1. The other night, my husband and I were getting ready to go out on a Valentine's Day date. This was our first date in a while and, since it was Valentine's Day, I decided to dress a bit fancy- you know, a dress, makeup, earrings- and when I went to say goodbye to the kids, my 7-year-old said to me, "Wow, Mommy! You're looking very foxy!"
2. Kenyan wishes he had a younger brother SO bad. In fact, he was so sure that baby #8 was going to be a boy. I believe he just loves the idea of having a little brother- teaching sports to him, being a role model, etc. Plus, there are so many girls in the house so who can blame a 6-year-old for wanting a little more testosterone in the house? Anyways, last night I overheard Kenyan playing with Ira and he said, "Ira you'd be the perfect brother! If I could choose anyone to be my brother, i'd choose you. You love playing in the dirt and your good at burping!" Okay, maybe I was wrong? Is all Kenyan looking for someone to play in the dirt and burp with?
3. This morning Gianna asked if she could have chocolate pudding for breakfast. After I said so because it wasn't healthy or nutritional for a morning meal, she said, "But Mom! Chocolate every day keeps the doctor away!" I just about burst out of my chair from laughing so hard.
4. Ira has a very close relationship to Wren and she is definitely a daddy's girl. This morning I was brushing her hair for church and she said to me, "Mommy, when I grow up i'm going to marry Daddy." I didn't take her that seriously and responded with, "But then who will I be married to?" She looked at me and said in a very persuasive and serious tone, "No one. You can just be a grandma." I then said, "Aw, but I want to be married to Daddy forever." And she looked at me, annoyed and dead serious that she was going to marry her father, and said, "Fine, we can trade. I'll give you my teddybear if you give me Daddy." Wow, looks like I have a businesswoman in the making!
5. Maya has been helping me cook dinner every night. She loves it and can't get enough of the attention she gets from everyone telling her "thank you" and "oh, Maya, this is very delicious." A couple of nights ago, Wren's boss came over for dinner with his wife and kids. Maya and I cooked a fancy dinner, one that she was particularly proud of. Before we began eating, Maya said, "Instead of saying our prayers, can we just have a moment of silence for this delicious meal I made?" Everyone was silent and burst out laughing!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Sunday FAQ (#1)
I'm sure many people have many questions about our family; about how we came to adopt, home school, have a large family, etc. These are all questions I would like to answer for you, so I have decided to start a new segment on this blog called Saturday Questions. Every Saturday I will answer five questions asked by blog readers. If you would like to ask me a question, leave a comment in the comments section below. For this week, I am answering five questions that I assume people would like to know... that I have been asked before.
Q: Do you have help throughout your days?
No, Wren and I do not employ additional help to assist us in raising our children and running our household. People always seem surprised by this answer, but just because we have a family of nine (almost ten) does not mean we are in need of a nanny or maid. Our house can be both as messy and as organized as any other family on this earth, we just choose to keep it clean and organized. And generally, doing so is not difficult. Sure there are more dishes to wash and more laundry to do, but with the help of structure, organization, and help from every member in the Kingston family, keeping a clean home is doable! We do have amazing family support, though. My four sisters and I all live within five miles from each other, and we are always available to help out and be there for each other.
Q: What kind of vehicle do you drive?
I drive a 14 passenger van. Wren and I purchased it in 2012 and we love it. It fits our growing family and there is tons of extra space.
Q: Do you ever get "me" time?
I am generally a person who does not need "me" time. I feel more joy spending time with my family, than going to the spa or doing something else by myself. With that said, I do take time for myself each day, away from my kids and husband to just take a break from all the noise and focus on myself. It is usually just for 30 minutes or less, and some days it even happens before anyone has woken up or after everyone has gone to bed. This time is wonderful and by the time my 30-minutes is up, I feel refreshed and ready to get back to motherhood. Usually during this time I might read, or blog, or even take a nap. I have the choice to do whatever I want to do, while Wren watches the kids. Thinking about it, though, there are plenty of other times during my weeks when I have "me" time: I shower by myself, I go grocery shopping by myself, I do laundry by myself, etc. And thanks to these little moments of quiet throughout my days, I am able to be a better wife and mother, I just know it.
Q: How did you and your husband decide to have a large family?
