From Pigeon Forge

Each day i have tried to capture our adventures!  I am not doing a great job at it.  These are from our days here,  so far.  

This Christmas had been anything but normal.  I guess this is what we call the new normal.  Not having a kid with us,  taking other puerile along.  I love having a friend with us,  kinda gives us a taste for what life will be like when they are married.  It's weird,  it's reality that we could have married children.  

Probably the one i feel the worse for its Carmen.  Her "family traditions" have stopped at such a young age.  We did not get up this year hunt for stockings, take a family picture in our jammies  and then open gifts,  have breakfast and then let the kids compete making gingerbread houses.  This year was all different!  We loved having church on Christmas this year!  Our family was fragmented,  the older 3 had places to go,  friends to go see.  One child who no longer lives with us and had her own life.  It's been hard, all the other 3 have always know was gone this year!  

I love my kids I want them to always want to be part of the family.  Adjusting to their lives and not being upset or feeling kicked to the curb is hard.  How do parents do this?  No one warned me of this time,  no one told me of the empty feeling this time would create.  It honestly makes me want my kids to go from the nest to marriage all the more.  This in-between stage is hard.  I don't want to share unless I have to.  

We are in pigeon forge and I still have 4 kids with me. It does not mean i don't miss my sweet pea!  I love this time,  i love this opportunity to get to know someone better.  I love hearing the laughter,  the screams of joy and screams of nervousness!  

We rented a cabin that has a video game system-  the old school games we grew up on!  Donkey Kong,  frogger, pac man  and so many more.  The guys play and all is calm,  the girls play (including myself) and there are screams,  there are shrieks,  there are encouraging words said to others.  It is so funny!  No guessing how is girls are playing!  You don't even need to be in the room where the games are and you know just how we are playing! 

It's been different,  it's been an eternal fight!  It's been fun,  it's been encouraging!  

This is life as I know it!  Life keeps changing but it is my life and I am enjoying every moment watching my kiddos grow. 

I love my sweet pea,  I miss my sweet pea,  I adore my sweet pea,  I am encouraged by my sweet pea,  I am proud of my sweet pea! 

This is a glimpse of the future and one day I will not just have 4 kiddos,  I will have 8! If that's the Lords plan,  until then I will remind myself to enjoy each day that I have been blessed with!