Purely Clear in Everything Knoxville

I was interviewed today by Mitch at Everything Knoxville Magazine. They are doing a story for their Mother’s Day issue in May on moms with five or more children and how they manage to handle the kids, job, activities, etc.

I have five children ages 24, 23, 21, 13 and 11. I also have four grandchildren ages four, a boy and girl each 20 months and a precious little six month old.

After the interview was over I began to think of all those things about my kids that made me smile and laugh like when Jonah was six years old and hit his first home run. I still remember it like it was yesterday, running to the dugout in slow motion. I was on pins and needles when Danielle won the spelling bee championship in fifth grade. Jacob blew me away when he shot a 69 in golf at the Tennessee State Championship in high school. Those are memories I will treasure forever.

Leah and Micah still live at home with me and Danny. We home school them, and Leah is a budding artist and Micah has a love and understanding for science that astounds me.

I wish I had written down more of those memories, but when the children were really young I didn’t get a shower every day let alone have time to write down those little things they said and did.

Life with a large family can be very chaotic and unpredictable at times, but that just comes with the territory. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and defeated with all the responsibility. Sure, I’ve made lots of mistakes as a parent, and there are things I wish I had done differently; but at 47 I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. I don’t beat myself up if my house isn’t clean or the flower garden is full of weeds. When the day is done that’s not what really matters after all.

What I treasure now is when my older children call me to check in or want to grab lunch or dinner; or when my daughter-in-law calls to chat or ask a “what would you do” question.

Those crazy days of diapers and sleep deprivation may be gone, but they will always be my babies.

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