My flock overfloweth ...

I have five Turkeys.  Perhaps you've heard that rumor floating around.  They're good kids... and I'm completely biased in that summation of their behavior and character.  The thing about having 5 Turkeys (no matter how good they are) is that I find myself doing the same things one hundred times a day.  I sweep a hundred times a day.  I pick up and throw away a hundred scribbled colored pictures a day.  Yes, even the ones that say "I love you Mommy" on them.  I wash a hundred dishes a day (with help from the dishwasher) and well, you get the point.
I also hear 5 different voices talking at 5 different pitches and volumes using 5 different languages (from Toddler Speak to Chubbanese to Parrot to straight up English) and if one voice seems to be getting more air time than the others well this angers the rest of the flock and they will surely do their best to out squawk their counterparts.  Translation ... it gets loud around here.  Loudness wears me out.  For reals.

And so this week of the picking the same things up over and over and over and over again and the mere volume of having a large family has made me tired.  Weary-what-have-we-done-tired!  Which makes me think about having another 1, or 2, or even 3.  What in the world.  Why? Why do that to myself?  So if we were to adopt I might not be weary-what-have-we-done-tired ... but exhausted-lock-me-up-and-throw-the-key-away-tired-tiredness!

What if I can't do it.

The very thought of doing it makes me exhausted.  The very thought of NOT doing it makes me weep.  So what if I'm tired and drag my old body to bed every night after picking up 60 mis-matched socks?  So what if we carpet the house with coloring book pages.  So what if we never have enough money to do everything I'd like to do with money that we don't have... what if... what if... what if...

And then tonight as I struggle with these feelings I read this on Twitter: 

"A sign you're growing in grace: Because it matters so much to your Father, you care for widows and orphans. James 1:27"

And there it is... it doesn't matter one iota what I want or what I can or can't do.  My Father's heart breaks for the fatherless.  My heart breaks for the fatherless.  The difference is God has called me to action and having a broken heart doesn't achieve anything if it doesn't spur me on to make a difference in the life of a child that He has choosen for our family. 

What do you do when you can't sleep??

So we've all had nights when you have to get up early in the morning, but no matter what you do you can't get your brain to shut it down so you can sleep.  Perhaps you count sheep like the rest of the world.  I spend all day counting how long it takes someone to hop on one foot, or how long it takes them to run to their room or back, or how long it takes them to wipe their butt, flush the toilet and wash their hands.  So the thought of counting sheep gives me no hope of coming sleep.

There are times when I quote Scripture and have a little contest to see how many verses I can think of... but I'm so competitive that I actually stay up longer trying to beat my previous record.  No joke.

Another favorite is to think of baby names.  But, that seems futile now and besides Ben has never liked a name that I thought of at 3 AM.  Or 3 PM for that matter...

I've discovered my new favorite game for falling asleep.  I always end up giggling to myself trying desperately not to make a peep so Ben won't wake up... I'd really hate to have to explain why I was laughing to myself at this time of night morning.  I love this "game" so much that I've actually found myself playing it during the day when the kids are going crazy and I'm about to explode... because the end result is almost always a smile for me.


So here's what I do.  You're going to think I'm ca-razy and I probably am, but it's so funny to me!  I pick a bunch of ladies out of my church (or from college, or high school, or whatever... but usually from church) who are on my imaginary street gang.  Why do I have a street gang of church ladies?  Because that makes me giggle.  As a matter-of-fact I just started giggling and Julayne asked me why I was laughing... well, Julayne I have a gang of church ladies that no one knows about... not even the members!


This takes a lot of thought.  At first I went through and picked all of the ladies who I thought were T-U-F-F or even a few that are "girthy"... but my strategy has since changed.  There are a few ladies who are anything but girthy, instead they're completely scrappy.  You know the ones...the girls that pull hair, bite and sink their nails in to your flesh.  Or the one that breaks the beer bottle in half and says, "I will cut you."  Now, I have in mind a particular lady for this role... but sometimes it's fun to throw in a random lady who would NEVER be in a street gang and cut and paste her face into the Beer Bottle Lady.


Ok, next matter of consideration.  Who's packin' heat?  Ahhhhh, yay!  You're on my gang.

Who wears long skirts all the time?  Yep, you can hide a lot of weapons under those things.  You're on my gang.

Who scares me?  Anyone intimidate me?  Yes, you quiet ladies!  I'm not sure what it is about the silent ones, but chances are you're planning something.  I'm not sure if you're on my gang.  I want to be the leader and you might have more skills at this... 'cause I've never actually been in a gang before. 

Anyone with military training or married to someone with military training... or police training ... or martial arts training??  You're in.  

Get the idea?  Church lady street gangs, waaaayyyyy harder than it first appears.  So you have to pick 10 people for your gang and you're one of them.  Good luck and you better pray you NEVER see me in a dark alley! ;) 


Now to think of a name and gang colors... =)

What it really means to me...

