Oh this blogging world, it's full of any and everything to tickle your fancy. Foodie blogs? Check. Organic, natural and no GMO foodie blogs? Double check.
Mommy blogs? Check.
Large family blogs? Check.
Small family blogs? Check.
So, imagine my surprise when about 3 years ago I stumbled across this blog. Kate and her Savvy Little Women (and one little man) have a life eerie similarity to our own.
Picture in your mind a family with an eight year old, 2 six year olds, 2 nearly four year olds and one cute, chubby cheeked toddler.
Sound familiar?
Well, it's not The Beaver Bunch. I just described the Savvy Little Family...and, nearly our own as well. I think that internet formed friendships still have a stigma attached to them.
Only weird people who have no social skills make friends over the internet, right?
And only people who are begging to be kidnapped actually plan real life, in person meetings with people they meet on the internet, right?
From the moment I began reading Kate's blog I sat staring at the screen knowing she just got me. Someone else, in the trenches of mothering half a dozen little loves, living a creepily similar life to mine and living to tell about it.
Just last week, she wrote this post. Oh how I get that.
And on more than one occasion I've reminded myself just to Do The Next Thing.
And so many more of Kate's posts that I just don't have time to link up.
So when we planned our "vacation" west to see family and friends (and I use that term loosely because vacations usually involve toes deep in the sand or fresh mountain air and plenty of sleep and rest - and we had none of the aforementioned, thankyouverymuch).
Ahem, where was I? Oh yeah, our trip west.... it only made sense to see if there was a snowballs chance in a southern July if Kate and her crew could meet up with us. Since we're planning a departure to Kenya in January this might be our only chance for a very, very long time.
Turns out (as I'm sure you could tell from all the photos) we made it happen. And for 36 glorious hours Luke and I sat with Kate and Eric and "talked shop."
Our kids adored each other. They grouped themselves off and played to their hearts' content. I think it's not coincidence that they paired off in birth orders. It's like they knew too that families like us don't happen everyday and to embrace each other quickly.
(It was way too hard to get pictures of Raya and Olivia. And Lincoln and Ella? FORGET IT.)
Kate was exactly what I expected from reading her blog - you know, except much taller - and we laughed like old friends well into the night.
Mommy blogs? Check.
Large family blogs? Check.
Small family blogs? Check.
So, imagine my surprise when about 3 years ago I stumbled across this blog. Kate and her Savvy Little Women (and one little man) have a life eerie similarity to our own.
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| Twins! |
Sound familiar?
Well, it's not The Beaver Bunch. I just described the Savvy Little Family...and, nearly our own as well. I think that internet formed friendships still have a stigma attached to them.
Only weird people who have no social skills make friends over the internet, right?
And only people who are begging to be kidnapped actually plan real life, in person meetings with people they meet on the internet, right?
From the moment I began reading Kate's blog I sat staring at the screen knowing she just got me. Someone else, in the trenches of mothering half a dozen little loves, living a creepily similar life to mine and living to tell about it.
Just last week, she wrote this post. Oh how I get that.
And on more than one occasion I've reminded myself just to Do The Next Thing.
And so many more of Kate's posts that I just don't have time to link up.
So when we planned our "vacation" west to see family and friends (and I use that term loosely because vacations usually involve toes deep in the sand or fresh mountain air and plenty of sleep and rest - and we had none of the aforementioned, thankyouverymuch).
Ahem, where was I? Oh yeah, our trip west.... it only made sense to see if there was a snowballs chance in a southern July if Kate and her crew could meet up with us. Since we're planning a departure to Kenya in January this might be our only chance for a very, very long time.
Turns out (as I'm sure you could tell from all the photos) we made it happen. And for 36 glorious hours Luke and I sat with Kate and Eric and "talked shop."
Our kids adored each other. They grouped themselves off and played to their hearts' content. I think it's not coincidence that they paired off in birth orders. It's like they knew too that families like us don't happen everyday and to embrace each other quickly.
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| Reese and Lucas, the 2nd born in both of our crews, hit it off |
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| Elizabeth and Ella, sporting their new BFF bracelets |
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| Ashlee and Charlotte (and Elizabeth), the 3rd born in each crew |
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| Kinely and Aaron, 4th born |
Kate was exactly what I expected from reading her blog - you know, except much taller - and we laughed like old friends well into the night.
Feeding times we're quite the spectacle. Next time, I vote we go for a feeding trough. ;)
The "big kids" enjoyed a slumber party on our second night. 7 kids piled into the floor on sleeping bags, making sweet memories and giggling until well past bed time - much to their mothers' preferences otherwise.
Sunday morning came quickly and we said tearful goodbyes to these new friends.
These people who simply, all around, get us. They understand the chaos, the brink of insanity where we live life, the mountains of dirty laundry, the endless refilling of sippy cups and snack bowls. These people who know that at the end of the day you worry whether you spent enough time with a certain child and you can't remember the last time you had a proper shower. These people who understand what it's like to be the oldest of 6 (or 7) siblings and what it means to be a twin that is the also the middle child. These people who live life in the trenches next to us, albeit several states away.
Somehow God saw fit to bring us into each others' lives through the internet and I am so very thankful that He did. I feel so bonded to my new friend Kate, through this chaos I call the everyday. I can now tell which one of her 1st set of twins is Reese and which one is Charlotte. She understands my hesitation with sharing too much on a blog and reaping the negative consequences. I get her desire to maintain order and control while I too fight the urge control every aspect of my children's lives.
And while we are each unique and different in our own God designed ways, Kate and I are beyond similar in almost every way. Luke and Eric understand the challenges they each face in fathering a brood of kids. I know there's another woman out there that I can text and simply say, "Three year olds drive me crazy" and I know she gets it, doesn't judge and will pray for me as only a mother to a posse can.
Internet friend turned real life friend. Those are words I never thought I'd type. In this big bad internet world where I am fiercely aware of the creepers and stalkers, I'm so thankful that the Lord saw fit to connect me with Kate.
Just one more family on the list that I will miss severely when we leave for Kenya. Praise God for skype. And praise God for the reassurance that I'm never, ever going through crazy, chaotic, large family life alone.
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| 13 kids in all. Crazy, chaotic and beautiful. |