(and my feet too, right?). But seriously. The news is more dire than I've ever experienced. The crises in Ukraine: evacuating hospitals, running out of oxygen, babies and children and grandparents displaced...it's awful. We have some friends there who are staying to fight back. My daughter Emily has a Ukrainian friend who lives on the west coast, with family still in Ukraine. Her parents there are helping with refugees, helping people to the border, and helping house displaced people...if anyone is interesting in donating money that will 100% go directly to help those suffering, you can email me at dellamom16@yahoo.com.
I can't read all the stories, and I cannot watch all the footage. My soul cannot bear it. I know it's happening, and I'm praying, and sending money, but oh my goodness. It's awful.
We had the family over last night, we counted up and there were 24 of us, plus one extra chocolate Lab puppy (Molly's). We sang Happy Birthday to Molly, who turns 28 this week, and to Suzanne, who turned 21 last week.
Wulf and Abigail holding Tennyson...
Jonathan and Camille
The cuppy-cakes...
Sonja K. holding Ten, Molly Rose holding her Ophelia...
Miss Suzanne, looking pretty even with her eyes closed.
So much going on! Margaret sitting on one couch talking to Benjamin, then Josh (Molly's husband) on the floor playing with Anya, Elise and Wulf in the back, Paul playing with the little brown Labrador.
Abigail, Elise, and Grant, then Tennyson and Ophelia and Charlotte Claire in the background
Five of my daughters: Mariel, then Cam in the pink, Suze in the back in blue, Sonja K. and Evelyn
Seven daughters in this one...Mariel, Suzanne, Char, Evelyn, Sonja K., Camille, and Abigail with Tennyson
Three sons in this one, with Abigail, little Grant, Samuel, Emily (Tennyson), Jon at the table, and Benjamin.
Uncle Benjamin with Tennyson...(Grant wanted those cheese balls in Aldi, Grandma said
yes.Ashley's having a baby in six weeks! She was talking to Elise, with Ophelia and Suzanne, then Char behind her, with Cam and Sonja...
Margaret, Evelyn, and Benjamin...
And, with Emily...
Char, Cam, Suze...
Ab, Grant, Sam, Ten, Ben, and Jonathan
This one was from this morning at church...auntie Sonja K. with granddaughters Anya and Elise...
Benjamin, Sonja, Anya, Elise...
This afternoon, Margaret and Adrian came over with the little boys, and Evelyn came over...we sat on the deck in the 73 degree sunshine, ahhh! Wulf and Tennyson took the cover off the sandbox and had a blast. We grilled burgers, and air fried some onion rings, and had salads. Evelyn took Char to Target, Camille and Sonja are here, Paul too. It's kind of quiet, but it's been a good weekend.
13 of my kids were here last night. Only Aaron (California), Kathryn (Oregon), and Joseph (he lives right in town, ha) weren't here. I'm very thankful that we have such peaceful gatherings.
We were thinking to order pizza, but I decided to make chicken. 28 drumsticks, and 6 1/2 pounds of breast, marinated in lime juice and spices, oven baked with olive oil, then grilled with barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes, oven baked stuffing, roasted asparagus, and a beautiful huge salad, Mariel's salads are works of art. I wash dishes the whole time I'm cooking, but there was still a big clean up. Evelyn, Sonja, Suzanne, Charlotte Claire, and Camille cleaned up, it was fantastic. In addition to the cupcakes, Margaret brought chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies.
It all goes by too fast...all the prep, then the cooking, and then everyone is here and it's like a blur, and I want more time with each of them, and I want to be everywhere at the same time, and enjoy them all. I do truly delight in my kids, I admire the grown ups they've become, I'm proud of them. I think they're smart and funny and just lovely.
So I do have so much to be thankful for. This world is a mess, but being depressed by it isn't going to help.
5 comments:
Precious time with your family. Such a blessing!
Today in church we watched video of Ukrainian believers, singing praise in a dark room by candlelight. It's hard to take it all in.
It's so very hard to watch the news. Heartbreaking, especially when we know people with family in the danger zone. Where will it end?
Such a beautiful family and I love that you all get together so often. Great photos. I am praying for all in the Ukraine.
How in the world do you keep everyone's names straight?! (You know I'm kidding.) My worst problem in my family was getting through the "J" names ... I had to say each name before I got to the right one, haha! And your family is going to continue to grow with more spouses and grandkids, wow, talk about blessings! ;) // I’ve been watching the situation in Ukraine from the beginning … many of us who are descendants of the German-Prussian Mennonites still have ancestral families living in central through southeastern-Ukraine — shirt-tail cousins, of course — but my ancestors were their ancestors and many of the families still communicate with us descendants here in the U.S. and exchange genealogy/family history. We are, of course, keeping them lifted in prayer! We are all strong in Jesus, my friend. We just have to put this at His feet. Hugs!
Mari, I've heard that some of our friends still in Ukraine have been praising God in thankfulness too. It is hard to understand.
Martha, it's like life is "The Grapes of Wrath",(from bad to worse then even worse...) but we know all this has to take place, and we can't lose our hope in God. It doesn't make sense, to me, but I don't see the big picture, and God does.
Terri, thank you, I love when we get together too.
Diana, who said I keep everyone's names straight? 16 kids, now ten grandkids, I say the wrong name, then say, "You know who you are, get over here!"
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