The day has arrived.........

Monday was the day.   The twins, Ash and Megan hopped on the bus and headed to their school destination.  Ash got up to her alarm.  I told Brooke to get up, in which she responded, "YES!  THIS IS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME DAY!"  I got Macy up, to which she responded, "ARRRGGGHHH!!!!  NO! LET ME SLEEP!"  Wow!  Two kids, the same age, such different responses.  Macy cuddled with me, asked if she could stay home with me all day.  Luckily I had to go to work, or I would've said, "sure."  She then asked when is the next snow day.  Hehehe!  But she finally work up and got excited.  It was ok.  I went to work.  I had to be home to get Leah to high school sign in and bring her to work.  Busy day.  I was waiting in the driveway for the ladies when they got home.  Everyone was excited.   A few tears (from mom) but I kept it to myself so they didn't think I was nuts.

Then came Tuesday.......a 5 in school and I didn't have to work.  We had a good morning.  They got on the bus.  But Steve was still home.  We hung out: coffee and the Today Show.  Then he said, "I gotta go to work, love ya."  I said, "wait, what am I suppose to do all day?"  He laughed at me and told me to do whatever I want.  Have fun!    It's a strange feeling, is all I have to say.  It's a lonely, lost feeling.  It's quiet.   So I ran, but you can't do that all day.   Then I majorly cleaned the bathroom (boring).  Then I went out for lunch and hung out with my mom (YEAH FUN). 
All in all, it was a good day.  I only called Steve 3 or 4 times :)  When you've had kids under foot for 15 years it's strange to just do whatever you want or need, without thinking about the child that's attached to your leg. I told Steve maybe I should work full time, but he said, not quite yet.  (I think he thinks our house needs to be cleaned first). 
The girls are having fun, so I have to be excited for them.  What amazing ladies!  Praise the Lord!

Fun Fun Fun

Brooke did have her appointment with her pulmonologist (lung doctor).  I asked Steve to come with, because 4 ears are better than 2, and he can buffer my thoughts (I have a strong personality sometimes that needs taming.)  When we get there Brooke goes and does a bunch of breathing tests.  It took a little while this time.  I kept thinking, "oh brother, we're in trouble."  The inhalers they told me to give her last year, I failed to give.  I voluntarily didn't give them and I was prepared for them to be upset with me.   Brooke came back, PA came in and said all the tests look good.  She does not see why Brooke would need the inhalers, with the exception of if she's sick.  She said she might get sick faster than others, due to a lower immune system, but it appears she had a great year.   WOW!  We were so happy!!!  And we agreed, but the doctors don't always agree with us :)  So it's a pleasant surprise when they say, "don't come back unless you need us." 

So now that we put the asthma thing to rest, Brooke has decided to carry on with something else.  Glasses!!!  She is actually super excited about them.  At her physical they said her eyes changed a little, have them checked out.  So we did.  It appears one eye is normal and the other is not and she has astigmatism.   She is suppose to patch her good eye, once a day, to strengthen her other eye and then wear glasses as much as she can.  All do able.  Macy was bummed.  She said, " I was the one that wanted glasses.  Brooke gets all the fun things."  Hehehe, oh my!  Poor girl! 
Macy is wearing my glasses.  Had to feel included :)

The other new addition is...........a car!  We found the car for Leah.  The venture for a car has been interesting.  It consisted of Steve and I both on line searching and sending each other links (often times we were in the same room).  Then I'd drag him all over to look at some crappy car.  I don't think Leah had much hope.  Her expectations were/are low :)  But when we asked her, what she thought, she said, "I'll drive whatever you buy.  I may not tell you it's good looking, but I'll drive it."  We found some interesting automobiles. And we laughed a lot.  We settled on an Intrigue.  Oddly enough, we had an Intrigue when she was born.  She doesn't remember that :)  She seems ok with it.  There's been a lot of washing, fixing up, making it her own and saying, "dad can I drive it.  Dad can I drive it, Dad can I drive it.  Please DADDY!".  She has 2 months til she gets her license so I told her I'm going to break it in :) 

2 girls are off at camp!  Megan and Ashley are at camp Geneva.  Home is quiet, in a strange way.  But we pray they are having a riot, away from their sisters and family.  Becoming the young women God intends them to be.  Let your light shine ladies!!!

1 1/2 weeks til school starts.  So crazy!  I'm ready, and I'm not ready.  On days they are fighting, it's time to go to school.  On days they are getting along, I want summer to last forever.  Soon enough they will all be in school.    What shall I do with myself?   :)  I'm pretty sure it'll be ok!

