My comeback.

Okay, so it HAS been awhile. For that, I am sorry. Truly sorry. I have had the busiest two weeks of my entire life. Whoa. Here goes....

I have learned many, many things since my family size grew, overnight, from five to six. I have learned that: big babies are better eaters, sleepers and poopers than small babies, that God does in fact know what he's doing regarding the timing of their birth. 

That three adults and four children in 700 square feet can feel a teensy bit cramped. 

That regardless of the time, who's throwing a tantrum, or who needs to eat dinner, when it's time to nurse the baby it's time to just sit down and take the next 20 minutes to nurse that baby. 

That babies don't understand that we're "busy right now". 

That it's possible to have four children crying at the same time, all for entirely different reasons. That it's possible to console each one, in the order the complaint was received of course.

That you can buy 12 different kinds of Binky's and the baby still prefers to suck on the back of the 17 month old's chubby hand.

That when you surround yourself with wonderful, faith-filled women who value family, you get about 8 HUGE meals which you can freeze and use to feed your family for WEEKS!

That most of those meals will be chicken enchilada casseroles.

That the vacuuming and the laundry and the dishes and the cooking and the baking and the sweeping and the 22 "thank you" cards and the phone call returning and the dusting and the toy cleaning up and the paper reading and email responding must all be done during that time period that people are referring to when they say, "sleep when the baby sleeps". Um, okay.

That it is totally possible to go to Walmart AND get items that you are in need of with four kids. It might not be quiet. It might not be quick. But it IS possible. And it's possible to feel a certain amount of pride when people look at you strolling along, with your 17 month old strapped in the cart, your two week old in the Bjorn on your chest and the 3 and 5 year olds with "one hand on the cart at all times". Pride in your family and pride in your children. Each one of them.

That the recounting of an entire day can be summed up in one small sentence, the very first sentence in fact, that your toddler has learned to say; "I'm sorry, Ella." And, no, he still can't say Mommy.

That even though you're back into your size 8's, they don't quite fit the same way. In fact, they're a little more snug than they were pre-pregnancy. They must have shrunk.

That hand-me-downs are beautiful gifts from GOD.

That building a new house while also welcoming a new member to your family has the potential to make a 29 year old grown man giddy like a teenager. I don't know who has been more excited, Steve or the kids.

That grandparents, like hand-me-downs, are beautiful gifts from God. Invaluable in every way. That parenting is made so much easier with their help, their supplement.

That structure and routine are not only useful, they are necessary. They make one who is sinking able to swim. They make unruly and bored children entertained and enjoyable. They make a "surviving" family able to thrive. We do not have enough of these two things right now. We are working on it. We are getting there. But we don't have enough. One more week.

That cell phones die during the most critical moments in an important conversation and 3,000 ants can somehow find and survive on a single cheerio. Even if you use ant bait. Even if you spray them. Even if you sweep 17 times a day.

That each child still needs alone time with Mom and Dad every now and then. Even if they say they don't. Even if they say that they'd rather just play with their sister or brother. That giving a child a sibling is sweeter than giving them cotton candy.

That my marriage just got stronger. My family just got bigger. My life just got busier. That although our quaint little rental just got exponentially smaller, the room in my heart just expanded. We just became richer.

So, that, my friends, is what I have been up to, what I have been learning. I thank you for your love, your generous and regular comments and prayers and your support. I thank you, sweet Grandma and Noni for your help over these last few weeks. You mean more to us than you can ever know and we can only hope to be able to fully repay you one day.