Call me crazy, but...

My "weekend retreat"

I'm not sure if you noticed, but I actually only have three kids (Oldest, Only, and Youngest), and I care for two little girls, one of whom is The Princess.  But if you were to come to my house at the moment there are EIGHT, count them please (1,2,3,5,8,12,12,17), kids in my house ages 1-17, one has ADD/Aspergers , Youngest has ADHD (I made sure he had his meds this morning), 2 kids with gluten/wheat allergies, add a psycho cat and a anxious German Shepard, and then there's me. 

view from their deck

 Let me back up a bit... I'm sure you don't want the long version, so here is the short of it. Saturday, we became aware of some dear friends of ours, (owners and founders of Adair Ya Candles), were in the hospital due to possible heart problems. We've really come to appreciate the special creative spirit of them and how their talents are used to encourage and bless others.  We offered to take their beautiful three kids until things calmed down and so the fun began.  Knowing the kids would be more comfy at their house, Youngest and I hurriedly packed our bags and headed for their home in the woods, about 1/2 an hour away.  Bedtime finally arrived at midnight, but at 3 a.m. their youngest son crawled into bed with me and then quickly realized I WAS NOT his momma!  Had to chase him down before he woke up the rest of the house, give him a drink and put him back in his bed.  Then at 5 a.m. the youngest woke up with an earache, got her meds and a drink and put her in bed with me. Somehow, there was comical humor it in all. 

wii games

Sunday Morning:
Though the beautiful snowy woods glisten in the morning sunrise, a lonely train can be faintly heard, but all is not silent... No, the chatter of two little boys downstairs waken me after a restless night. Ah, their excited giggles beckon me from my comfy bed, *sigh*  It was an an active and full day, but not one without giggles and memorable moments.

Crew of 8

Today was really not bad at all. 

The blessing in it?

• I so much appreciate my friends Eva and Tracy who each have more kids than I do. I'm not sure how they do it day in and day out.
• The Princess had
  "M" to play with, someone close to her age and loved the girl time.
• My friend "EM" picked up some of the kids for some fun and play time at her house - they made special chocolate chip cookies and decorated them with icing, and had wii tournaments. They were all full of smiles and excitement when they returned.  How fun is that!  
• We're so thankful that our friends trust us to care for their kids.  Each one show unique and special gifts, and it has been a joy to spend time with them.  You should see the creative pictures that "J" has drawn and the stories behind them, "M" has the most beautiful smile and giggles - such a sweet little girl, and "S" is smart as a whip - he astounds me!   You can tell that their parents love them deeply! 
• I'm blessed to learn more about gluten and how it affects people and how creative and smart their momma is in all she does to insure their health and well-being.  I'm not sure how she does it, but she is a wonder and sweetheart! I'm amazed at her heart, knowledge, and love for others. A truly beautiful lady from the inside out. She inspires me to dig deeper, love others more, and think unselfishly. 
• I'm amazed at the energy and spirit of these kids.  How wonderfully their minds work and their parents have done a fantastic job with them.
• My family loves being in the "A" home.  It is like an awesome retreat in the woods. You can wander through their home, and never grow tired of seeing the awesome ways they display their kids' art and pictures. Always puts a smile on our faces being with there because creativeness and personal touches ooze from it. Shawn is an accomplished artist, whose art emits a special message and creative touch that blesses so many. He's not afraid to think outside the box and talents overflow! 
  
  I confess that I've done none of this on my own, but you already knew that. I would be dumb to take the credit for how smoothly it has gone.  It would not have been possible without a group effort and God being in the middle of it all.  These kids miss their parents, but they have handled it well, with full credit to their parents and God.   It has been a great experience for our family. 
  
  Well, I need to get going.  We've got a busy day tomorrow as well, and we look forward to seeing how the day will unfold.  Looks like I'll have them tomorrow because Shawn has blockages and they're going to do a heart cath in the morning.  I know they would appreciate your prayers! I can see the weariness in "S" face, through her beautiful smile, she still finds a lesson from God and how He is working through this.  Someday, when I grow up, I want to be more like her.