 

Birthdays and Anniversary's

Summer is flying by!. June 30 was the twins birthday.  They got to spend the day at the beach and of course there were presents.  It's difficult to find gifts for girl #4 and #5.  I am thankful for new inventions that keep us entertained. They got a new scooter and razor bike. It is quite entertaining if I do say so. Leah and I look a little funny riding it but I promised her I would NOT post pictures of that.

Steve and I went to a Tigers game.  It was fun to go away, with just us.  We heard NUMEROUS times how unfair it was that we were leaving the kids home.  And they NEVER get to do ANYTHING fun. I told them when they get married they can go.  Megan said, "sign me up."  We are now nervous.  But we did have a great time.  It's not even where you go, it's being able to have conversations and not being interrupted or wondering who's listening :)  The girls stayed with my parents and my uncle and aunt at the beach.  Not sure my Uncle Larry and Aunt Brenda planned on having a kid in their trailer but they were awesome sports and they made Ashley feel so special!!!  She was very happy to not have to stay with her sisters.

Next up is Megan and Ashley's birthdays!  They are had a joint birthday party which they were super excited about.  The nice thing about this age is, I don't really have to plan much.  Just say, "yes" or "no" and buy the stuff.  They take care of the rest.  Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet girls! 

 


For some reason lately, my focus with the girls has been contentment.  We observe so much discontentment in this world.  I had a dad ask me, many years ago, "when will my children be content?  It's always, more, more more."  I thought it was funny he was asking me, because he was a lot older than me, but I understood and I still think of it to this day.  It's something we all strive for, and something I SOOOOO want to engrain in my children.  God put us here for a purpose and we don't want to get caught up in the worldy ways. 
This summer we got our kids started on Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace jr, for kids.  Steve and I believe in this program.  Steve has listened to him on the radio forever!!!  When someone is "cheap" we say they are "dutch" but this is not that.  This is being smart.  It's simple, they work.  (the older 2 have jobs so that's much easier.  The younger 3 have chores, more work for me :)  When they get their money, they divide it up into save, spend and give.  Each child has a different percent of spend and save depending on age and what they are saving for.  They have all been excited about it.
More than teaching them smarts with their money, we're trying to teach them contentment.    Contentment when you have much and contentment when you have little.  We can try :)

Not much time left before school starts.  We are going to try and fit in a little more fun.  2 girls have camp, and 1 more camping trip.  God is good!

The Golden Girls!

Have you ever watched the show, "the Golden Girls."?  Rose, Blanche, Sophia and Dorothy.  All live in a house together, are best of friends, some are related and they BICKER like crazy.  (I'm dating myself here) When I was young and babysat a lot, that's the show that was on Saturday nights.  And to this day, I can still sit and watch the show and laugh.
My parents and grandparents came over for Father's day.  I found my grandpa sitting in the recliner, laughing and laughing and laughing.  I then realized.  We are a sitcom, to the outside world.  It's funny to watch.  But you live in it?   HOLY MOLY!! 
These children are driving me batty!  As soon as school got done we went camping.  A week of FREEDOM!!!!  There were TONS of kids there.  The kids ran and ran, played, swam, rode bikes, ate whenever, stayed up late.  It was a riot!   Now we are home.  They don't like this life.  As a result they bicker. Like old ladies. 

With all that being said......Leah left for camp and this was the scene.  All girls crying because they love each other so much and will miss her.  It's crazy!  I never had a sister, so I have a hard time understanding these girls sometimes.  My brother just punched me in the arm and said, "see ya later."

But with all the bickering and hugging and loving, I guess it's normal. It's the new dynamic for the summer in the household. Every stage is a little different.  We might as well embrace our Golden Girls and move forward.   Happy Summer!

Answered Prayers!

Have you ever had answered prayers?  I'm going to back up a bit.  About 4+ years ago, Steve and I were at a cross road in our lives, in many ways. We had twins, that brought our number of children to 5.  And one of them had a few issues.  You know the story. 

Steve and I both worked.  We were fortunate that my work gave me a lot of time off and was very flexible.  As well as, Steve took a lot of time off, became Mr. Mom, and our parents helped us.  But we needed stability.  We prayed for an answer.  How were we going to make this work.  We talked about me staying home with the girls, but when I carry the insurance, that was hard to do.  So I cut down to the minimum hours and we prayed.  God has always shown us the next step.  Some one always kept coming to mind.  A friend I've known for years.  But why would she want to take care of my kids?  She didn't do daycare.  I asked her and ya know what, God was putting the same thing on her heart.  Hence came.....Miss Dawn!..

