SPRING BREAK: Feeding the Multitudes

Tonight I lie awake, exhausted, my mind racing. I am in a new world, a wonderful, crazy, frustrating new world where my life shifts from four children to SEVEN. If I can tell you anything it is that mealtime with seven kids has much to be desired. I am learning something new each time we eat. Things I have learned so far this week….

·         A big table and nine chairs are a MUST HAVE if we are to ever gain control over the chaos.

·         Do not serve pancakes as they come off the griddle. Next time I will call them all to eat AFTER I’ve made at least FORTY.

·         Seven children will never ALL like the same meal, unless it is pizza.

·         If you cut the pizza into smaller pieces they think they are eating more than they really are.

·         If you make grilled cheese sandwiches you will be on your feet for at least 45 minutes. (Unless you run out of cheese and bread faster than that.)

·         Cold cereal is a necessity and needs a budget all of its own.

·         Structured snacks are a MUST or the grazing will never stop.

·         Two ovens would be helpful.

·         I need larger griddles. (Mom and Dad…I may steal yours, watch out!)

·         People who do this every day are AMAZING.

·         I have never thought about meals so much in my life. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks…new day…start all over. Breakfast, lunch, dinner…)

·         Teenagers CAN be taught how to make tomato soup. (Open can…add water…stir….good job!)

·         I am completely and utterly grateful for PAPER PLATES.

·         Life without a dishwasher would be slavery.

I find myself often thinking of my Grandma Bonnie and what it must have taken to raise 10 kids. I cannot wait until I can talk to her someday about what that was like. (Especially mealtime!) I can’t imagine making all the loaves of bread that it would take to feed that many kids. The work must have been never ending. I wonder how she had enough patience, and how she found enough time to give everyone what they needed. I wonder if she ever felt inadequate, overwhelmed, and underappreciated. I wonder if she ever wanted to walk out the door and come back after everyone was asleep. Someday I’ll ask her all these things and have my questions answered! Meanwhile I’ll keep doing the best I can, and learning something new with every meal we have. I’ll work on getting more chairs and more patience. And I’ll keep appreciating paper plates, water bottles, and my dishwasher.

2 Things You May Have Wondered...

For those of you wondering the details on my soon to be family, please let me explain. My wonderful, soon to be hubby has three kids. Knute is 14, Rohr is 13, and Emmalynn is 10. They have been with their mom for the past year and a half in South Dakota. (Their step-dad is in the military.) They spent part of the summer here and we were able to get to know each other and go on some fun trips. They are here for the month of April for vacation and of course our wedding! They have an AMAZING opportunity to go to Japan as their step-dad received orders to station there. They will be leaving for Japan in May and we’ll see how the summer treats them there! We are so excited for them to have this opportunity but we are also sad to not have them around for the summer.

While I’m at it let me explain my soon to be last name. It is Ljungberg; pronounced Youngberg. Sounds normal, but looks weird. Troy’s family is Norwegian and I am so excited to be a part of it. (I have a magnet on my fridge from his mom that says, “Pray for me, I’m married to a Norwegian.” Lol) For the rest of my life when I tell people my last name I will have to explain how it is spelled. I have watched Troy do this hundreds of times already. It is a small price to pay for love I suppose. ;)

Our trip to Mount Rushmore this past summer

If you must know I cannot wait to have this last name. You cannot imagine the confusion of not knowing what your name is. Some places I’m Howard, some I’m Miller, and at the gym and most recently car insurance I’m Ljungberg. I’m caught off guard when anyone asks me my name, and I have to think about where I am. It’s an interesting dilemma and I’m not gonna lie, it is pretty funny sometimes. I went to sign at the closing of my house last week and they had my middle initial recorded as N instead of M. The lady at the title company told me to just sign with an N since that is what was on everything. I agreed...I have lots of names right now.

My boys have told me that since we’ll have different last names, that that means we’re not family, and that they can’t live with me anymore. Oh, the conversations you never imagined having to have with your children! Luckily they have good friends in similar situations, and so their examples helped the boys to understand. How confusing for a little kid!


We are excited for our families to be joined and look forward to all the crazy and fun times. The kids already get along like brothers and sisters. The PLAY together, FIGHT together, and LOVE each other. I don't think I could define FAMILY any better than that.