7 children : 11yrs down to 6 weeks old baby. Me alone with them for 3 days and 2 nights.
Yep, the good Lord sustained us all as I held the fort while dh got to enjoy solitude and silence at the Silent Retreat (Sat-Mon) he organised for his students from CVSOM.
It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would tho we had Mr Murphy visit us on Night #1. God has been gracious to me in my weakness and need.
What happened? Let’s see now. 1st the baby refused to settle for the night. She finally conked out past midnight. But it was a fitful sleep. Then at 4:30am, #5 wakes up to ask if she could sleep on my bed coz she had a dream in her bed! Lol!
I only co-sleep out of necessity and only with babies so I brought her back to her room and her bed. She was ok and I went back to my room. But the baby was still sleeping fitfully and my nose started to dribble which resulted in me sniffling which of course woke the baby up. Sigh.
I picked her up to nurse. She usually nurses and goes right back to sleep. But of course since daddy wasn’t around, she decided to try something new, just to test mama. She was bright-eyed and bushy tailed during and after the nursing session and then decided to charm me by smiling and smiling at me. She finally, reluctantly may I add, slept at 6:30am. Which signalled #6 to have a nightmare and scream. Thankfully, she settled herself back to sleep after a few cries.
I barely survived the next day but hey! that’s a breeze compared to the time I had to hold the fort with just 5 children (7yrs to 6mths) while dh went on a missions trip to Mauritius for 10 whole days! And I had the worst case of mastitis attack the moment we stepped out of the airport to drive home. It was such a miserable time I still remember it clearly 4 years later!
But then again, we survived by God’s grace.
A few have asked me how I make it and survive everytime dh goes off for these retreats or missions trips. There is the spiritual answer – pray and keep on praying. And then there is really simple practical answer – I just do coz there’s no choice.:)
If the Church or school has a retreat or missions trip on, he goes unless it is an optional trip. Period.
It isn’t really as bad as you think it is since we have trained the children to be helpers around the house and to be mostly independent. And generally, it is peaceful except for those random acts of mischief. 🙂
The thought of flying solo is more scary than actually doing it, really. And of course, it would be easier if I didn’t have to do this ever so often. But the point is the children and I have survived time and time again, by God’s grace. We all learn something new each time and it stands us all in good stead the next time daddy has to be away.
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I’m such a chicken.
My dh regularly goes abroad one week a month (usually Mon-Fri/Sat), sometimes two weeks a month (roughly every quarter). When that happens i fly my mum down fr penang for help. And i only have 3 kids!
Having said that, my eldest (7yo) has been tremendous help lately. The other day when i found myself home alone with the 2 younger ones I wished she was home too cos she can keep no. 2 occupied and keep an eye on no. 3 as well.
So maybe, hopefully, i’ll find the courage to fly solo more often, soon.
oh i definitely miss my older ones when they are not around! so now i am training the middles to be more hands-on since the older 2 tend to follow daddy when he serves/ministers.
“…really simple practical answer – I just do coz there’s no choice.:)”
Yeah —> THAT!!!!