide it was a much better plan to make the effort to make it to the restroom. As it is, his mantra seems to be when he's had a privileged taken away, "That's ok. No big deal!" But not in a sassy way. But in a find joy in the journey kind of a way. It's extremely frustrating and tiring. And then he starts to giggle and it's all I can do to remember it doesn't do anyone any good to let him get away without a consequence. When he is choosing the right he is very good company and one of those people that just makes you believe you are amazing. He is very quick to forgive and truly believes all people have good intentions...all the time.There is so much unconditional love in that little body. He nearly shines. It's an incredible characteristic in one so young.

Sanders: (3) Is a big bully right now. He thinks he is on the same level as Kevin and I and tries to direct and coerce the others into the same line of thinking. He wants everyone to share with him and wants NOTHING to do with sharing with anyone else. He loves to play with you one on one and if you can convince him sharing is fun, is so, so fun to be around. His imagination is incredible and is often found lost in a world of fantasy he has created ready to invite you in if he catches your eye. He loves playing with the big kids. Don't you dare call him little. He'll have something to say about it if you do. He is completely potty trained!!! YAY! And rarely, if ever,has any accidents. (you can see now why we are so focused on Tennyson reaching the same goal) He is my music dancer whenever a song in the car strikes him as awesome. He can be very sweet and loves a good cuddle and a good book, but prefers if you don't sing. He likes to tattle on everyone and be vaguely naughty just to tell you what he's doing right. For example: He opened his door one night after I'd put him to bed to tell me, "Mom! I'm not slamming the doooooooor!" Shortly after that he opened the door again to inform me, "Mom! I'm not getting out of my room at night! Just out of my bed!" He doesn't like to be told what to do, but he does like to please you when he feels like it's been his idea. He is actually my most obedient child and gets a good joke.

So there you have it. My children in a nut shell. They make me work for the motherhood title, but I'm not sure I would change that if given the option. They are turning into wonderful little people and everyday there is more enjoyment as opposed to endurance.