Wren and I both come from large families; he has five brothers and I have five sisters (funny, huh?). So we both based our desire to have a large family off of what we had growing up: lots of love and laughter, siblings as best friends, and even lots of hecticness and craziness. When we got married we thought we'd have maybe five kids, but we never settled on an actual number. Then, a couple months after our wedding, I got pregnant... while on the pill. I was definitely in shock but also excited about the baby that would be joining our family in eight months time. When Maya was born, I fell madly in-love with her and was distraught by the idea that because I was on birth control Abigail wasn't supposed to be mine, but by some miraculous act of God, she is. From that moment on, Wren and I made the decision that we would never use another form of contraception again, and allow all the blessings the Lord wants to give us to come naturally. That was the best decision of my life because now i've been blessed with seven miracles.
Q: What roles do you and your husband play in your family?
My husband is the patriarch and I am the matriarch of the family, which means he pays the bills and I raise the kids. While we do have distinct roles in our marriage, we do not base our positions in our family based on gender. Just because I am a woman, doesn't mean I should automatically stay home and raise our kids; and just because Wren is a man, doesn't mean he should automatically be the one to work. But for us, this is what works. I can't imagine doing anything else in life, and neither can Wren. We work as a team in our marriage and as parents to our kids, it's a fair trade off and i'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.
Q: Do you have help throughout your days?
No, Wren and I do not employ additional help to assist us in raising our children and running our household. People always seem surprised by this answer, but just because we have a family of nine (almost ten) does not mean we are in need of a nanny or maid. Our house can be both as messy and as organized as any other family on this earth, we just choose to keep it clean and organized. And generally, doing so is not difficult. Sure there are more dishes to wash and more laundry to do, but with the help of structure, organization, and help from every member in the Kingston family, keeping a clean home is doable! We do have amazing family support, though. My four sisters and I all live within five miles from each other, and we are always available to help out and be there for each other.
Q: What kind of vehicle do you drive?
I drive a 14 passenger van. Wren and I purchased it in 2012 and we love it. It fits our growing family and there is tons of extra space.
Q: Do you ever get "me" time?
I am generally a person who does not need "me" time. I feel more joy spending time with my family, than going to the spa or doing something else by myself. With that said, I do take time for myself each day, away from my kids and husband to just take a break from all the noise and focus on myself. It is usually just for 30 minutes or less, and some days it even happens before anyone has woken up or after everyone has gone to bed. This time is wonderful and by the time my 30-minutes is up, I feel refreshed and ready to get back to motherhood. Usually during this time I might read, or blog, or even take a nap. I have the choice to do whatever I want to do, while Wren watches the kids. Thinking about it, though, there are plenty of other times during my weeks when I have "me" time: I shower by myself, I go grocery shopping by myself, I do laundry by myself, etc. And thanks to these little moments of quiet throughout my days, I am able to be a better wife and mother, I just know it.
Q: How did you and your husband decide to have a large family?
Wren and I both come from large families; he has five brothers and I have five sisters (funny, huh?). So we both based our desire to have a large family off of what we had growing up: lots of love and laughter, siblings as best friends, and even lots of hecticness and craziness. When we got married we thought we'd have maybe five kids, but we never settled on an actual number. Then, a couple months after our wedding, I got pregnant... while on the pill. I was definitely in shock but also excited about the baby that would be joining our family in eight months time. When Maya was born, I fell madly in-love with her and was distraught by the idea that because I was on birth control Abigail wasn't supposed to be mine, but by some miraculous act of God, she is. From that moment on, Wren and I made the decision that we would never use another form of contraception again, and allow all the blessings the Lord wants to give us to come naturally. That was the best decision of my life because now i've been blessed with seven miracles.
Q: What roles do you and your husband play in your family?
My husband is the patriarch and I am the matriarch of the family, which means he pays the bills and I raise the kids. While we do have distinct roles in our marriage, we do not base our positions in our family based on gender. Just because I am a woman, doesn't mean I should automatically stay home and raise our kids; and just because Wren is a man, doesn't mean he should automatically be the one to work. But for us, this is what works. I can't imagine doing anything else in life, and neither can Wren. We work as a team in our marriage and as parents to our kids, it's a fair trade off and i'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.
