Day #25 - You just make do

Christmas shopping tomorrow... We hope to get it all done... With all 3 kids in tow. Should be interesting. Divide and conquer I guess.

This got me to thinking about how self-sufficient we have become. Not that we don't have people to lean on when we're really in a pinch, but Michael and I make do, with Michael and I. Date nights are non-existent. Quiet dinners are a thing of the past. Birthday and Christmas shopping has become a balancing act. Even visits to the restroom are no longer solo.

My little brother called tonight, excited about some business prospects, and asked what our plans were for this evening. I told him I was getting ready to go out to dinner. He asked where we were going... Well, I told him, we're going to Cottage Inn Pizza in Hillsdale. They have a play area for the kids, so Michael and I can have a little adult conversation before dinner arrives. Probably not "out for dinner" that my brother and his girlfriend experience. And actually, he said they were going to a movie tonight. Wow... A movie!?! It's been a long while since we've gone to a movie. But hey, this is our life.

And I wouldn't change it for anything!

It's been tough. I won't deny that. I've been sick and still had 3 babies to take care of. Michael has worked 3rd shift and had to try to sleep in the afternoon with screaming kids running through the house. There was the root canal/tooth infection fiasco, when I had my girls at the dentist office with me while they were drilling in my mouth. Kate and Lauren were at almost every one of my OB appts while I was pregnant for Madeline.

But we've powered through. And I even like to think that we're stronger because of it. I also know that I will never take any help for granted again.

It was quite a change going from living across the street from my mom to living in the middle of a field without any friends... It's tough to not have family close enough to help out.

But we've made friends. I have people that are totally willing to help me out now. Finally.

Now the twist has become - We're so used to doing it ourselves, it's strange to ask for help. We don't even think to drop the girls off somewhere, or ask someone to keep them for a few hours. That is now the "abnormal".

I think maybe we're just abnormal. ;-)

Blessings...
201. Pizza night
202. The beautiful big sister Kate is becoming
203. My 3 girls behaving at the restaurant and each eating a TON of pizza
204. The smiles we get walking through Walmart with 3 girls in our cart
205. Morning prayers with my amazing husband
206. God working in Miko's life
207. Advent dinner
208. Christian fellowship
209. Learning more and more about what God is calling us to do
210. Our girls and the 10 Commandments