I’m Back!

8 lb 3 oz, born in June… such a sweet boy!

Dear Readers, OH HOW I’VE MISSED YOU!

Both Traci and I (Linda) have dropped out of the virtual world for a while and for the same reason.  We both had our 8th babies!  Traci had another little girl, Rachel (7 girls and 1 boy) and I had another little boy, Johannes (bringing our total to 6 boys and 2 girls).

Many in this world of ours question having so many children these days.  I will give my brief answer as to just ONE reason why I have continued having children: Human Life Value.  Each child has taught me something new.  They have each become amazing, creative, bright young people.  Each has their own unique contribution to make to this world and to our family.  Each has so much to give; I shudder at the thought of snuffing out a light that may brighten the path for this dark world we live in.  I have grown to love being a mother with all my heart.  Raising righteous, capable, loving children has become my life’s mission.  (Little proviso: Just because I feel this way does not mean I expect everyone to.  A topic for another day.)  Motherhood is my joy and my delight.  (It has been a learning process.  I didn’t start out this way- but that is, yet again, another topic for another day).

My 18 year old son is now blogging and has become the impetus for me returning to my blog.  You can visit Andrew over at Libertas Creed.  He has some deep philosophical ideas and shares them in bite size pieces.

I’ve learned a lot about nutrition and eating healthy with our family while I’ve been away.  Just one quick lesson: don’t be so hard on yourselves!  We can’t do it all- we just can’t.  There isn’t time in the day to do it all.  A quote my husband shared with me:

We can’t do everything at once, but we can do SOMETHING at once.  

We really are working to do what we can, where we can, with what we have available to us.  We try our hardest and do our best and we can be happy and pleased with that.  Progress is progress, no matter how small.  And progress adds to our happiness.  And isn’t that why we want good health in the first place?  At least one reason anyhow- being healthy leads to happiness.  Knowing our family is healthy provides a mother with peace of mind.  But we can’t control how healthy our family is- we can only control what we choose to do.  And I can choose to be a good example for my children and lovingly show them and patiently teach them ways they can be healthy.  Isn’t it good to know you don’t have ultimate control over them- their health is their choice.  And my health really isn’t even my choice either.  Some things are out of my control.  But I can choose in the areas where I do have control.  I will write more about that later.

Johannes is up and typing one handed isn’t my forte!  We just need to take time to acknowledge to ourself that we are working on it and it is enough.

Love and happiness to each of you!

Linda =)