Friday, February 22, 2013
7 Quick Takes Friday (#2)
2. The Tooth Fairy has made FOUR stops to our house this week. Wow! Maya (7) has lost three of her teeth this week and Kenyan (6) has lost one. The little kids think this is the absolute coolest thing ever and keep trying to pull out their own teeth! I'm not sure what they like more: the idea of the tooth fairy or finding money under their pillow. Hmmmm! One thing is for sure, though: the Tooth Fairy is going to be broke with the amount of kids in this family!
3. Wren and I are obsessed with Downtown Abbey! For a long time people told us we should start watching the show, and, probably after the 20th time of being told, we finally watched an episode. AND WE ARE HOOKED! Right now we are beginning season 2. We're not big television watchers, but this is one show that we definitely take time to watch. Wren and I make a date out of it, too. When we aren't totally exhausted and out of energy from raising 7 kids and being 9 months pregnant, Wren and I will lay on the couch at night and watch an episode or too. It is a great way to spend time together!
4. Kenyan and Amari love soccer so much. They have been playing since they were little boys, so every soccer season I sign them up to play on a team. They have already played for two years now and love it every year. That time of year came again where the boys were asking if they could play soccer. Of course my immediate answer was yes, but then I got to thinking about how soccer is just falling at the worst time for us this year. The league begins in March, this is when the baby is due, when we're expected to move (separate post coming soon), and when Wren has to go on a business trip for two weeks. After I had already said yes, I thought about possibly telling the boys it wasn't going to work out. But then I imagined their little faces and having to disappoint them; plus, it is just not worth it. We can make it work. It is more important to me that my kids are happy than not letting them participate in extra curricular activities for my sanity. Yesterday I took the boys to meet their team at a pre-season party and they were SO happy and SO excited. It is so worth it!
5. Maya has been interested in helping me in the kitchen lately. Each night when I cook dinner she is right by my side, helping me and learning. It is so much fun and such an amazing way to spend time with my daughter. She has graduated from observing and doing a few small tasks, to completely making side dishes on her own. Looks like I have a future chef on my hands! Of course she isn't cooking or baking anything too complex, but Maya makes some delicious cheddar biscuits. She is learning so much and she told me this morning that helping me cook will make her a great future wife and mommy. Awwww!
6. Yesterday, when Wren was at work, I called him saying I was having a rough day. I spent 30 minutes cooking a delicious lunch for the kids, only to find that none of the kids felt like eating what I had made. Arlet and Elaina would NOT go down for their naps. Amari scraped his knee and thought he needed to be hospitalized... literally. One of the kids broke a vase. Basically, the craziness of yesterday was insane. Thirty minutes after I called Wren, two of my sisters showed up at my door saying they'd take over the fort while I went out for a couple of hours to have some time for myself. Wren had called them and asked them to come over since he was at work and couldn't. Wow, I have the best husband and sisters ever. With four (magical, relaxing, peaceful, quiet) hours to myself, I felt like I had gone on vacation for a week. First I bought a new book from Barnes and Nobles and spent an hour reading it in my car (I needed absolute quiet), then I went out to lunch, got my nails done, and lastly, I went to fulfil my
7. Guess what?! Wren and I picked a name for baby #8 last night! We feel it is absolutely perfect for our baby girl and cannot wait to put a name to the face in the upcoming weeks. It is a name that we both equally love and it has a very special meaning. Just like our previous pregnancies, we're not sharing until her birth. But a couple weeks isn't bad, right? It's better than nine months!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
My Favorite Child (GASP!)
Disclaimer: The following post got its idea and originality from another large family, homeschooling, mothering blog. It is simply altered into my own words to best fit my family. See the wonderful post HERE.
Do you have a favorite child? I do, and i'm not afraid to admit it. In fact, I don't just have one favorite child, I have seven of them! Aren't I lucky?
Maya is the best oldest daughter a mother could have. She's responsible, obedient, trustworthy, helpful, and loves her younger siblings more than life itself. I call her my mini-mommy because she truly is like my younger kids second mom. A second mom for my kids? Wow, who can say that?! We get along so well that Maya must be my favorite child.
Amari is a mommy's boy. He is always by my side, my little buddy, and my best friend. This little boy is one of the happiest kids i've ever known, always laughing and smiling. I love his personality and how he is a glass-fall-full kind of boy. Amari and I are two peas in a pod, so he is definitely my favorite child.
Kenyan is without a doubt the funniest kid i've ever met. He is always making jokes and other people laugh (like me- all the time!). He is humorous beyond his years and he's never afraid to turn a dull situation into a funny one by saying jokes, doing funny dances, or just doing something funny. He knows this is one way to make Mommy happy because I love me some funny! This boy makes me laugh my pants off, so he is my favorite child.
