Tribute to Grandma Nova Jackson

It's late so my brain isn't going to be functioning at it's highest capacity (like it usually is... haha), but I just wanted to write a tribute to Rich's sweet Grandma Nova, who is right now finishing this life and heading to the next.

Lonely and searching Grandma Nova... baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just last year by her grandson, Rich (my husband).

Talkative Nova... talked and talked whether we listened or not. She had lots of stories about her parents, siblings, etc. How I wish I had recorded some of them. Nova would talk and talk even with so much going on... I would feel pulled in so many directions as baby or babies cried, kids needed Mommy for this or that and still, Grandma Nova would continue on with her stories. Makes me smile. :)

Macaroni and Cheese Nova... famous for her homemade mac and cheese. Rich, Alicia and Candice rave about it with it's homemade appeal and bacon on top. She always had cookies in the cookie jar. Soda in the fridge. Icecream in the freezer.

Naive? Overly generous Nova... always giving, giving... she couldn't say no.

Tim is on the phone calling to tell us Grandma just passed away. It is 12:10 AM.

Motherly Nova... Phil, Mike, Beverly, Tim, Pat, Shelly and Randy. She loves her kids and she loves her grandkids. She loves company. She talked often of how much she loved her kids and who would call her and visit her. Phil lives in California. Mike is a stranger to the family after distancing himself (per his wife's request?) for so many years. Beverly - so loyal and caring. She took care of Grandma her last several months. Tim - I liked how he joked with her. He took her in the last several months and helped Beverly take care of her. Pat - in and out of jail... Shelly - interesting personality. Addicted. Randy - in prison for life. She loved them and they could do no wrong. (According to her of course).

Loving Nova... she loved so many people. She was the last of I think 13 siblings who I'm sure are meeting her on the other side.

There is a sweet feeling in the room. Is she here? Perhaps. The feeling here definately did change and I feel peace and love.

We will miss you Grandma Nova. You have a special place in all of our hearts and we will cherish the memories we have. I'm sorry we didn't visit as often as we should have. I did think of you often and wished visiting you in your small apartment with 7 kids was easier.

Betcha Didn't Know...

Betcha didn't know that not only am I extremely talented and quick at changing diapers (minimum of 12 a day), wiping boogery noses and all the other 'magical' things a mom of seven must master... but I am also... ready to hear this? Brace yourselves... a HORSE. Yes, sometimes, when I have the energy, I turn myself into a horse. I do it for them. Because they are worth it.

Digging up Plates and Being Gooder

Now that Thanksgiving is over it's time to get ready for CHRISTMAS!!! My favorite holiday... Christmas card updates... Cinnamon smells... and the music. I love Christmas music.

Getting the Christmas stuff out today meant removing every single box from the storage under the stairs. The Christmas tree was at the very back! But get it I did and tomorrow we will set up the tree while we play Christmas music. Sigh. Doesn't it just sound lovely? I wrote 'play Christmas music' instead of 'listen to Christmas music' because with our noisy brood we probably won't hear much music at all.

Ash was gone playing with Andrea for a lot of the afternoon. I was so caught up with dinner, a sick baby, baths and bedtime that I didn't get a chance to respond to the message she left that the Huggins 'digged' her up a plate so was it okay for her to eat dinner there? I haven't had a chance to ask her what she ate... potatoes or worms?

Joshy was testing me over and over again today. Finally, at 6:30 pm, I just sent him to bed. It's just easier that way sometimes. After I got everyone else to bed I went in to snuggle with him and talk to him about things. I told him that it really frustrates me when he does things he knows he shouldn't be doing. I told him that even though I get angry sometimes, I love him no matter what. He promised me that tomorrow he's going to be a 'gooder' boy. And I need to work on being a gooder mom.

What is Your Favorite Word?

Yesterday Spencer asked me what my favorite word was. Taking advantage of a great teaching moment, I told him my favorite word was 'LOVE'. I started to explain why my favorite word was love when he interrupted and said his favorite word was 'KERSPLUNCH'... he said he liked it because it was 'kersplat' and 'crunch' mixed.

It was then that I saw my teaching moment sprout wings and fly out the door.

Do you really want to know what I did today?

I really don't like it when people ask me what I did all day.

As much as I would love to have some incredibly exciting answer, usually when I am asked that question it has been a normal MOM day.

Wouldn't it be so exciting, however, to be able to have an answer like; "Me and the kids went skydiving into the jungles of the Amazon and had a picnic there. When the gorillas smelled our picnic and tried to join us we Tae-bo'd them away. After that we swam in the Amazon river with the boa constrictors and luckily I had my pocket knife for when one of them tried to squish Joshy..." Well, you get the picture.

My normal MOM day answer instead, would be something like this; "well, first we woke up and had breakfast and then I cleaned up breakfast and after that I changed four dirty bums and got the kids dressed. After that I cleaned up the mess the kids made while I was cleaning up the breakfast mess. Then I carpooled and made lunch and cleaned up that mess. Then I cleaned up the mess the kids made while I was cleaning up the lunch mess. Then I changed four dirty bums. Then the older kids came home from school and I supervised jobs and homework. Then I made dinner and cleaned up that mess. Then I got kids bathed and ready for bed and cleaned up the mess they made while I was cleaning up the dinner mess. Then I changed four dirty bums. What did you do today?"

And if they ever answer that they had a picnic in the Amazon with the gorillas and the boa constrictors I will be very, very jealous.

Motherhood becomes me

Motherhood becomes me. I really think it does. I think it brings out the best in me and of course it very occasionally (haha) brings out the worst.

I have seven wonderful children. Sometimes dinner gets a little crazy and I get impatient and overwhelmed with too much noise. Little things begin to set me off and I blow up when otherwise I probably wouldn't. You can compare my temperament in the morning to late afternoon and you will find that I am indeed a morning person.

A few nights ago I threw out a "you don't want to know what will happen" threat to my 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son. Someone had left markers out in reach of my 1 and 2 year old 'marker monsters'. Not good. So I throw out my threat and went about making dinner. A few minutes later a very tearful Ashley tells me she knows what I'm going to do to them. She says; "you're going to kidnap us!" She was serious.

Good job Ashley. You made my bad mood dissipate and dinner pleasantries were enjoyed... Sigh...