The Perfect Analogy

Many people have asked me, "how is life in Germany with four kids?"  A question like this can be hard to answer!  Hmmmm... well... it is wonderful, it is exhausting, extremely rewarding, overwhelming at times.  Wait, do I seem to be contradicting myself?  Then I thought of the perfect analogy, straight out of the southwest:  RODEO!  It is crazy, but these talented athletes do it because they love it.  Being a Mama can be crazy, but I absolutely love it.  Here is an example: Taking the kids on a walk...do you see the connection?  It might just be me, but sometimes I feel like I am herding wild calves down the street!

Just like these athletes it is a skill.  Just when I am feeling like I have it all together: the kids are clean and playing quietly, the laundry is caught up, dinner is simmering on the stove, and I am enjoying the "ride".  Then all of the sudden without any warning chaos breaks out.  The kids go wild, the two-year old slips out to take a dip in the mud, the baby spits up all over everything, and dinner boils over.  Now I am barely hanging on :)

The rodeo athlete also feels fortunate for the opportunity to compete.  Likewise I feel blessed to be the Mama to four precious kids.  Living in a foreign country adds another element to the games, making it more challenging, and at the same time more fun.  Learning how to speak another language is exciting and hard!  When I spend the afternoon with a friend, speaking German for 3 hours, I'm excited I can do it.  At the same time my grammar is terrible so I have set goals for my future "training". 

Our life is not perfect.  Our life is not under control. Our life is exciting.  Our life is wonderful.  I am so very blessed to be the Mama of these four kids! 

Daniel is enjoying school, but struggling with the format (a LOT of sitting).  His German keeps getting better.  Soccer season has started and he is enjoying his new team and soccer practice.  He still talks about New Mexico a lot, and asks when we are going back.  The transition continues to be hard for him.

Silas is our sweet and precious little guy.  He loves being in the moby.  He seems to have some digestive issues, so large amounts of milk that go down seem to come right back up.  Despite the discomfort this certainly causes him, he is always ready to smile and laugh. 

Rebekah seems to win the heart of everyone she is around.  Her teachers at kindergarten talk about how sweet and kind she is at school.  I am happy to hear it because she certainly holds her own with her brothers when she is at home!  I absolutely love how God gave her a strong AND sweet spirit.

Lukas just turned 2-years old!  He is so much fun!  He is starting to talk so much, and delights us with his many new German and English words.  He definitely speaks more English, but understands everything in German.  He is a wonderful big brother, and is irrevocably in love with his little brother.  Can anyone see that little sparkle in his eye?  He has developed quite a sense of mischief and curiosity since his little brother was born!