WHO AM I

Today our youth pastor's message was on "Who Am I?" It was a wonderful message.
We should never forget as Christians we are God's children. The sacrifice of His Son on the cross was huge. More than we could ever imagine.
As we become Christians, we become children of THE KING. His blood has covered us and made us whole.
When I think about what was said today it became clear to me that everything I am is because of God's hand on my life.

So here are the stats:

I am a woman who is fearfully and wonderfully made. God took care of that!
I am the wife of a neurologist who just happens to be the best in the world at what he does. I couldn't imagine in my wildest dreams marrying someone so perfect for me. God had it all planned out.
I am a 40 something mom of six. I am the mom to the most beautiful two daughters in the world. I am the mom to the four most handsome boys in the world. My thoughts years ago were to be a career woman and not have children. I wasn't cut out for family life. God knew the truth.
I am the daughter of a 30+ year cancer survivor the world of medicine did not know of a cure but God knew more.
I am not out to change the entire world. God didn't call me for that. He called me to change the world of my six children and in doing so teach them His ways.
I have never shied away from a challenge but I had no idea God would challenge me as hard as He has in the last year.
I am not an educator but God has a plan for me to educate others on His life and plan.

When I was working around the house today, "Who I Am" was on my mind. Then the more I thought about it the more it became clear to me. It is time now to work on what I want to be when someone says, "Who was Cindi?"

I want people to remember me by my love for my family. I want my children to remember their mom as someone who loved them with all her heart and wanted the very best for them. I want my children to remember me by following God's plan for each of their lives.

I wanted to be remembered by my faith. God's plan for our lives requires faith. It is not easy to roll with the punches. Faith in God and His plan keeps us safe.

I want to be remembered for my passion of telling others. Life is so short. I have memories from a young that seem as if it was only yesterday. Time passes on. Sharing the gospel should have top priority.

But it is not enough to be remembered for "telling others". I want to be remembered for showing others the way. Practice what you preach. Don't just tell about the Bible. Show the Bible and God's love in every single thing you do.

Who Am I? I am the adopted princess of Christ the King. That is all that really matters.

LAUNDRY CLOSET

It is after midnight, closer to 1 AM I think but now I am all worked up and can't sleep.

Get ready:

It is all because my laundry closet is in a shambles.

Yes I am totally off my rocker. Yes I am losing my mind. Yes I am concerned about my laundry obsession BUT...

I am more concerned that my children cannot follow a logically developed system. What is the deal???

First of all I love me house. Our home was a gift from God that allowed us the ability to adopt three times. But that is a whole new post. Someday I will tell the story.

But there are two flaws. 1- The kitchen is incredibly small. This house was built for a large family. I have got to know some of the children very well. Even they felt the kitchen was too small for them. So on that fact I am not alone.

2- The laundry room is even smaller. It holds my washer and dryer on one wall. The whole wall is used up by the washer and dryer. Across you have a sink and a small cabinet and a door. One side wall is bare the other has a pull out ironing board that won't pull out unless the door is closed because there is no room. Once you close the door and pull it out you are stuck until you are done. Needless to say I don't pull it out often.

Anyway I have a laundry closet. This is a normal size coat closet that had a shelf about five feet from the laundry room.

I added another shelf and stacked laundry baskets in it to make a laundry closet. This is all the space I have for dirty clothes and with eight people dirtying clothes things can get out of control before you know it.

With everyone sick laundry started to pile up. I just didn't have time to do it. My main concern was my children, my husband and keeping myself and Ann well.

I asked the three oldest, please to gather all the dirty laundry and sort it into the right containers. Ann didn't have any clean clothes today because she has been hoarding her dirties. Why???

Now my obsession has me labeling the shelves and all you need to do is read to know there is a basket for lights, darks, reds, jeans, towels and to be bleached.

Maybe it is excessive but I read a book once that said to find your own "clean" space that makes you feel comfortable and keep it clean. When you are stressed you will know at least one part of your home is clean.

Mine is my laundry closet. The rest of my house can be a wreck. My youngest three can have snot pouring out of their noses and dirty, muddy clothes on. My oldest can be loud and obnoxious and have things strewn everywhere as long as I can open the closet and things are orderly I am safe in my own little world.

Mess with the closet and you mess with my universe.

Now also they (the school system) tell me my three oldest children are "gifted". They say they were born that way. Don't think so but who am I to argue?

Each one of these children can read way above grade level. Ann was reading her father's medical books in fifth grade and then discussing them at supper. She even knew that she was talking about.

I don't know what your normal supper conversations are about but ours include things such as what our bodies look like without skin? How much blood can you lose before you die? Why did God give us nose hair? How do you take out some one's appendix? Have you ever seen someone who is decapitated (one child is extremely sick in the head)? What is your favorite surgery? And my favorite, If one of us needs surgery can you ask the doctor if we can all watch?

So why can't these children understand what a dark article of clothing is? Or what a towel looks like and even better, why even though it is not a towel we put washcloths in the same basket? I know it doesn't say that just use your head!

I opened my closet tonight and almost needed heart surgery but then the thought of Blake and the three oldest watching my open heart surgery brought me to. I can hear the conversations now...

"Can you let me see it beat?"
"What happens if I cough right now? Do we need to start over?"
"Want to add a little more love in the old lady's heart while you are there?"
"Can I keep the bloody gauze pads? I bet I could gross out some people with those?"
"While you are in there can you make her more patient?"

Once again I digress.

Everything was a mess. They are all sleeping with their sweet, little tired bodies resting on soft mattresses with sheets that I am sure would cause mass confusion if I told them to put them in dirty clothes closet. After all there isn't a basket marked sheets? Where would they put them?

I sorted out four loads and lined the hall for tomorrow with them and then even though it is late, cleaned out each basket, vacuumed the closet floor and surrounding area, put the extra dirtys in the basket, put it all back and then quietly stared into the closet. I even found Marvin's long , lost knight and Donkey Kong in that back of the closet from last week.

Then it hit me. During the day or two the closet was in such a mess the world did not implode. We are all still alive (for the moment) and things are good.

But unfortunately that feeling didn't last long either. I just don't understand who three smart kids have trouble with laundry. It is probably a part of the universe I will never be able to grasp.

Now that I have vented I am off to bed. If they only knew tomorrow will hold yet another laundry lesson, they would all be down here helping me :)

I am such a sad, sad irrational person!

WRAP UP

Vacation was fantastic. We had a ball.
Quick post though.
I will try and get things caught up really soon.
Marvin was very sick our last two days in Florida with a high, high fever. Very scary.
We began to wonder if we were going to make it home on a plane.
He managed to get well enough to fly.
Made it home. Flew into Columbus. Blake was in the front of the plane with the two oldest. I was in the back with the three youngest. Does that seem fair to ANYBODY??
Met him at the luggage pick up and he looked AWFUL.
He ended up missing work the next day while he had a high fever.
Slowly but surely it has made if through five of six kids and Blake.
I did not get it. PTL.
Ann didn't go with us and she didn't get it.
Must have been a "bug" floating around the happiest place on earth.

I am way behind from holding sick little ones and caring for two older sickies plus Blake. Of course there is always the laundry to keep me busy too.

Will be back soon. I promise!!!
Marvin's birthday is Saturday so I also need to get a present, order a cake, etc.