Our 7th Kid

Way back last August when the school year started, I had a mid-life crisis... My kids were growing up.  Four of the six were in school now ALL day.  Whitlee was 2 1/2 and Bronson was 4 1/2 and they were just getting too easy to handle (What?!?  Really, did that just come out of my mouth?).  I didn't have a baby to wrestle with all day, nor was I pregnant and tired.  I finally had to admit to myself that that time of my life was gone.  I was feeling a little empty and one night I just couldn't sleep for anything.  I woke up Zac at 3 a.m. and told him that I was missing something in my life and I didn't know what it was... I knew it wasn't another baby... did I need to update my teaching certification and start considering teaching school?  Did I need to go a new direction, write grants, real estate, start a home based business?  I was up ALL night researching hundreds of different possibilities.  I still had no resolution.  The very next day, my next door neighbor called me out of the blue.  She had a friend that needed help.  Did I know someone who did in-home day care that would consider taking in a spunky little 18-month old red headed girl?  Yes!  The second she said it, it clicked.  This was what was missing.  I talked it over with Zac to make sure I wasn't crazy and then I arranged a meeting with Josie and her mother.  It was a perfect fit for both of us.  It has now almost been a year and we have watched Josie 5 days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Needless to say she has very much become a part of our family.  The kids have taken her in as another sister and Whitlee has absorbed her as a best friend/ twin.  I am being reminded daily about what it was like to have toddler twins again.  I have to be careful when planning a trip to the bathroom... did I put away all nail polish, syrup, butter, make up, and anything with 1,000 pieces, if not I will hear about it within 1 minute of shutting the door to the bathroom.  Of course, there are the occasional squabbles over who will get to play with Elmo Karaoke first... but for the most part these two are inseparable.  Every day, Josie shows up and Whitlee outfits her with a tutu and they both spend hours dancing.  Bronson had never been so obliging.  

In the past year we watched as Josie came to us with a big diaper bag full of diapers, wipes, blankies, stuffed animals, and snacks... to gradually losing each of those items as she has turned into a little girl.  It has been so fun to raise a "baby" again.  It gave me an excuse to snuggle and rock again with both girls as my girl was getting too big, but now once again obliged me with her new little friend.

  This has been so good for Whitlee to learn to share, to talk kind, to be patient, and have good manners.  It hasn't necessarily been an easy road for her.  To Josie's credit, she has been amazing.  It can't be easy to have your mommy gone all day and have to rely on some strange lady to help fulfill all your needs, but she has been sweet and has such good manners.  I have been tempted at times to take the money I earn watching Josie and hire someone to watch Whitlee... ha ha.  I am so excited that Whitlee has this best friend of hers to see her through the next couple of lonely years of all of her siblings being in school.  These girls have many fun adventures ahead starting with swimming lessons, preschool, and gymnastics all this Fall.  We don't know what we would do without our Josie girl.  If ever there is a day when these two are apart, it is hard on them both.  

What a blessing in our lives!