I've Been Tagged...

This one's way too easy for me. I've been asked to share 6 (un)interesting things about me. There are too many to count, though. I'll just pick 6 things.
Here's the tag:

1 -Link back to the blog that tagged you: The NC Brownings

2 - Make a list of 6 (un)interesting things about yourself.

3- Tag five other blogs, (but I'm skipping this) and let them know by leaving them a comment.

Six (un)interesting things about me:

(1) I do a ton of of laundry. With 8 people in our family there's a lot of cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I remember when I had child #3 and I felt like I spent lots of time washing, drying, folding... I had no idea what a lot was!

(2) I enjoy doing yard work and gardening. I don't often have the time to do it, but I love working hard outside.

(3) When I was in 1st grade I came home from school one day and asked my mom when I could grow up and get married and be a mom. I didn't have a good 1st grade year, but I really have always looked forward to being a wife and mom. I'm livin' the dream! : )

(4) I have always wanted to go on the foreign mission field. I almost got to go on a mission trip to Haiti with my youth group my senior year. However, political unrest made it unsafe for us to go, and the trip was cancelled. I went to Urbana '90, the Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship missions conference held once every 3 years. I got to see Joni Earkson Tada, Elisabeth Elliot, and many other amazing believers who sought to train us for missions. Maybe I'll go one day.

(5) Mark and I go on "dates" to the grocery store, Wal-Mart, Lowe's, etc. often. I know those don't sound like dates, but I love to be with Mark, no matter what we're doing. Now that we have a teenager who can stay home with the younger kids, we get to run some errands together at night.

(6) I lived in Burlington, NC for 5 months. I was in Elementary Education at Appalachian. I was engaged to Mark (who was at NCSU) when it came time to do my student teaching. The farthest our evaluators would travel toward Raleigh was Alamance County. I student taught in Burlington under an amazing 5th grade teacher at Smith Elementary, near Elon. Sadly, that school later burned down, and now you can shop at the Wal-Mart that was built on the land.

"Is it fun being a mom?"

SNOW!!!

We have simply had a blast- a winter blast- around here the past two days! We have played and sledded our hearts out! I have heard the high pitched screams of my kids sledding down our hills, their uncontrolled laughter whenever they reached the bottom of them, and many a dare, "C'mon! I'll race ya down!"

Since school was closed for Madeline, we took off, too. Everyone, except Mark. He worked from home, and was able to sled some yesterday. He also built us a wonderful fire yesterday evening. I have felt like one of the kids- well, sometimes. Victoria asked me this afternoon, as we walked up the hill in the front yard together, pulling our sleds behind us, "Is it fun being a mom?" I replied, "Yes! It's really fun!" She answered with the sound of great wisdom in her voice, "Because I know it's fun being a kid." I had a great time sledding and playing with my children. That part of all this really was fun! Mary Liz took this picture of us.

The running of the Comer Sled Lodge, now that was a little busy. You should have seen all of the hats, scarves, socks, gloves, and ski bibs that I had to keep dry and organized. The dryer has run almost nonstop these past two days. And boy, can kids playing out in the snow get hungry! It seems like all I've done is feed and dress kids, but I know I fit some playing in there, too.

Victoria's spunk has really been fun for us to see. She has loved sledding. The cold didn't bother her any. I told her once after watching her make an amazing run down the hill, "Wow! You are so brave!" She said, "I don't really know where it came from. I guess I just am." Later she asked me, "Mom, am I the best 5 year old sledder ever?" Of course I told her she is!

Despite all of the work involved in being a mom, I can confidently say, "Yes, Victoria, it is fun being a mom."

What We Do Wednesdays

CrAzY HaIr nIgHt 2008!
I knew I would have a hard time finding chances to post once school started back. It's been over 2 weeks. I'm home tonight playing with Samuel while everyone else is at church. Tonight is the one night of the month that all of our first 5 kids are in one place on a Wednesday night. It's large group worship and teaching for the youth- "Refuge". Madeline's at High School Refuge, Alex is at Middle School Refuge, and all others are at Awana.

Mark serves as the Sparks Director, along with his friend, Neal. Sparks are grades K-2 clubbers. Jacob is a Spark! I was able to be a Sparks leader last year, since a dear friend offered to keep Samuel for us. This year that sweet friend is serving as a Sparks leader!

Samuel and I are sitting this year out. His food allergies are too life threatening for him to be in the nursery around sippy cups of milk, or snacks like goldfish. When he's old enough to know not to eat those things he'll be ready to go to classes. For now, I'm just enjoying this precious time with my two year old son. He'll be big before we know it!

Victoria is a Cubbie, and Mary Liz is in T & T. They are thriving on all that they're learning from the Awana program.

Hawaiian Shirt Night 08

As I said before, this is the only Wednesday night of the month they're all in one place. The other Wednesdays Madeline goes to 10th Grade Girls' Bible Study in a home, and Alex to his 7th Grade Guys' Bible Study in another home. Samuel and I are the chauffeurs on the way there, and we make our weekly trip to the library together after dropping them off.

I have no idea when I'll have time to post again. We hosted Mary Liz's Indian Princess meeting here last night, and we're beginning to prepare for her 9th birthday. In the middle of our special events we have school, school, school, chores, basketball, church, school...

Off for storytime with Samuel- sounds like a good name for a kids show. And now, "Storytime with Samuel"!
Melinda