Gianna is one of the sweetest people known to man. She is always smiling and her eyes can bright up someone's day. My girl is so friendly and has never met a stranger. And she'll do anything to make someone happy if they're having a rough time. Gianna is truly an easy child so she must be my favorite.
Ira is a little spunk, a firecracker, a wild girl! She has so much energy and is never tired, is so brave and adventurous, and loves to explore and try new things. This little girl makes every day fun and never dull. Ira is such a fun child so she must be my favorite.
Elaina is so very loving and generous. She loves sharing with her brothers and sisters and if she sees a child playing alone she will walk up to them and start playing with them. I don't think she considers herself one-years-old either, because she runs around with her bigger siblings like she's 7, but also gets on the floor and plays with baby Arlet. She is always happy so she must be my favorite.
Arlet is a mommy's girl. She is always by my side and can only go more than a few minutes without seeing me. As long as she is by my side everything with her is great. Her face lights up when she sees me and so does mine. I love her so much that she must be my favorite.
And lastly, baby number 8 (due any day now!): I already know I love her forever. She is filling a gap that has been in my heart for a long time. Baby Girl makes me so happy, so excited, and so full of joy... and I haven't even met her yet. Not everyone gets to say they are pregnant with their eighth child; wow, baby number 8 is for sure my favorite child.
As you can see, how can I have just ONE favorite child when I have these seven truly extraordinary children to call mine? Each one of them is truly extraordinary and so very unique. My eight babies fill my heart with absolute joy, bliss, and happiness. I cannot imagine my life without any of them, not one. They all bring something remarkable and incredible to my life, and I am so lucky, blessed, and honored to call Maya, Kenyan, Amari, Gianna, Ira, Elaina, Arlet, and Baby #8 my children.
Wow.
God is good.
Do you have a favorite child? I do, and i'm not afraid to admit it. In fact, I don't just have one favorite child, I have seven of them! Aren't I lucky?
Maya is the best oldest daughter a mother could have. She's responsible, obedient, trustworthy, helpful, and loves her younger siblings more than life itself. I call her my mini-mommy because she truly is like my younger kids second mom. A second mom for my kids? Wow, who can say that?! We get along so well that Maya must be my favorite child.
Amari is a mommy's boy. He is always by my side, my little buddy, and my best friend. This little boy is one of the happiest kids i've ever known, always laughing and smiling. I love his personality and how he is a glass-fall-full kind of boy. Amari and I are two peas in a pod, so he is definitely my favorite child.
Kenyan is without a doubt the funniest kid i've ever met. He is always making jokes and other people laugh (like me- all the time!). He is humorous beyond his years and he's never afraid to turn a dull situation into a funny one by saying jokes, doing funny dances, or just doing something funny. He knows this is one way to make Mommy happy because I love me some funny! This boy makes me laugh my pants off, so he is my favorite child.
Gianna is one of the sweetest people known to man. She is always smiling and her eyes can bright up someone's day. My girl is so friendly and has never met a stranger. And she'll do anything to make someone happy if they're having a rough time. Gianna is truly an easy child so she must be my favorite.
Ira is a little spunk, a firecracker, a wild girl! She has so much energy and is never tired, is so brave and adventurous, and loves to explore and try new things. This little girl makes every day fun and never dull. Ira is such a fun child so she must be my favorite.
Elaina is so very loving and generous. She loves sharing with her brothers and sisters and if she sees a child playing alone she will walk up to them and start playing with them. I don't think she considers herself one-years-old either, because she runs around with her bigger siblings like she's 7, but also gets on the floor and plays with baby Arlet. She is always happy so she must be my favorite.
Arlet is a mommy's girl. She is always by my side and can only go more than a few minutes without seeing me. As long as she is by my side everything with her is great. Her face lights up when she sees me and so does mine. I love her so much that she must be my favorite.
And lastly, baby number 8 (due any day now!): I already know I love her forever. She is filling a gap that has been in my heart for a long time. Baby Girl makes me so happy, so excited, and so full of joy... and I haven't even met her yet. Not everyone gets to say they are pregnant with their eighth child; wow, baby number 8 is for sure my favorite child.
