Leave it to Beaverland . . .

Eleven years ago, on my very first blog post, I posted about how this isn't the happily ever after I dreamed of when I was a little girl.  Heck, it is even on my About Me Page!  And certainly I am willing to admit that my childhood dreams of Ozzie and Harriet meets Leave it to Beaver may have been a little out of the range of possibilities.  And I am even willing to say that there are things I never would have expected in a million years.

• The Prince Charming of my dreams would never have been unemployed, but then he probably didn't get belly buttons and play at drawing pictures on little backs either.  
• There were only three children in my dreams, but that is only because I never even imagined how wonderful four children could be.
• I would never have thought that I could be the mother of kids with special need, but then all kids have their own special needs, my kids just wear most of theirs on the outside where I can see them.  
• I never imagined changing homes almost as often as we change our socks, but we have just been searching for the best place to raise our family and I think this time we found it . . . and besides, my kids like the adventure. 
• It never crossed my mind that I would teach my kids at home, I had visions of handing them their lunches, patting them on the head and sending them off to school.  In my mind, homeschooled kids were lonely children resembling the kids from the Von Trappe family, not the friendly, outgoing kids in my home.  But then, I would have missed out on all the wonderful light bulb moments of discovery that make homeschooling so much fun.

Von Trappe Family

 My kids

The thing is, if my childhood self could have had a list of lives to choose from, she wouldn't have picked the life that said "budget conscious, homeschooling mom of four kids at least two of whom have special needs and whose husband isn't working right now".  And . . . she would have been wrong.  She would have missed out on a wonderfully relaxed home filled with laughter, love, learning, fun, giggles and quite simply filled with so much life.  There is no part of my life that I would exchange for the Ozzie and Harriet meets Leave it to Beaverland life of my dreams.  Because  realizing those dreams would have made me miss out on the best parts of the life I have.

My adorable little helpers

Sisterly adoration

Dandelion bouquets for mommy and blowing wishes for my kids

My beautiful girls

Mischievous smiles

Slumber so sweet, you just want to snuggle

Silly games

The light these people bring to my life

Smiles to melt your heart

Firsts that are a LONG time coming (At three years old, the first time my autistic son climbed stairs by himself)

Sisters who help and adore their baby brother

Joyful kids

Silly kids

Playful kids

Playing dress-up

Thoughtful moments

Sisterly smiles that show how close they truly are

Quiet moments

My beautiful teenager daughter, she made me a mother and changed me forever.

Prince Charming who loves to share his knowledge with his kids

A house filled with love