Phew

This, this is just some of our laundry.

Having a large family is

exhaustively awesome.

In one week we used 4 and a half loafs of bread and nearly 3 gallons of milk.....sometime I will have to figure the amount of toilet paper, jelly, peanut butter and cereal that gets used.

Let's do some laundry math.....

Pajamas for 4 kids (nope I don't give the baby pj's)- 56 pieces

underwear for the family- 35

socks for 6 people (nope the baby doesn't get new socks everyday)- approx 45 pairs

pants- approx 37 pairs

shirts- 49

totals 222, and that doesn't account for accidents or workout clothes

I'm exhausted. Someone is always hungry, the laundry basket is never empty, something has always been forgotten on the grocery list  (today it was the ever important wipes),  we're at the doctors office so often we should have our own room, and I say "if they aren't hurting someone else or themselves I don't want to hear your tattle" several times a day.  I'll take the stares, the comments about being nuts, the sighs when I take out our WIC checks from foster care, the jokes about starting our own soccer team, the unceasing runny noses, the constant noise and bickering, the stuffy and loaded rooms at the doctors office because all 5 kids, yes 5 kids, had to come with me, the ever growing laundry pile, and a kitchen sink that hasn't been empty since August.  Because in spite of all of that, and so much more than can't be listed, I love this family and wouldn't have it any other way.

With all of that craziness comes beautiful smiles, and dimples, and hugs and laughter that is contagious.  Watching my children learn to accept a stranger into our family like they have always belonged and being willing to do it again when their tiny little hearts have been crushed.  I get to watch a child learn what it means to feel safe, loved, and to learn how to hug.  I am watching my baby girl turn into a little mother as she learns invaluable skills of patience. And as a family we get to learn about forgiving people, that we may not even know, for things that don't seem forgivable.  

This is just an amazing journey that I am so proud to be a part of.  I am so thankful to the Lord that I have a home with room, children who will selflessly share us, a family with hearts that are willing to be broken, and a husband with a wonderful idea to begin this process.

Four years ago, in the scariest time of my life, God poured the most amazing peace over me, that I could physically feel, and told me everything would be okay.  But if you had told me three years ago this is where my family would be someday I would have thought you were crazy.  I was waiting to become a single mother with three children and now I live in a wonderfully happy home packed full of children and an amazing husband.  God is amazing.....

If what you desperately need or deeply desire

is founded in The Word of God

don't let anyone tell you God can't.

Santa Came!! And we opened stockings

 Phew!  Change is overwhelming.

 This was one of the things I was most excited to give.  It's of course already broken.

Just look at that face!!

Christmas Morning

 Our older kids woke up at 5 and were ready to start the day.  I had them come lay in our floor and watch Christmas shows until Mr. Cuter Tooter got up.

 Before we headed down stairs the kids opened p.j.'s.  As you can see Timothy wasn't too pleased with that being the first gift.  We had to have a little chat.....

Christmas Eve

We had to fill our mantel (or whatever it is really called) with gifts.  It saved room in the floor and kept Mr. Cuter Tooter out of the bags.  It gave Bear a great excuse to get inside it to had me all the gifts.  He had a blast up there and don't you know the other kids were jealous!

We also made our cookies that night since Santa would need a little snack.  We of course had to leave our special Santa key out like we do every year since we don't have a fireplace.    And Bear made reindeer food at school.

We finished up the night with the real reason for Christmas and read about the birth of Christ.

Gingerbread Cookies

This was our first time making or decorating gingerbread men.  We had so much fun I think it will be a new tradition.