So this next line will be absolutely NO surprise to you, assuming that you know me at all. 


I love At Home America.


Please don't stop reading this... there's more to the story here and it means the world to me. 

At Home America is a wonderful compay to work with, I love their mission statement, especially about serving God first, our families second and finally YOU our hostesses and guests.  There is something different about this company and it doesn't hurt that I LOVE almost everything that I sell.

All of that's fine and dandy.  Earning a trip to Cancun and getting an extra $800 at Christmastime sure has its advantages too... but like I said, there's more to the story here, but I have to go way back long before I know of At Home America.

You see there was a time in my life where I said I wanted 10 kids.  I don't think I ever really meant it.  I believe someone asked me once if I wanted to be a mom and I said yes (like most little girls do).  Then they asked me how many kids I thought I'd like to have and I said 10!  They were shocked and I stuck to my story and continued to baffle others with the declaration that I wanted 10 kids.  Honestly I don't think that I ever gave much thought to it.  I can't remember growing up with that many friends who came from BIG families.  There was one boy in my class who, I think, had 13 kids in his family, but I always thought that was an isolated incident. 


So here I am 33 years old and the wife of a wonderful man... and the mother of five wonderful, adorable, cute cuteness, smart smartness Turkey Bottoms.  I am blessed beyond blessed.  If my family was complete at 7 instead of an even dozen I would still consider myself to be blessed among women.  And yet, I find myself searching adoption photolistings.  I find myself dreaming of a family of many colors.  

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do right; seek justice. 
  Defend the oppressed. 
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

I want to take up the cause of the fatherless.  I want them to be counted among those who have a father, a mother and a house full of siblings. I want them to know that they are wanted... not just by me or by their daddy or siblings... but there is a God who promises not to leave them as orphans.  That not only will they be in the Driscoll family, but that God has made a way for them to be a part of His family.  

Everytime I look on an adoption website I pray for the children that I "meet" there.  I pray that God will open doors and make a way for us to adopt.  And so we've come back to the beginning of this particular blog.

At Home America.  What a perfect name for a company that will be one piece of the puzzle that will bring our children home!  Whether they will come from Haiti, Ethiopia, Liberia or right here in the US I know that God will make them At Home right here in my arms until He takes them to their real home in heaven.  You see, At Home America isn't something that I'm using to spam your Facebook walls with ... it's not something that I'm peddling to make a buck... no it's much, much, much bigger than that for me.  At Home America is helping me pay off debts that we have... so that we can afford not only adoption costs, but also the many things that Turkey Bottoms need... like a home... with a good roof, clothes, food, heat, water, electricity, food, food, food.  Man my kids can eat! ;)

So have I mentioned lately that I love At Home America?  It's more than great decor, it's a journey to bring the rest of my kids home... kids that might already be alive waiting for us.  Please pray that God will grant me success in this business, but more importantly pray for my Turkey Bottoms and their birth families.  Pray that they will be comforted tonight and that God might make Himself known to them.  Pray our babies (whatever their age) will know that we will not allow them to be orphans forever. 

I have it worse than you...

I woke up this morning... much like the past 7 years... to someone standing in the hallway screaming and crying.  Of course they don't know why they're that upset, never mind the fact that my ears are bleeding and I almost wet the bed at the sound of the first shrill scream.

The "baby" has pooped 4 times in the course of an hour... making it hard to get much done and making it even harder to work up an appetite for breakfast.  You know some people claim that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?  I've never been much of a breakfast eater, but knowing that I don't really have a chance to eat breakfast makes me grumpy.  I mean it would be nice to sit down and eat breakfast like all the important people.

I never go to the bathroom by myself... at least not before 8:30 or 9 PM.  And I never get through a shower without at least 2 people coming in to put their dirty clothes in the laundry room.  It's as if the sound of running water has a mystical ability to make everyone want clean clothes.  It also never fails that whoever is the last one leaving the bathroom as I'm showering will ALWAYS forget to shut the bathroom door.  Cold air is the perfect ending to a interrupted shower.

Is there a rule that all children hate onions?  Or peas?  Or green peppers?  Is there also a rule that all children must remind their mama of this every time it hits their plate... burst into tears and accidentally spill their milk at the same time.  Of course the milk has now run off the table onto the child who cannot stand to be wet, or dirty, or looked at cross eyed and now she too is crying and glaring at me like it was my doing?  Without a doubt I'm thinking, "Great more laundry, looking forward to that cold air shower tomorrow."

To my recently potty trained child... we are all very excited for you, but no, I don't want to go with you into the bathroom.  No, I don't want to see your poop.  No, I don't want to see your penis.  Please stop asking me 300 times a day minute.

