AWOL

Our church family is sending my husband and I on a retreat this weekend. I can't remember the last time he and I went somewhere just the two of us...even for an hour, much less an entire weekend! They chose to give it to us during a church service, in which I began to cry. Not the graceful few tears and quiet sniffs that beautiful women sometimes show when overcome with emotion...no, pretty much it was the uncontrollable heaving and sobbing. Snot and tears and too few tissues. My name is certainly NOT Grace.

Much has happened over the last few months. I have been broken like never before. But the sobs did not come from that brokenness. It came from an overwhelming feeling of being picked back up and dusted off after a fall. Of others pulling us back up again and pouring out into us. The joy of a God who fills us back up after we've emptied ourselves before Him. It's humbling, as well. Part of me wants to push away and insist like a silly child that I can do it myself. Or better yet, just jump back up and hope that no one saw my face in the dirt.

I'm still slightly nervous about the logistics of leaving 6 children for 3 days, but the excitement of it all certainly overrides any concern. I am so thankful to all who made this possible...and a I'll be sure to share all about it when we return. Now, if I can somehow get everyone's bags packed, and the house in a state that I don't mind returning to.......

All in a day

"What is a baby shoe doing in the pantry?" -Dad while throwing supper together.

"Where's brudder-fur-now?" -all the girls, about 10 times each. And yes, that is what they call him, like it's his name or something. Poor guy.

"She's bwoken." -Blessing "No, honey, he's a boy, that's why he looks that way." -Mom

"What IS that?" -Grace "I told you, darling, that's his little boy. He's a boy." -Mom

"Is he a boy?" -Charity, who, by the way, is only asking because she senses one more question about his boy parts just might send me over the edge.

"Oh, wow, 5 girls and you finally got your boy?" -Nice lady at Wal-Mart

"No, the baby is a girl, I just got tired of girls so I'm pretending." -me, realizing that maybe she didn't get my sarcasm as her face crumpled all up and she walked away rather frumpy-like. I thought about calling after her that I was only kidding, but I was a little distracted by being run over by a 10 year old pushing a buggy with 2 toddlers in it, while the buggy I was pushing held another toddler who was pestering the already fussing baby, and the 8 year old was rather insistent about getting a present for her teacher. Ah, the good life.

Today

Thanks for all the bloggy support! ;) And thanks to all for offering to link me, but for now I think it's best not to. I don't really want to set the blog to private, but may decide on that route later. I'd love to have readers from far and wide, and I know going private will bring that dream to a screeching halt.... but I certainly don't want to cross any line when it comes to the privacy of the foster children in our home, and their families. That is the biggest reason for using blog names, and not disclosing which of the children are foster, and which of them are biological or adopted.

We had a great day...unless you count the last 30 minutes. Arriving home after a day full of fun usually means melt-down city for everyone. Mounds of dirty clothes from camping, bags galore thrown from the van to just inside the front door, very dirty children screaming in the shower because of those tiny cuts and slight sun burn, hungry and completely worn out kids (and parents) all combine for a not-so-nice scene before finally getting them all clean, fed and in bed. I'll tackle the mess at the door tomorrow....wouldn't it be just like DHS to do a surprise visit first thing in the morning? My house is in shambles!!!! Here are some pics from the day:

Blessing jumping rope with Nana.


I love the smile on Charity's face in this one!

Faith and Hope just before soaking each other in the lake.


Little guy hanging out in the shade.


And last, but certainly not least, sassy Grace hanging her feet off the dock.

Again

A new shot at blogging for me....I once loved it, but due to my changing family, and special circumstances, I deleted my not-at-all anonymous blog and opted to not write for the world to see for a time. But here I am.....this time, I'm not sharing real names, but definitely sharing my life!

At this very moment, I'm only trying it out....but decided for my first post, I would let you know what I'll be calling my family. I'm sure I'll refer to my husband as how-I'm-feeling-about-him-at-the-moment best describes. Some nice, some not so nice! ;) As for the kids.....

The oldest 3, all girls, ages 10, 8, and 4 will be Faith, Hope, and Charity. Grace is next in line, my 3 year old daughter. Blessing is now 2 years old....and currently, laying across my lap as I type, is a tiny baby boy that I have not yet thought of a name for. It's nice to see you all again....as a fellow blogger rather than just a reader/commenter.