This point in my mothering career

On Sunday we went to eat at a restaurant where we have gotten to know the owners a little bit. They have a girl about Lamb 1's age and they now have a 2 month old boy. The mom works at a nursing home that Ram often visited our church members. Plus they own this restaurant. On Sunday I asked her about her baby because the last time I saw her she was due soon, but I hadn't seen her since she had her baby. She offered to bring the baby downstairs so we could meet him.
As I talked to her, it was clear that we live two very different lives. I told her I couldn't imagine working at the nursing home and owning the restaurant (which means she often helps out there too) and having children to take care of. She said it's not too bad, she "only" works 4 days a week at the nursing home now and she doesn't really do that much with the restaurant. Plus during the winter, the restaurant is only open Thursday-Sunday. She told me she couldn't imagine having 3 children-and they are BOYS too. She really couldn't imagine homeschooling. It was clear from our conversation that neither one of us was envious of the other's lifestyle.
I've also been thinking a lot recently about the point that I am at in my mothering career. I cleaned out the diaper bag recently and I took out the Hooter Hider because Lamb 3 only nurses before bedtime now. He's not even nursing before nap time any more. I also took out Lamb 2's diapers. Lamb 2 only wears diapers to bed now and we also ask him to wear them on long trips-just in case. When we are going on long trips I always take an extra diaper bag with extra clothes-just in case so I can pack diapers for Lamb 2 then. We no longer need to carry diapers for Lamb 2 for every day. It has been since May of 2006 that I only had one in diapers and for several months we had 3 in diapers! I'm not pregnant (nor are we "trying" although I know that is a loaded word) nor am I breastfeeding very much (I think Lamb 3 just likes to get in the cozy position and I doubt there is very much milk in there any more). I felt "free" to have an Irish creme coffee on Sunday night with both caffeine and alcohol. Except for a couple of months, it has been since June of 2003 that I was at this point of not being pregnant or nursing more than once a day. Church went well on Sunday too. Lamb 1 was content to write on the church calendar during the sermon and only asked me a few times how to spell something. Lamb 2 looked at his Busy Bible during the sermon and was pretty quiet. Lamb 3 played with the new crayons (didn't actually color) and was pretty quiet. I don't think church has been that "easy" (without any Lambs asking me for something every 30 seconds of the sermon) since before Lamb 1 was born! And meals-Lamb 1 rarely asks for help, Lamb 2 asks for help towards the end of his meal to get the last few bites on his spoon etc. and Lamb 1 sometimes helps his brothers at this point, and often Lamb 3 can feed himself the whole meal. Lamb 3 is the only one that we have to cut foods extra small for him to not choke now.
On Saturday I got caught up on Lamb 3's scrapbook. I have a lot to do to catch up on Lamb 1 and 2's, but it was nice to catch up on one scrapbook.
This is a long post to explain my thoughts on both being a SAHM and as my Lambs get older. It is strange after 5 1/2 years with Lamb 1 to be at this point. As "nice" as it is, I'm trying not to get too comfortable in this point in my career as we pray that we are blessed with more Lambs and then the cycle will start all over! I can only imagine how my friend Pam feels now. Her boys are all in school now and she is pregnant with twin girls now. She probably feels like I do, but more extreme as her boys are all in school. May God bless us with patience and strength to continue to be good mothers no matter what point in our career we are at.