Who taught these children to apologize to each other by screaming, "I'M SORRY.  I'M SORRY.  I SAID, I'M SORRY!"  
Translated, "DON'T TELL MOMMY.  DON'T TELL MOMMY.  I SAID, I TOTALLY MEANT TO HURT YOU AND YOUR FEELINGS, BUT IF YOU TELL MOMMY I'M GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE!"

And then at nap time why is it that no matter how many times I say, "No talking."  That gets translated into, "It's totally OK to whisper, giggle, get wound up, jump, dance, and try out new Kung Fu moves... get hurt and cry for Mommy to make you feel better.  When Mommy refuses to console you it is perfectly acceptable to cry harder and harder and harder until your lips turn blue, your face turns red and for some unexplainable reason YOU NEVER PASS OUT!  How is that fair?  Oh.my.word.  Is that a bump on your head?  Is it a concussion?  Does this mean that I have to actually keep you awake now?  Oh, and that little tissy fit has really worn you out and you're tired and mad at me because I won't let you sleep.....

...Ok, stay at home mamas, you know you've had a day like this.  I didn't even get into barfing, sibling fighting, neighbor kids that don't want to play with the kiddos, home schooling horrors, asthma attacks, stitches, broken bones... So here's your chance...

Fill in the blank, "I have it worse than you because _________________________"  


And let us laugh at how bad it gets and yet we know that we have the best jobs in the whole world!

My Life With My Turkey Bottoms: Kelly's At Home America Giveaway!!!

My Life With My Turkey Bottoms: Kelly's At Home America Giveaway!!!: "So I know that you're all huge HUGE fans of Kelly's At Home America page on Facebook! You are right? You follow me here rig..."

Kelly's At Home America Giveaway!!!

So I know that you're all huge HUGE fans of Kelly's At Home America page on Facebook!  You are right?  You follow me here right?  I knew it!

I also know that you're dying to be the winner of my biggest giveaway ever!!  Ok, it's only my second giveaway ever, but the point is it's a big deal!  What could you win?  Well, you'll have to wait a little bit to find out, but here's what you'll need to know:

HOW DO I WIN?

1. You must be a fan of Kelly's At Home America page... here it is again!
2. Every friend that you refer to Kelly's At Home America (who gives you a shout out on my wall) will give you an extra entry... so tell your friends to come here and say hi!  Be sure to "share" my page with all your friends on your Facebook page!
3.  Host an At Home America show between April 8th and April 30th and receive 5 extra entries.  For every $100 in sales that your show has you'll get an extra entry!  Remember the average At Home America show has $500 in sales so you could have 10 entries for hosting a show!
4.  Attend a show between now and April 30th and  receive one entry per $10 you spend!  Fill out a courtesy card for another entry!
5.  Stop by my table at the Oelwein Spring Stop and Shop on April 16th from 8am to 3pm fill out a courtesy card and receive an extra entry.  Place an order and receive one entry per $10 you spend!
6.  Stop by and say "hi" to Ben in Aurora at the Comet Center on April 16th from 9am to 3pm, fill out a courtesy card and receive an extra entry.   Place an order and receive one entry per $10 you spend!  Don't I have the best husband ever?? ;)
7. Here's the guaranteed way to win... At Home America is a second family to me.  And I would love to have you a part of that family.  For anyone who signs up to start their own business (and becomes a qualified Home Style Specialist in their first month of business) will receive one of the giveaway prizes of your choice!  Woot woot... love it!
8.  Already a part of my At Home America team?  If you have $1,000 in sales for the month of April you'll also receive one of the giveaway prizes of your choice!

WHAT CAN I WIN??? 

Oh.My.Word.  I am so excited for this! 

If you're the winner you will receive your choice of one of the following items valued at $69.99 each!!  Can I get a woot woot!?!?

French Market 5 Quart Beverage Dispenser

Inspired by the timeless elegance of 18th century France, our handcrafted dispenser makes it easy to add a bit of luxury to your home. 8"dia. x 14-1/4"h; Stand: 8-1/4"dia. x 4-3/4"h

New England Timepiece

Keep a close watch on time with this wrought iron clock that swivels. Requires one "AA" battery (not included). 10"l x 6"w x 20"h

Large Liberty Pocket Star

Large, handcrafted, distressed red metal star features a deep pocket, giving it a multitude of decorating options for the holidays and everyday! Fill with our Natural Bundles and display over a mantel, hang in a guest bathroom with hand towels, or place on each child's door to fill with a special gift. Keyhole hook for convenient hanging. Large, handcrafted, distressed red metal star features a deep pocket. 23"L X 23"W X 4"D ...**Will be filled with BranWright Marketplace Wildfire Flowers, Crimson Red and South Carolina Hanging Dill**

 So there you go... which would you pick if you're the winner?  Are you sooooo excited?  You better be! =)

Drawing will be choosen on April 30th and announced on Kelly's At Home America's page... which of course you can find  right here!

*US and Canada only
*At Home America employees and HSS cannot win giveaway!

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