mom, why can't you just adopt a baby?

Poor Jon. He wants me to have a baby, preferably a boy. He is actually whining and begging for a baby brother. "Can't you just adopt one?" Oh, Jon, if only it were that easy....

So some of the clothes are coming back this morning. I don't have the laundry room set up well to recieve them, so my nice clothes-free couch might just be trashed.

Suzanne is in a bad mood all of the sudden. She said she is going to tell the kids on the bus that Jon - never mind. I don't want him to be mad at me someday. But she was in one of her stompy moods. And Jonathan has been fussing against going to school all morning. He got ready, but he kept asking if he could stay home. Well, he started crying his eyes out right when the bus pulled up. Suze walked ever so slowly so the bus had to wait, and Jon stood there sobbing. I told him he got his way, he could stay home. I just can't put a kid on the bus crying. Anyway, he is still crying, because, you guessed it, HE WANTS TO GO TO SCHOOL!!!

It seems so lonely in here during the day when everyone goes to work and school. Joseph is working this week with my younger brother, so he, Paul, Benjamin, and Abigail go off to work, the nine kids to school (today only 8), and here we are. I might be watching the sweet little guy I watched last week. I had said I couldn't, he is potty training, and brings his seat with him, it is very busy, and with my two little monkeys and getting the clothes back...ugh. But now that Jon is home, I called them and said I could take him after all. They have lots of stuff going on right now, and babysitters are scarce around here. It makes it a bit crazy, but crazy doesn't USUALLY kill anyone. And it won't kill me.

I was thinking about spare time. Our church is trying to raise money to buy a cabin/apartment to use when the kids (or adults) go to Norway for the conferences at the big nice center over there. It is expensive, things in Norway tend to be. But going to a conference over there is SO encouraging, meeting friends from all over the world, and hearing God's word. And having fun. It is a great experience for the young people, it really forms bonds to Jesus in their hearts. What I am saying is that it is worth working for, to get a place there. So we need to raise money. Every year we do a Christmas Bazaar at the school the kids go to. It usually doesn't make much money, but it is something, and we always have hopes that we will strike it rich there, ha. We were talking about it recently, a small group of my friends. One had a good idea of something to make. So I told her, GREAT, you make some of those then. That would be good. " Wait a minute," she said," I don't have any spare time." I have been thinking about this alot since then. I do not fault her, she was just being reasonable and practical. After all, who really has spare time? It isn't about that, though. It is about sacrifice. Staying up a bit late into the night when you are tired to make some things, or giving up dusting and vacuuming or even keeping up on the laundry. Not forever, just for a season, to do something helpful. We are so full of reason. Things have to be just so, and I will just die if I don't get certain things done. But will I really? As I said, I am not faulting her, I love her with all my heart. I would like to encourage her to expand her boundaries, in faith, but I don't want to have demands on her that she goes beyond what she is comfortable with.

If I was more reasonable and practical, we would have like...two kids. When Emily was born, we were so broke. We had just moved into our two bedroom mobile home two weeks before she was born....Paul had $$$ in student loans, a car payment, it just was not practical. But when you seek God's kingdom first, all things are added unto you. (Matt. 6:33) And we had faith right from the start to accept the children from God. But truthfully, in the beginning years it was more like naivety. La-de-dah...but then when the kids started adding up, I wondered what the heck we were doing....but I knew in my heart it was right. I had gone beyond my own threshhold of reason! Sometimes I still look around me at all of us and think I am crazy. But that thought doesn't stay for long.

Camille is awake now, in her adorable red-polka dot sleeper jammies. Jon is glad because he loves to get her out of her little green bed. Her little green bed that should be in her own little room, by the way. She woke up three times last night, just for a hug. And there I was, all awake again.

It is really chilly in here. Paul said he hopes he gets the furnace part soon. Well, dear, so do I! This means I have to bake something to warm it up in here. Maybe those pumpkin muffins.....