7 births in just over two weeks

Holy cow, I'm exhausted. The hardest one was the 36 hour labor with a transfer, then 24 hours later I had another birth and was up another 28 hours.

A friend asked me how my kids did after the 36 hour one. I left at 2:30 in the afternoon, kids were by themselves until Dad came home at 5:30 and Dad took them all to a church Christmas party (poor guy!). The next morning Grandma came and got them, dropped the boys off at school and the rest of the kids at the other Grandma's house. The boys walked to the first Grandma's house (they were working at the temple) after school and the second Grandma came and picked them up in the evening. She, of course, spoiled them by taking them to Wendy's for dinner. I got home about 9:00 that evening and was informed that they all wanted to sleep at Grandma's house. She decided to keep the baby too so I had no kids and could sleep as long as I wanted. Of course I naturally woke up at 8:00!

So this friend wanted to know how my kids handled it. She said her kids would have been basketcases after two hours of her being gone. It made me realize how blessed I am that my kids do fine without me. I guess they are used to having a not so normal family life all the time although I feel they definitely have a stable family life. I'm also blessed to have both a Mom and a Mil that adore my kids and are very willing to help out whenever they can.

So here is my question to you all. Last week, before the last two crazy births, I was really wanting to go off by myself or with some friends to get some "me" time. It didn't help that I read somewhere that apprentices need to make sure they are taking care of themselves. I went to a food tasting party on one night and felt guilty because it was more time away from my kids. So how do I find the balance of being gone lots with births, still take care of myself but also spend enough time with my kids. Then there is the cooking and the cleaning and the laundry and the shopping and everything else that comes with taking care of the family. Some days I feel like my relationship with my kids comes last and it should be first. Do I really have the "right" to be going off to be by myself or with friends when I already leave my kids so much already? OTOH, I'm not feeling that need to get away right now. I'm so worn out from all these births that I really want to just stay home!

Pic of my family

http://www.tammyjarman.typepad.com/

It's the 13th and 14th one down, the one with three girls, three boys, baby JZ sitting on my lap. My sil took all the pics. She does great work, huh! I haven't had a great pic taken of me for a long time so I was especially pleased with our couple pic. Sil is supposed to give me CD with the pics on it so as soon she does (hint, hint) I will put it right on my blog.

I also put a bunch of pics together from this year for my sis so she can make a calendar for my Mom for Christmas. I thought I'd put a few of those on here too. Just not today! LOL

My sil has a singing group

I think she has an awesome voice. Go listen to them at http://www.claritymusic.blogspot.com/

In the picture on the left, she is the second from the left, Karen.