Let's Have a Cuppa...It has been so Long!

  Where has the time gone?  in deciding to resurrect the blog awhile back I realized that the last post was in 2008!   Three years ago.    I am starting to recollect all of the changes that have taken place over the last 36 months and I am staggered by small and large scale crazy things that have come to pass in the Bickford household.   This list is as much of a celebration that we have made it, we have all survived and we are still relatively unscathed:)

Here is my top 10 of things that have changed...good, bad and the ugly...in random order

1. In 2008, I had a home daycare and kept four extra children through the day, three more afterschool and still tried to make sure that I could remember what my own children's names were...Today?  I am working as the Special Projects Coordinator for an private occupational therapy provider.  Life is good.
2. In 2008 we had one busy boxer baby that was starting to understand that we were the leaders and she was the follower.  We had thrown out some previously handsome furniture that aided in her losing her baby teeth.  Today? We now have two boxer babies who love to wrestle and fight and sneak into the kitchen and eat chicken bones out of the garbage...(We must have had a brain lapse)
3. In 2008 we had aspirations for a house renovation that included a mudroom and garage...Today?  Renovations complete!  Our mudroom and garage is under the house and is called laminated beams and "the sill" that was rotten in our 100 year old home.  I have been told that it is important to have a sill  that is not  rotted enough that you can stick a pencil through.  Jason didn't get his man cave...I gave him a closet to put his "stuff" in.
4. In 2008 I was only sending three children off to school...Today?  Paige is in Grade one now and it is a good day when she has gotten out the door without saying the words, not let me rephrase that, screaming "I don't want to!!"  "I hate you!", "You make me so mad!"  Paige is not a morning person...I would love to say that she gets that from her Dad...but..
5.  In 2008 we had four children that we could get into the movies with paying the children's rate. Today?  Today I am the mother of two teenagers.  I take great pride in what we have accomplished...We have survived two years of teenage life with Olivia and have made it through the first month of the life of 13 year old Mark.  Somedays it seems like Aliens have taken over.  Somedays I would like to say "E.T. GO HOME!"
6.  In 2008, I didn't iron my husband's clothes. Today?  Well I want to iron his clothes, I think about ironing his clothes, i know he would love it if I ironed his clothes...No change.
7.  In 2008 our kids were involved in a once a week program at our church, played sports in the summer but other than that we were relatively in charge of our schedule. Today?  Mark has a newspaper route that he does with the help of his Dad at 5 am, worship band practice, two nights of worship at youth, and guitar lessons, Livs generally has soccer 5 times a week and then at least two weekends away for soccer, the younger two have midweek group at the church.  I am already struggling to figure out what will happen when the other two want to add an activity or two?  This is what you don't think about in the process of procreation.  Fun as it is, it has consequences!
8.  In 2008, we were driving a 1995 Suburban.  Today?  Mama still has her truck but the change is that I don't have to wonder if I heard Jason drive in the driveway.  I can here him coming from the bottom of our road. 
9.  In 2008 I was working really hard at getting my pre baby body back.  Today? Notta..:(
10.  In 2008 I had a husband who loved me, cherished me and understood me.  Today?  He just loves me more and I can honestly say i don't deserve the love he shows me.  He is amazing.  I love him more for who he is than what he does.  Faithful Friend and Father... a true reflection and example to our family of how the FATHER love us.  Unconditionally, the way we are.  Imperfect, Cranky, Selfish and Indifferent.  Three years from now I want to be able to love him the way he loves me with Great Abandon