My first blog

This is my first blog ever. I don't know how many will read it or be interested in it, but here it is.

My blog address says it all. Just the 8 of us Greens. Though technically Jake isn't a Green, we say he is when he's with us in our family. I can't imagine how strange it is for Cody, Kyle, and Jake to have 2 different families. Two different houses, two different room. Well, Cody doesn't live here or have a room here, but still. I often wonder what life they like better? It's crazy and chaotic and loud here. At Kyle's mom's house I bet it's quiet and calm. I think it's the same for Jake either way, LOL.

The main thing Jared and I hear always is "WHOA! You have SIX kids??" Yes, yes we do. Was that intended? I don't know. When we got married we didn't say "Oh we will have a ton of kids." It just happened. Yours mine and ours. It's a lot, but honestly it's 6x the love, 6x the worries, and 6x the fun. Jared and I go to bed every night thankful and grateful that all of them are happy, healthy, and relatively good kids, LOL.

Last year we took our first family vacation with all 6 of them, plus 2 girlfriends. 10 of us. At first the thought overwhelmed me, but it turned out to be the best vacation we have ever had. It just works. The little ones adore the big ones, the big ones help out with the little ones, and in between there's fighting, annoyance, tons of laundry, huge messes, lots of laughter, and tons of hugs. I am grateful everyday for our life and my family.

Growing up family has always been extremely important to me. Mine was very small. My brother and I didn't get along well, which I guess is usual if there's 5 years between you. We didn't have much in common. My Dad worked 3rd shift so I saw him rarely, my Mom worked retail, so there were night she wasn't home. We didn't spend much time with family other than visits with my mom's parents a few times a year. I have no cousins on her side, my Dad's side there's cousins but we weren't that close to them. We moved away and it was us, the 4 of us. And I honestly think half the time we didn't like one another that much. I always wanted a big family to sit around the kitchen table, lots of talking and laughing. Now we have it. We have 8 chairs at our table and every one of them is full.

Jared grew up the total opposite of me. He is the youngest of 6. His oldest brother is 10 years older, so 6 kids in 10 years. That amazes me. It sounds like they were all close and happy, Delaney is the 22nd grandchild (I think) and there are 13 great-grandchildren and 2 more babies on the way! My kids have the family I always dreamed of. Chances are around here if you meet a Green, we're related! LOL.

I think I had to let go of a lot of my inner "stuff" to adjust to our lives. As I sit here Quinn and Hadley are chasing each other around the house, literally. It's never quiet here, and if it is there's something wrong. Delaney is jumping in her jumperoo yelling at the top of her lungs, the dog is trying to sniff the car who is NOT having it, and half our family isn't even home yet! There are toys and dog hair everywhere, dirty dishes in the sink and dishwasher, laundry piling up, the driveway has to be shoveled, and it's just another day in our lives. I had to let go of what I consider to be a "clean" house, and just deal with the messes as best I can. My car will never be pretty and spotless. In my head I keep a tally of everyone's clothing sizes, shoe sizes, birthdays, likes, dislikes, favorite colors, so when I see a sale I pounce on it! LOL clothing and buying shoes for them all is expensive. But they all have what the need and when they need it, somehow we make it work.