kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens- 4 of em...

A stray (and feral) cat started hanging around a few months ago and we noticed she looked pregnant one day but the next day she didn't so we figured she lost the babies because she was pretty tiny herself to be having kittens. Alas... the other day my daughter came running in screaming "Mom, your not going to believe this! Kitten had kittens! They are playing behind the wall!" Oh great...

Sure enough she did. There were 4 kittens back there with the mama cat behind our back wall where there is a gully and a field back there, a perfect playground and lots of hiding spots. SO many hiding spots that it has taken me 4 days of trying to catch the kittens and they freak out and run away from me. They are never in the same spot so I have to wait for them to come out to know what the spot of the day is. Mama has taught them well.

I caught one kitten on friday with food and sitting behind a bush for an hour til he got brave enough to come eat. He is gray and white and is already used to us and playing. Todays goal... get the other 3 buggers. They are old enough to be without mama cat, they are almost as big as she is. Never give up, never surrender!

Another twist in the road...

I don't want to burst any bubbles but I am learning a very interesting life lesson over and over again lately and I just want to warn you all. Sorry Moms of young childern in advance!
Here it is...
"KIDS DO NOT GET EASIER AS THEY GET OLDER".
Just the opposite in fact. My mom used to say kids are physically exhausting when they are little, emotionally exhausting as teens, financially exhausting in college, and then they are all three at random moments to keep you on your toes.
I am off to the hospital bright and early tomorrow to have my daughter get her stomach scoped in order to figure out what the heck is causing so much pain for her. She is always nauseous, bent over, and no pill will touch it. It's been progressively worse over the past year. I would really love some answers. Not gonna be a fun day. He thinks she may have celiac disease, ulcer, IBS, dairy allergies, or another fun thing but I can't remember what. Poor girl.
All kids are challenging at any age and I mean SO much more than physically challenging. I am a Mom of 4 and to them I am the coach, the pep talk giver, the one who holds their hand when they are unsure, the cheer leader, the go and get em encourager, the congratulator, the pick em up and brush em off-er, and sometimes it's a bit draining but always always always worth every minute.
Today I looked at her and thought, I would do anything for u. Anything. I would give you my stomach, my life, to make yours better. I have been thru so much with this child... emergency surgery for an ovarian cyst, xrays, mri's, cat scans, scoliosis adjustments, dermatologists, and braces TWICE. I love all my kids but I am so grateful for Corynn, she is my right hand, my sweetheart, my little mommy to her sisters, our voice of conscience. She is so smart, so wise, and at 14 is becoming a little to pretty for her own good. All these things shall be for our good and our experience, right! How amazing is it that we are placed in families on this earth? Who else would go thru all the yuck with us?!