I have been a Mom for over 14 years now.  A young mom recently asked me if it gets easier.  It  made me realize just how much my family has changed.  In the first 7 years, I had 5 babies. By the time our youngest was born, the children were 7, 5, 3, & 2.  I changed diapers constantly for almost 10 years.  I was either nursing or pregnant for 10 years!  We started our homeschool. 

2002:

Look at that mischievous face! Still the same after all these years!

In the next 7 years, we moved to another area.  We bought our first house.  We have 5 kids in school.  We have a highschooler!  The kids are now 14, 13 (there have been a few birthdays), 11, 9 & 7.  Wow. They are a huge help around the house. They are becoming more independent and are learning a lot.  And they love the Lord. We all still have a lot to learn, but we are learning together.

 In 7 more years, they will be 14 - 21!  So I am going to enjoy them more than ever.  When they are young, it feels like we will be a mom of littles forever.  Even now, I can't imagine life without them in my home.  But the time will come when they move on and get their own homes and families.  I can hardly bear the thought.  But with God's help, I will continue to train and prepare them for that time, so that they are strong in the Lord and ready for what God has for them.

Here they are last summer, 2009: