This year is completely different for our family! In about a million ways, it is different..
*So it feels like any ways*
We don't have a teen driver. Justin is gone. Sass is gone. We don't have Football this year. We are still the 'NEW' kids in town. ALL of the kids are in school now...
So many adjustments. But-we have jumped right in-Eventually, it will all start to come together, and things won't feel so new and different and hard.
FIrst day of school!
*My Jessi and Jazzi decided to chop off all of their hair...They look so happy and beautiful. Its just hair!*
We have Jazzi-5th grade. Bobcat-6th grade. Chase-2nd grade. Champ-Kindergarten. Jessi-8th grade. Nicci-Junior. And Tot-1st grade.
(Sass is living her life in Prescott...Learning how to be an adult. Elder Justin Pacheco, is in Omaha Nebraska rocking the Mission field!)
Bobcat doesn't get to play football this year...non of our boys are playing-Flag football isn't something we wanted to get our little guys involved in-At least not this year. I can't say I am to sad...We have been running around with our heads cut off for nearly a year now...I am ready for some down time! We are going to be spontaneous and try out music...Band!
I am thrilled to death that Bobcat is taking up the Trumpet! *His Momma played the trumpet!* It is important that kids have a bit of everything to try out. One thing is for sure...The house won't be quiet-EVER!
I can't believe how fast the kids have all grown up. The house is quiet and I have all sorts of stuff that has to be done. I don't get a vacation from children...I still have a house to run!
The biggest adjustment...
Every year, like most families, we would go school clothes shopping. All the kids would get 'New' pants and shirts and socks and the essentials and all the right stuff to make an outfit complete. They would all get brand new shoes and paper and backpacks and lots and lots of pencils...
We have struggled in years past, but we would always find a way to get the kids 'NEW' stuff.
This year, there was no school clothes shopping. No 'NEW' anything.
Talk about heart breaking for us as parents.
As summer was coming to an end, and our situation became much tighter then expected, the many thoughts of 'What are we going to do?' kept sneaking into my mind.
We can't send the kids to school in last years clothes. What about the horrifying 'School Supply List'.
There is the pressure and stress that comes with sending our kids to school. It can sersioulsy break a momma's heart.
So as August got closer, the kids would ask about 'School shopping'. I told them that we won't be doing it like we usually did.
And would you know it...Not one of our kids cried or threw a fit knowing they were not going to get anything 'NEW' to wear on the first day. They didn't ask questions, and they didn't ask again.
We went through everyone's clothes throwing away all that didn't fit or had holes in them. The girls picked out their outfits for the first day, and you know what...They didn't have any trouble figuring it out.
I have been so impressed by the kids. They don't care. Sure they would have loved to have had new stuff to wear on the first day. I know they would Love new shoes and boots...But they haven't complained. They don't mind. So why should I?
I won't lie...I am still bummed that the kids were not able to go and pick some things out...But I have learned a very valuable lesson...Something I wish we would have always done, every school year in the past.
MAKE DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!
If it fits, it will be good enough. If it isn't stained and doesn't have holes...It is perfectly fine.
Why is it that as parents, we feed into the wordly wants and desires...Just cause that is what everyone does, we feel we have to as well...We want our kids to look and feel 'New'.
I have thought about this so much, and I wonder...What are we teaching our children??
Children are taught to want and feel as though they need and have to have things...Not all kids who get new school clothes feel this way. There are so many parents that have taught there kids so well, that the kids are so thankful for anything and everything that they get-understanding that someone had to work hard for the 'New' things purchased. But there are still those kids out there who are so spoiled that they have zero respect for the efforts that their parents make. There is so much compitition at school. Who has the more expensive pants, shoes, earrings, make up, hair style, car....It is terrible.
We will shop for the kids a little bit at a time. Taking money from each paycheck to provide new clothes and shoes when needed. And I am ok with this...Because my kids are ok with this.
Our family has everything, for the most part, that we need. We are learning that it is all OK! Feeling so thankful for the times we can go and get the 'New' things.
**Shoes will be top priority!**
School Supplies...
I don't know about all the other parents around the world, but my goodness...The list's get longer each and every year-and I DisLike it very very much.
I understand. There has been several cuts to many school budgets. The teacher's barely make enough to live.... But good grief! Do the kids really need that much stuff??
We went to 'Meet the teacher' night at the school, the night before the first day of school.
While there, several parents had bags full of supplies. I finally asked if we were suppose to have recieved a list...I got the look of, 'Didn't you know?' *Nope! I sure didn't!*
Here, the school sends the 'Supply list' to Walmart and all the parents go to WalMart to get the list and pick up all that is on the list at WalMart.
I had NO IDEA! That was very new to me.
I ended up getting the kids 'Supply List's' from the school, and I about fell over.
Keep in mind-7 kids=7 LISTS!!! I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.
So after dropping off the kids at the school for their first day that next morning, I went to WalMart to see what I could get.
As I started to put things in my cart, I must have looked scared, because another mother, who has 5 children of her own, came up to me and told me how to deal with the stress of the dreaded 'Supply List'. As I told her that the teachers were telling me that I had until Monday, she started to tell me exactly what I was thinking and feeling.
BUY WHAT YOU CAN!!! *Forget about the rest*...
Pick up a little here and there throughout the year...Don't 'WORRY' about it. Your kids won't go without.
I knew this...and felt this way deep inside...But the guilt of not sending my kids with full backpacks and bags was eating at me!!
Ridiculous!
Why in the world would I ever want to put so much stress and emotions into crayons and paper.
Again, in years past, we have had our tough times...But this year, the pressure was beyond normal.
Itsn't crazy how I would allow something so non life threatening, to upset me so much.
Binders, college ruled spiral notebooks, wide ruled loose leaf paper, graph paper, composition books, certain brand of pencils and crayons and markers and WHITE BOARD MARKERS along with the erasers. And that isn't all that was on the list.
You have clorox wipes. Kleenex's. Sanitizer. Card stock paper. Colored paper. Scissors....The 'LIST' goes on and on.
**Again...I know the school can't afford to provide everything...But WHY DO WE NEED so much?**
Just breath Toi!
After talking with this other mother who was spot on in her thinking, I put several things away, and got the things that were most important. I spent $45.00. Had I got everything on the 'Supply LIst', it would have been $100+ dollars. If you have a kid or two...The struggle can still be very real. That $45 dollars was not easy to come up with.
As time goes on, and as we are still alive after starting school without 'NEW' clothes n such, I have found that I do not want to go back to thinking that we HAVE to go 'School Shopping' every year. I want to-
'Make do!' I want my children to not understand anything otherwise.
Things in this world are going to get harder. I hope that our kids are going to have a strong backbone, and be able to handle the hard stuff. I pray our grandchildren never go without, but go without just enough to keep them grateful and humble.
I am not a fan of school-My kids being gone all day. Homework. Projects (That cost money too)...
Even Still, I understand the importance of it all. I support the school and will continue to contribute what I can when I can-including my time. Homeschooling isn't an option for me...I have my reasons, and do not judge those amazing mothers who can do that...I can definitely see why homeschooling seems so appealing. It has to be a little bit cheaper as well!!
Elder Justin Pacheco told me in a letter he wrote to me this last week...He told me Money isn't Evil...It is our attitude towards money that is evil. He then asked me, 'What's your attitude about money?'
I HATE MONEY!! IT SUCKS!! Therefore, I make it Evil! *Insert straight face here*
When you sit and think about it, that is true. When money is handled right and when you don't feel you have to have it to live a good life...Money is just paper *Made out of cotton ;O)* Everyone needs money to pay for the things necessary to live. But, so much money is spent on things that are not needed or necessary. I should know...I would go buy a box of twinkies right now if I could.
It is nice to go and blow some money on fun stuff from time to time...If you have it to blow.
It is nice when money gets spent on things that can be used more than once. Things that are productive in our lives...Or things that help our lives to be more productive-Good investments.
Our kids no longer have cell phones! Guess what...Nobody has died just yet from not having one...(They have their old ones, but no service!)
For me, and I know for sure the Adorable One...We LOVE to spend money on our kids...Buying them 'New' clothes n shoes! That feels amazing. Buying them ice cream and simple things like that feels absoluetly awesome!!! And they are so excited when we do this, because we don't do this very often.
We are a simple family. We have simple needs and wants. I am so very proud of my children. I pray that all these experiences they have during their young lives, will help guide them through their adults lives.
Don't spoil your children...They will learn to expect 'New' all the time-the simple things like an ice cream cone becomes less exciting.
Life for us Pacheco's is a bit on the rough side right now. We can either whine about it all or we can learn from it all and become stronger and be ready to deal with the times coming our way-Our kids have been amazing examples to us.
Things will get better little by little in our own personal life and time will only tell where and what is in store for us...I am doing my best not to fret. We have never gone without...
I am thankful for ALL that we have. We have so much. We have so much more than so many other people in the world. I feel gratitude for everything our Heavenly Father has blessed us with.
So far so good-all the kids are doing ok. Champion is a small mess, and I pray for his teacher every day. That little big boy has been so spoiled-He will eventually learn how to listen to another adult and to sit still-I just know it.
As for me and dealing with all the kids being gone...It is bitter sweet. I miss the kids. I miss having our own schedule...But...I get to do things I haven't been able to do in years. I get to go and hang out at the school and go on field trips every now and then. I get to clean my house and focus on making and keeping this house a place we love to come to. I have lots to do every day...I will not be sitting much.
It has been 19 years since I haven't had a child home with me. CRAZY!
Now...I have to add real quick. I miss my older two children like you couldn't imagine. I listen to mom's who say they can't wait to put their kids in school-starting them at 3 years old, Putting them in preschool. Maybe I am just a wimp, but I know there are older mom's who look back and say, 'I wish I would have slowed down just a bit to enjoy my children's younger years!'. Once your kids get into school, time just goes by in a blink. They grow.
I have loved watching my children grow. I love every stage. Something, that I knew I would feel, is I want my children to live close by. I would love it if they all lived in the same town. I need that daily smile and hug.
I miss seeing my kids every day. I am thankful for the daily, not so daily, text messages I get to have with Sass-Short and sweet-but I have them. I don't get to do that with Elder Pacheco. I am so proud to have a missionary out in the field, but I do miss him very much.
Don't rush and push your children into growing up. It happens-Quickly. Don't fret over your children not having the best of everything, they don't need it-and they will benefit from not having it...
Happy monday!
Smiling :O)
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