phew, what a weekend!!!

Friday: shopping then dinner (2 whole roasted roasted chickens, mashed 'tatoes, veggies) Ashley came for a visit, and had a bit of dinner with us. We were sitting at the table, in no particular hurry, for the first time in days since the kids had things going on every single night of the week for the last few weeks. Then Margaret got a call that she was late for choir practice! Hurry, hurry...out the door we went, my five soccer player girls and I, to bring Marg to practice and stay in the camper for the weekend. I got in the van and realized I hadn't even packed my pillow and blanket. I ran back in, Margaret tapped her fingers and chafed. We were almost there when I realized I had no jacket or coat, and it was chilly! If I turned around, Marg would have been even later, so...I froze all weekend.

Candy store most of the day, then helped make pizzas. We made forty pizzas, all with the right toppings, none burnt, all on time. YAY! Rolled out the dough, put oil and garlic on the crusts, topped them with yummy stuff. There is a certain satisfaction in working hard and getting a job done right, but the best part was being in the kitchen with my daughters Emily and Margaret, and my nieces Janet and Audrey. We fooled around and laughed too much, and I told my nieces if they don't hate me now they never will.

Anyway. Our team lost: every.single.game. They made nary a goal. But, they had fun. Emily bought them all pizzas for dinner, I just happened to have a huge box of delicious assorted specialty cookies I had gotten on clearance, and a few bags of Doritos. We got them all sodas, and served up an impromptu meal. Emily voluntarily made the pizzas, then paid for some for the team....she knows that when she gives she receives, so she is quite the giver!

Then yesterday, after the soccer games were over, there was a feast for Paul! Our church feasts are amazing events! It was to celebrate Paul's fiftieth birthday. Imagine sitting in a cozy meeting hall, candles and flowers on the tables (thank you girls, Esther and Rachel and Jenn and Jeanette and Melanie and Beth and Erica and the rest of you who so nicely made up the food and served it...it was wonderful!!!)...and hearing person after person get up and speak about how they have been encouraged by the person who the feast is for. Paul was responsible for church book-keeping/bill-paying, ect., for years and years, plus he was the youth leader for a while, he has been the music leader, and lots of other things. He is always there at the volunteer work, and with a good attitude. The thing that really came out was that he has had a Godly fear over his life, he has lived his life as a living example of the gospel. One of my kids said, "Actions speak louder than words, and just how he takes things compels me to want to follow Jesus."

Benjamin wrote a letter via Mirielle that was read...he referenced the time when he was a teenager and he took Paul's license, his social security number, and forged his signature on a bank loan for a four-wheeler ATV. When the first bill came in the mail addressed to Paul, who didn't know he had co-signed for this nice new four-wheeler, he simply showed it to Ben, and said he better find a way to pay the monthly bill. He wasn't thrilled, Ben knew that. Ha, I knew he was really really tempted to go through the roof. But he didn't. He was good, and he was patient. That spoke volumes to Ben, who knew he had done wrong.

Abigail talked about when she or the other older kids crashed cars and Paul just did what needed to be done without flipping out. Margaret mentioned when it is cold in the morning and like 8 people want coffee and Dad didn't get any, and he just said it's fine, and off to work he went. One thing many of our kids mentioned: how thankful they are for Paul's lack of rules and regulations. Aaron said he appreciated how there were times he didn't want to get up and go to the Sunday meetings, but he knew Dad wanted him to, but he was never forced to. Paul has been able to be all things to all men, here at home. He can fix bikes and fix bills and help with taxes and student loans and he gives his Amazon account password to girls who "need" things...but all because he stands before God.

Ashley joined us there too, and it was such a good and blessed time. I will say this: God always, ALWAYS gives back much more than we give. When Paul and I got married, we decided together to accept the children from God...not because we were rich, or organized, or super patient. In fact, we were broke and everyone knows that I am no housekeeper. But we knew that God knew what we needed. And we have been so overwhelmingly blessed! We know it is written in Matthew to seek first His kingdom and all things will be added to us. So we each need to find what that means for us to seek His kingdom. To be seek to please Him in all our situations of life, big and small, all day long. The result of this self-acknowledgement, of saying NO to sin, of fighting against selfishness and meanness...we can have the fruits of the spirit, so we are true and living examples. I can honestly say that Paul has been this. I, on the other hand...oh, I wish I could do a re-do of my whole life! But. I cannot. I did my best, and I still have today. God hears my prayers and sends all things for my very best, from the messes I have to clean up to the snappy remarks from my favorite teenage daughter.

My friends who read this blog: I just want to encourage you - read the brunstad.org page. Read your bible. Be good, but don't be surprised to find the evil in you when you go to do good...(romans 7:21)...

Suri wants to go outside. I missed my walk this morning, couldn't get my lazy rear out of my nice warm bed. blah. Now I have three fine children here with me, sick. They aren't too sick, just colds. Camille is hoarse, the others are starting to get that way and are stuffy. They are absolutely thrilled to be home, to have raisin toast and apple juice in sippy cups on the couch while watching kids' shows on tv. I can't leave just the three of them here and go and walk, so I will wait 'til the older kids get off the bus.

I did dishes and more dishes this morning, swept the floor, washed towels, cleaned off counters...there is more to do, but my big plan for the day is to enjoy these kids while they are here with me.