Close relationships - a real blessing

It is after 3 in the morning and I cannot stop coughing long enough to get to sleep so I decided to blog. The thing that has been on my mind is my relationship with my children, especially the older ones. Yesterday, well technically since this is Wed. morning, a couple of days ago on Monday, Sydnee Renee' had her first doctor appointment. So Marlee went with me and we took Kourtnee and the baby to the doctor. Afterwards the 4 of us went to lunch and to Wal - Mart. We laughed so much. Now this is not unusual at all. It seems we laugh all the time. But it did get me thinking about how blessed I am. You know, we are not a perfect family in any sense of the word!!! Not perfect is not even close!!! But what we are is CLOSE!!! We have our disagreements and get upset, angry, hurt, etc. but it is over quickly and we are back to laughing and hugging! I thought about some of my friends and some of the parents I talk to and hear from and hear how they "wish they had a good relationship with their teens", "wish their teen would talk to them", "wish their teen would do more than stay locked up in their room". Well, I have to say that we are blessed that we do not have to say those things or wish for those things to be true. I have so much fun with my girls! I have always said when people say that their teens stay in their own rooms and do not talk to them, that my teens - all my kids spend more time in our room than their own. At night when Larry and I "retire" to the bedroom, we have several knocks on the door and end up with most of the kids in here at once! Kourtnee, Marlee and Alex used to all crowd in here telling us things about the day or just making jokes or whatever! We really do spend more time laughing together than anything else! That is truly a blessing! I love my family and I am so glad that we are close! I would not want it any other way! I have often said that times I want to just say, "ok enough is enough stop talking, I can't take anymore" :), but then I think what if they every did stop talking to me? I could not take that at all! I want to always be here and be open for my kids to talk to and to listen to them! I pray that the relationships of all the kids continue to be as close as these older 3 have remained! I pray that all my kids always know that their mom and dad love them unconditionally and want to share everything with us! What a blessing to be close! I look forward to many more Girls' days out and many more special times with the boys! Kourtnee, Marlee - thank you for Monday and all the days! Thank you for loving your mother like you do and know that your mother loves you with all my heart! You are the most beautiful, fun, loving young women any mom could ask for!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! I love all my kids!!! and grand kids! :)