real people doing real things

One phrase I heard often as a child was "just wait until you have kids!" Well, now that I'm the proud mom of four, wow. Talk about a reality check.
I usually find my kiddos to be pretty entertaining. I still think of them as the babies that they were, so to see them now developing their minds and gaining their own opinions and personalities, its really really neat.
Just now, I was helping them clean their room. I recently painted over "the great red (crayon) spot" that was behind the door as well as Mycah's bubble numbers and Sage's random "poses dekkerashon" (decoration) After painting, I rearranged the beds in their room, which uncovered a huge mess... so, knowing they would never do it themselves, I decided to help.
Talk about stressful!
I have to say, I kind of understand why they have problems cleaning. I get overwhelmed very easily and if weren't for my mom constantly telling me to "just start somewhere" when I was little, it is unlikely I would ever get anything done. I have found them to be the same way so that is why we break their job up for them, telling them to just pick up stuffed animals, or shoes, etc.
Anyway, they insisted that my being there meant there was a lot more help, which is another way of saying they would be happy to sit back and let me do all the work!
I cannot tell you how many times I say something to them and can hear my parents saying the same thing to me in my head. Its really crazy.
All that to say that I'm really thankful for this week I get to spend with them. I was a stay at home mom while they were little, but I went back to work when Mycah was 4 and Jake was 1. My overnight job makes it hard to spend the time I want to with them. So far we have just had movie night and garage sales but I also want to go to the lake and let them play and maybe go to the mall and do the carousel again.
And, if Shaun is reading this before he gets back... I bought them a kitchen set. So now you have plenty of time to get used to the idea haha