I find that life with chaos does not completely describe our family anymore......I think Life gone wild could be more fitting for this phase in our lives.
If not for the LOVE of the children we (Brian and I both) would be completely insane..........Yes, I know some think we already are but I think Like any mental illness you never really see your own issues..HA Ha.Wow do we have issues!!!!
There is first the time factor...Hmmmm, Where does it go?
So here I am writing now after Eight weeks of Life with our Audrey Hai Ping. I had such great intentions of keeping up !
Part of the problem is that the kids and I decided to move to the lake for the summer. We have horrendous internet and phone connection. I am lucky to get a call out so we hope for calls in to be in touch! The internet is sometimes good and sometimes non existent.......Especially if my darling Chinese shadow is around!
Overall we could not ask for a better kid.......We love her deeply and know she is settling into life as a Johnson. Today for example she asked for Chocolate with such perfect English I knew she was meant to be ours!!
We do have our moments and sometimes I wonder if we will get through them. Our weekdays are good if we keep with a strong routine but once we move onto the weekend things fall apart.
It is hard for her to not know what to expect next. Weekends are crazy with company, late dinners and bedtimes. Typically she will turn on me and find the person we fondly call the weakest link......Usually the newest person who has not yet tired of her shadowing them. More than likely a pretty mama or auntie who likes to give in easily. Although both Mark and my brother Rob were targets over the weekend.
If I say no she runs to her new friend and gives me evil looks and disrespect.
I love that she finds friendship with all of our guests but I admit I am tired of the game and the disrespect. Jenni who has spent the most time with us here at the lake has proved to be the best of friends because she puts up with all of our ups and downs, takes a loving but firm approach and has the gentle art of "I said NO" to a perfection along with me. I am now not feeling so alone.
Even Brian after a week off of work for the fourth has now joined the bad guy club and joined the ranks of "NO" people.
Weekdays alone with Jen and the girls really are the best. Quiet almost in comparison to the weekends. Even with seven kids under one roof. We start our day with morning chores and then school time.It took her about a week here to get the chore thing.
Getting it means not wanting to do them, continuing to say "NO" while doing them and being mad at me the whole time but doing them just barely-
She now has figured out it is much easier to just get through the chores , do the school work with mama and then she is free for swimming.....Thank you LORD for water! A bath tub, lake or Pool is all I need as leverage. Well I admit the kitchen wooden spoon threat on the hiney now works well also but I REALLY do like to use the positive before resorting to the old wooden paddle trick! ( yes mom , I know I said I would NEVER be like you...but then I grew up and become a mother.......)
I know it sounds like a ton of negatives but it is all true. She is driving me crazy, wearing me out and creates a ton of work......So do my other kids each in their own way. I love it and would never have life any other way.
It's the smiles we see that tell us she loves life here with us. From ear to ear as she rides the wake on the giant tube with her sister and the boys. Jumping waves on the shores of Lake Michigan with Adrienne or playing babies with Alexa who she has fondly nicknamed LOTLOT. It could be the love we see as she gives baby Cayden gentle kisses and the hugs she readily gives her Grannies and Grandpas.
Sometimes I am wrong and this girls gentle heart is crushed as I accuse her of doing something or NOT doing something and then realize the conversation has been LOST IN TRANSLATION. I can tell you those times are the hardest for all of us...... when her heart breaks ours does as well and their have been days we have all been in tears.
It is amazing how much she "gets" and how much I "don't" at times. I give her credit for the patience she has for us as parents. This kiddo is strong. The shell is melting slowly and the soft inside full or love and compassion is coming out.
School will be the best thing for her. Knowing what will happen next and having daily structure are a must.
Back to the time issue....Forth of July is over and I always feel like half the summer has come and gone at this point! I am happy we have almost eight more weeks before the end of the summer and I can't wait to see how much more she changes.
So much more and never enough computer time these days....
More later on Wild Lake life with the Johnsons-
