Beauty From Ashes...

Yesterday was hard.

I overslept, didn't get up and at 'em like I had wanted to.

And another fun evening of playing with the bigger-and-stronger than me kids left me with a pinch in my back. Plus, and I realize how stupid and trivial and completely of-this-world I will sound for saying this, but... It was the first day of a 21 day fast from Facebook. So, yes, I was a bit irritable. Justifiable? no... but, just being honest.

Several of the kiddos were up too late the night before in a cram-in-as-much-fun-as-we-can-before-school-starts type evening, so noone brought their "A" game when they finally woke up...which may or may not have been noon for a few of them. Yes, I really did let them. I know....

So anyway, it was one of those "resolve one issue with one set of kids then turn around, take a sip of coffee and start working on the next" kind of days, with a lot of, " I don't want to move!" and, "you can't take away my stuff," thrown in for good measure. And that's just the stuff I feel comfortable sharing. There's lots more that is too sensitive to tell. Hard stuff that comes with living in the system for over 10 years.

Let's just say that by about 2 pm I actually texted Joe and said I might need him to come home. By this time, my head was pounding and at least 3 kids were so angry/upset with me they weren't speaking to me. (Normally I wouldn't mind the quiet that creates, but this time it was more than I thought I could handle alone.) Lo and behold, in walks a friend just stopping by to say hello. (J- you have NO idea how much of a gift from God you were yesterday!)

And just like that, the cloud started lifting. My spirit was refreshed and the cloud started lifting...laughter came back and siblings were friends again.

Dinner brought a prayer from one of the older boys, thanking God for the day we had- even though it had ups and downs and asking Him to bless our family and help us become closer...

and then...

and then...

we went to "hang out" with the older boys at bedtime. Just relax with them. Chat. And the conversation centered mostly on how important it is that we all just KEEP TALKING... and ended up touching again on how our family standards are meant to help keep us all under God's authority.

And then...

the same man-child, who was perhaps the angriest at me of them all that afternoon, stopped rocking in his chair. Sat straight up and said that he wanted to say something.

Manna...

"Before I knew about all this adoption stuff or that it was even going on, I asked God to help me in my walk. You know, be closer to Christ and stuff. Whoa... You know what? I think that's what this is right here...being here!"

Amen.