There is a subject that I think about quite a bit, but I rarely talk about it on this blog. And that subject is children.
I have three children. There are each wonderful and wacky. Are they perfect? No. Am I a perfectly wonderful mother? No. But it doesn't change the fact that for many years, I wanted to be a mother of not just the three children I have blessed with, but at least one, and possible two or three more.
My road to being the mother of any children has not been an easy one. I didn't get married until I was 29, and then I had difficulty getting pregnant, and I had a miscarriage before Flower, Jelly Bean's pregnancy was full of scary complications and bedrest, then another miscarriage, Super's pregnancy was also spent with some time on bedrest and then he was born with a true knot in his cord (but thankfully, it didn't cause any problems), and then another miscarriage in 2006, and Christopher's stillbirth in 2008.
I find myself looking at women who have four, five, six children and my heart aches for the children that I lost. My heart longs to have more children, to be able to have another baby in my arms, another baby to take care of and another baby to teach me more about what life is really about. My heart is broken because I will never have any more children.
But it isn't that I don't love the children that I have, and I often feel bad for the time that I spend wishing that things had been different instead of taking that time to do something with my children, or learning something to be a better parent to my children. Sometimes I feel like I'm not being grateful enough for what I have. Sometimes I feel like it is time to just accept the reality that I do have. Sometimes, I know that I am not being the mother that I could or should be, and that if I had more children, I would be even worse.
And then Flower draws me a picture, Jelly Bean shares a chocolate bar, and Super laughs his wonderful laugh. And I feel so happy.
Life is never what you expect it to be, for worse AND for better. Life is all about learning about sorrow and joy. I've had my share of both.
All of the kids and Grandma S
Flower got the American Girl book pack that she has been wanting FOREVER
Jelly Bean got an American Girl Card/Scrapbook craft pack.
They got a classic game.
Super got a Thomas book pack.
Aunt N looking at the ornaments that the kids made
Uncle D looking at an ornament
Opening presents
Super's outfit. He also got a magnetic toy.
Flower's outfit. She also got a cookbook.
Jelly Bean's outfit. She also got a game. 
She shoots, she scores!
Making a wish
Eating at our "birthday" restaurant - A Japanese restaurant
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