Life Lately...

It's been a little crazy...with 5 grands and their mom here. I'm SO grateful that Mark's here to see them too (although he's working each day). SO grateful that Melissa's here too (although we are ALL missing her husband). It's a treasure to sit and do life with her each day - with her and these kids. She's amazing - so patient - with each child. It baffles me - she definitely got that from her dad!! :)

It's fun to see the house FULL to overflowing - full of laughter, toys, kids, crowded around the table, laundry on the couch...the beds...the floors.... Full too of tears, and tantrums, and snuggles and cooos.

I'm trying hard to make memories for these kids - if they are hearing God's voice clearly they will be launching into language school within the year. I'm praying for these kids, and their parents, and anyone that hears their ministry plan.

I can be BRAVE today, while they are all napping in their beds, and mom's out for coffee to share the plan with a new friend...but I need to learn how to recall out of memory to be BRAVE as they buy their tickets. As they get on that plane. When they are calling to let me know that one of the kids has their first bug. Those are the moments I know that BRAVE will be harder to muster up, and tears will overflow - as I try so hard to not be choked up on the phone.

For now my BRAVE moments are taking care of all of them alone (yesterday, and they were all awake too!), and managing them through cleaning up toys before bedtime, and saying good-bye at the start of the week, knowing it will be summer before we see each other again. Sigh. A very, VERY BRAVE sigh.

The baby will be creeping. The toddler will be talking. The talker will (maybe) not be so full of attitude. The sneaky one will still be sneaky, and the bossy one still bossy...but I know that God's going to be working in each of them - because I pray for them to be the BEST He wants them to be.

I know He is working on me too.