As you can see, how can I have just ONE favorite child when I have these seven truly extraordinary children to call mine? Each one of them is truly extraordinary and so very unique. My eight babies fill my heart with absolute joy, bliss, and happiness. I cannot imagine my life without any of them, not one. They all bring something remarkable and incredible to my life, and I am so lucky, blessed, and honored to call Maya, Kenyan, Amari, Gianna, Ira, Elaina, Arlet, and Baby #8 my children.
Wow.
God is good.
Friday, February 15, 2013
7 Quick Takes Friday (#1)
2. My four oldest children had eye appointments yesterday. It was definitely time to see whether Maya and Gianna have poor vision like me or great vision like Wren. While we were at it, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to take Amari and Kenyan to get their vision checked. The appointment lasted three hours and I was definitely worn out by the end. The appointment was during their usual snack time, so they were all cranky and in need of a snack; and by the time their exams started (45 minutes after we checked-in!) they just wanted to run around and play! Amari also had a difficult time, he was so scared of all the machines. (Ever since we brought him home from Ethiopia, my little boy is very scared of things he's not used to in his normal environment. We've been working with him, slowly but surely, and we can definitely see an improvement in his ability to adapt to different situations, though.) After three hours, a few tantrums, and lots of crying it was determined that Maya, Gianna, and Amari do not need glasses. Wow, I thought for sure the girls would need them! Unfortunately, Amari does. And I say unfortunately because he's definitely going to have a difficult time adjusting to them.
3. I've been a reading fanatic lately. I've always loved reading but am finally getting to the point where I can find time to read each day... even if it may be at night before I go to bed. I love, love, love memoirs and biographies. Some of my favorites are Bloom, Heaven is Here, The Obamas, Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, and The Freedom Writers Diary, though I could go on and on about my other favorite books! My love of reading has definitely rubbed off on my kids. Seeing Mommy read encourages them to read and they think its cool when they see me reading... I love that! We've gotten in the habit of having "Mommy/Children Reading Time" at night before bed. I sit with the oldest four and we read together for 30 minutes. It's a great way to spend time together and educational, too!
4. The oldest four are home schooled, but their curriculum is based through the school. Every Monday they go to school and interact in a regular classroom setting, with other students, and learn everything kids of the same age learn; their work is assigned on Monday, throughout the week they work on it, and on Friday they go back to school to turn in and have their work graded. It's great for their social skills (not they have any social issues, they have six siblings after all!) and they love that they have a teacher and friends. Since there was no school on Friday, the kids went to school on Thursday, which also happened to be Valentines Day. Maya, Gianna, Amari, and Kenyan all got to participate in the Valentine's Day festivities the school had to offer, including giving each of their classmates a valentine. It was a great day!
5. Speaking of Valentine's Day, Wren and I went on our first date of the year on February 14th. We usually try and go on a date every two weeks, but lately we've either been too tired or too busy to go to dinner and a movie. Instead we have been waiting until the kids go to bed, then stay up talking and laughing over dinner in our home (which is equally as special), but it was Valentine's Day and Wren thought it was the perfect excuse for a romantic night out. He surprised me with dinner at my favorite restaurant- The Melting Pot- and a trip to the bookstore for a couple of new books. My husband knows how to make me feel special: fondue and books! Then we went home and, even after a delicious dessert of chocolate fondue, I was craving chocolate covered strawberries and Wren whipped some up for me. I just love my husband!
6. This probably isn't newsworthy, but I feel like I need to write this down. My 4-year-old daughter, Ira, is currently obsessed with frogs. And by obsessed, I mean addicted. She has at least ten stuffed frogs, frog pajamas, frog slippers, frog bed sheets, frog books, and a frog beanie. None of my children have never been this interested in something, but Ira is truly committed to her froggies! She has a birthday coming up and I have a pretty could idea of what she wants the theme to be. Can you guess? FROGS!
7. I cannot believe in less than one month another Kingston baby will join our family. This baby has technically already joined our family, but it will feel more real when she is actually here. Wren and I are finishing up all the last minute preparations we need to complete before baby: install the car seat, pack my hospital bag, make childcare plans for the kids, etc. One thing we still have to do, though, is come up with a name. We've gone back and forth between our favorite names, but cannot seem to agree. This has never happened to us before, and with our other pregnancies we came up with a name by the sixth month. Oh well, she'll have a name sooner or later!
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