Our New Reality

We are officially a month in to parenting a dozen kiddos and there are so many things to share with you. I'm sure that they will all become individual blog posts at some point -- for now I'll share just a few of the things we've adjusted to in our new reality.

Thank Goodness for Teenage Drivers: Ben and Brialee both got their licenses and it was AMAZING! I kept having to remind myself that I did not have somewhere to be. Ben also started 6am quarterback workouts at school this week, so it was nice to not have to drive him. Grateful for their willingness to help out, too.
"Food Issues": 5 new appetitites, tastes in food, and eating habits. I think it's been the biggest adjustment so far. They also have experienced starvation in the past. This means that they hoard food and overeat because subconciously they think every meal is their last. This will take a lot of time but we are already seeing some positive changes.
Sleep...and the need for more of it: I'm not sure they've slept a solid eight hours in their short lives. We have had to adjust to a new bedtime routine. They don't do well without sleep, but they also don't sleep. Everything from getting up in the middle of the night to battling insomnia to waking everyone else up at the crack of dawn. It's like having 5 newborns on five different schedules.
Consistency: Being a consistent parent is hard-work, especially when you are sleep deprived. Multiply that by the number of new kiddos and it is even harder. Discipline, keeping our word, and routine are vital in this stage so it is ever present in our forethoughts.
Essential Oils: Oils have made a huge difference -- they have helped with everything from sleep to food to bonding. Plus all of the other things we use them for on a daily basis. One of our kiddos is already off of her meds! WOOT!

We are all doing amazingly well, considering all of the change we have experienced in the last thirty days. We are grateful to all of you that have been praying for our family and to our dear friends who have helped in ways so tender that we can't yet share. We are blessed beyond measure!

With love from the land of chaos,