sunday afternoon

It has been a whole week since Benjamin Paul totalled his car. He came in from work a little while ago, and I was glad to see him, all healthy and fine.

The van we bought is a 2008 Chevy Uplander, seats seven. It is used, and has 11,000 miles on it. The price was good, only a year old and like half the price of a new one.

I was asked a bit ago how we can afford so many kids. Here's the thing: a long time ago, we got married. We were very poor. Paul had a job, and several student loans, things were tight. I worked as a receptionist at an insurance agency. Then, we were expecting Emily. I quit my job when I was halfway through the pregnancy because it was too far away from Paul's work.....we had moved around a bit, and didn't have our own place until right before Emily was born. We had just decided from the start that we would accept however many children God sent us. And not worry about it. I remember suggesting that I get a part time job when Emily was a few months old, and we discussed it, and decided it was better for me to be home. Even though we were pretty broke. We lived in a mobile home. Which was fine, it was ours, and we were happy.

Anyway, we moved to a bigger mobile home, and had 5 kids there. Things opened up for us to build a house....and we did it ourselves, with my brothers doing most of it. Anyway, the point is that we decided a long time ago to take things as they came, and let God do the planning. And it has been very good and blessed. It is written Matthew to seek God's kingdom first, and all things will be added to you.

Also, most of our kids have never been bowling. Or ice skating or roller skating, or to the movies......okay, so most of them have been to a few movies. But they haven't had ballet lessions, or been in little league, or gone skiiing, or mini-golf.....their clothes are from the 75% off racks, their birthday cakes are homemade, their snacks are from the dollar store. They have eaten from the dollar menu, but they have had a few Happy Meals, which they enjoyed... And they have gone to Chinese buffets, and they have been to the zoo, and camping, and they are clean and warm and well-fed. So we have much more than we need. Much more.

Well, it is five o'clock, and we have no idea what to have for dinner. We have already had spaghetti, the old standby, a few days ago. We have 3 extra kids here, so there will be 20 for dinner. So, we are going to the small local grocery store to get things for calzones. Mirielle wants to make them instead of pizzas. I have got to start being a better planner. Oh, I have a job to do....the downstairs old refridgerator is broken, and there is meat in the freezer....oh, joy.

Well, time to get moving, AGAIN...