Miss Dawn has been such a blessing in our lives.  She learn to do tube feedings and all of our girls quirky personalities.  She'd cry with us when Brooke was gagging and sick and we couldn't help her.  She taught the girls how to sing songs, play games, crafts, "read" books, play store and she loved them!  She noticed things that I didn't.  One day she said to me, "you're girls don't know how to play store."  She was so right.  The girls never got out, and definitely not to a germy store.  Normal play a lot of kids would have, our girls were taught by Miss Dawn. 


This week is Miss Dawn's last week for babysitting.  Summer will be here and then the girls go to school.  I'm not going to lie, I'm very sad.  I've cried a lot about it the past few weeks. She has partnered with us to help raise them and she's been such a blessing.  We are so lucky that she's our friend and we'll still get to see her.  Just on a different level. 
We LOVE YOU MISS DAWN!!!!!   Thank you for answering God's calling and blessing our family!

"FREEZE"

The title has nothing to do with weather and everything to do with time. I want time to stop.  In high school I spent 4 years wishing it would hurry up and be done.  I was not a fan and most days seemed to take forever. Then I got married and went to college and I've been wishing for time to slow down every since.

Especially this week!!!  The twins are done with preschool.  I'm not a fan. I want them to stay young. Typically, at the Koemans, once one is done with preschool, there is another one on the way. But that cycle has ended, and I'm ok with that. However, I am finished with everyone growing up. The girl's ages are perfect and we need to stay this way.  They are old enough to do things and be somewhat independent, but young enough to love me. Oh hah! I cried more at the end of the year than I did the beginning! With all that said, I'm really fine :) I'm not as much of a basket case as I sound.

 I was reading a book that said, "we celebrate their firsts, but not their lasts."  The kids don't understand, "lasts" but the grown ups do.  Today we got to go to a park with young 5 classes.  And we plan to have some play dates. 
That's the celebration thus far, but I think a cake may be in order. This is a big deal!  Next year is the Big Time!  All day, every day!  
Congratulations to my Young Fivers to an amazing year!!  You girls ROCKED it!!!

Hacks a lot!

Steve got up Friday morning and said, "Ok that's it. Call the doctor.  That kid hacks all night."  Brooke has had a dry, barky, slightly croupy cough for a week +.   We've done her albuterol inhalers, but haven't seen too much improvement.  I thought about trying allergy meds, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.  She acts fine.  Just hacks a lot! 
So we got into her pediatricians office.  Her MD was busy and we saw another one.  She was a very nice person.  Appeared very intelligent.  She said Brooke's lungs were very tight and wheezy.  So they did two nebs and ended up prescribing steroids.  Brooke has a pulmonologist that she saw in the fall.  That MD said her testing was questionable for asthma and they put her on an inhaler that she should be on daily.  I don't do well with questionable diagnosis.  And I don't do meds for questionable reasons.  So the MD on Friday asked why she wasn't taking her Qvar every day.  I explained why and she said, "I bet she's had a rough winter because you haven't been doing it.  Look she had pneumonia in March."   So many answers went through my head. My devotions this morning was to not look at the negative, but find a positive.  So my response was, "this is the best year she had since she was born."  She said, "but it could've been better." 
I don't know how to take some physicians.  You see, I worked in an MD office for 9 years.  I know how IRRITATING parents can be.  And I can feel myself being an irritating parent.  I've been on their side. I spent years giving parents advise, and being upset when they didn't listen.  I still have names in my head of parents that drove me nuts! I understand what they are feeling, and I am truly sorry!   But now I find myself trying to explain why I don't take advise.  Why can't I just listen and follow direction?  How hard is it?  But it appears I second guess everything.  I agreed to the steroids, and we've been doing nebs to help with this cough.  (It's pretty easy, the kid sets up her own neb machine :)
Steve and I talked about the Qvar, and we both agree, we'll talk to the pulmonologist when we go in July.  We need more information.  We need to be sold on what we are doing and why. 
Steve isn't convinced the steroids are working yet.  She still has a nasty cough.  The steroids have had an impact on her A T T I T U D E!!!  HOLY MOLY!!!  It's horrendous at times.  Unbearable!  And other times she's sweet as pie.  This too shall pass. 
As my devotions said, Proverbs 23;7.  "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."  
Think positive and you're heart will be as well.  I told Steve during one of Brooke's melt downs.  "she's alive."  That was about as positive as I could be at that point, but it still puts a smile on my face.  Preschool ends next week.  The twins are EXCITED to start kindergarten.  We made it!  All the girls have had a great year, and we are BLESSED!!!  I'll take it.