Laundry

One of my "first world problems" is having a maid who works so hard I struggle to find chores for the kids. Recently I've gone so far as to cut back her duties to allow for more chores. It's important to me that these kids know how to do chores, especially when we live in the states again someday and there isn't a maid!

So today, the second day of winter break, we sorted and folded laundry. 

Good times y'all, good times. 

Winter Learning

Things I've learned so far this winter, in no particular order.

Kissing snotty cheeks should be avoided at all costs. However sometimes it must happen because the cheeks belong to someone too cute to resist.

Even in the land of sunshine and gentle breezes it takes a long time to dry your laundry. Especially if you leave it in the machine. 

Plants don't grow without rain and if you live among farmers who are waiting on rain then expect to talk of nothing else. Once the rain comes, again expect to talk of nothing else. Rain, it's a very important thing. 

Carhart makes really nice socks. 

Ugly little fireplaces can do a lot to warm your bones and remind your heart of home. Along with that the smell of a fireplace is a very special and wonderful thing. For those of you who might disagree, come on over for a visit. In a short while you'll miss even the smell of stale smoke and ash. 

God's grace and mercy are always with me, hiding in the folds of busyness and forgotten in the moments of stress. He continues to meet me when I least expect it and draws me to Himself in a hundred little ways. Like yummy dinners that only a miracle saved, and hugs from little arms after a round of disapline. He hasn't given up on me and continues to change my wretched heart. I've learned again this winter that my God is good, always. 

Christmas

Somewhere long ago I read a blog where a lady had each of her children make gifts for the other children for Christmas. I remember loving the idea and even making some random gift with the kids for Joey. The kids were young though and it really just turned into mom making a lame gift for dad and saying it was from the kids. Lame being the key word in that sentence. 

I have kept the idea in the back of my mind though and this year we went for it again. Each boy made a gift for his siblings. (The girls are still a bit young). Josiah being homeschooled had the most time to pull his gift off. He loves to draw and color and came up with the idea of making a coloring book. I must tell you I am SO impressed with this kid. The books turned out great and th kids have been coloring off and on since they got them. It was a lot of work, but I think he really loved making them for them. 

Benson loves to help me cook, so together we came up with the idea of making cookies for everyone. We stayed up a bit late and made them together. I loved getting to spend the time with him. 

William, being still a bit young, made toilet paper cars for everyone. They turned out great and worked well. If any of the boys needed a lesson in being generous and thinking of others it is william. I think he finally got a glimpse of the joy that comes with giving a gift that the person loves so much. If we are able to keep,this up I know it will make a difference long term.

I sure do love these kids. There are so many ways that I fail, or screw up, but God has graciously worked miracle after miracle and continues to grow them into really wonderful people. 

Another day of Thankfulness

Day two of fighting to regain my joy. I wrote down things I was thankful for, some silly and some serious. I made an effort to document a few of the things that filled my heart with thankfulness today...mind you, these are just a few:

The girls had moments today where they were battling it out, but they had more moments where they were dear friends and I couldn't have been more thankful.They are too cute when they play together and talk about life. I can't understand a word they say but they seem to understand one another and have a great time.

I have been staying away from coffee, but recently I read a study that said having more than one cup of coffee a day helped lower your risk of getting diabetes. Well we all know those studies go both ways, but with diabetes running in my family I'll go ahead and drink my coffee. Not to mention I LOVE coffee and will take any excuse I can get to enjoy a cup or two. 

Technology is great for 100 thousand reasons, but today I was so greatful for the Bible app that comes with reading plans. Joey and I are reading through the Bible together over the course of a year. We do it on our own time, but are able to hold each other accountable all through the power of the internet and our tablets. I can't tell you how much it helps me to have the Word at the tip of my fingers and to know that Joey is checking up on me. It shouldn't be so hard to read the Word daily, but the reality is that right now it is hard, so I am thankful for this app and its support along the way.

Tonight Joey taught Josiah how to play cribbage. He's a natural and they had a great time. I grew up watching my Dad and Grandpa play cribbage. Sometimes I even joined in. It is fun to pass on these games and traditions our families have, especially when they are games that are educational too. Looking forward to one day watching My Dad and Josiah play cribbage together. Fun, fun, fun!

Today has been a great day in the sense that I have been able to battle against the things in my life that want to steal my joy and have been able to choose to be thankful. Multiple times I have stopped the voices in my head telling me to be miserable and instead begun to praise God. It makes a difference. It was hard, but it makes a difference. 

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

Psalm 100:4

Offering of Praise

I don't know if you'll even care, but I've got to do something. Maybe it's just because I'm getting older and more cranky, or because I'm in the middle of the little years and time is not something I have much of, or maybe because of living here among the oppressed and downtrodden. Whatever it is I am loosing my joy. I can feel it slipping away, sometimes slowly, sometimes in big chunks. My heart is angry and cynical. I am asking questions based on doubt, and so so quick to explode or fall into self pity. I've been here before, maybe not exactly the same, but I've lost my joy before and I can't let it happen again. So, I've got to do something. 

It's almost midnight. Three minutes to spare. Before I go to bed though I want to praise my God. I want to remember His gifts. To thank Him for His blessings. I will give up an offering of praise and let it fill my soul. My God is good, and He has been so, so good to me. Let me publicly proclaim His gifts.

He has blessed me with a dear and wonderful friend in my husband. How thankful I am for Joey. My sharpener and my support. The one who makes my heart laugh and sing all at the same time. A picture of Christ, Thank you Lord for Joey.

Thank you Lord for the gift of motherhood. It is the hardest thing I have ever done, being a mom. Harder than I ever thought, and more wonderful than I could have imagined. Thank you for the successes and failures and the daily reminders of my own weakness. Thank you for the blessing of being completely and totally loved by five wonderful, amazing little people. Thank you for morning snuggles and midnight kisses. Thank you for squeals of laughter and hours of noise. Thank you Lord for Josiah, Benson, William, Isabelle and Phoebe. 

Morocco. Who would have ever thought. Thank you for bringing me here and showing me your world. Thank you for these amazing people and their acceptance and love for me. Thank you for allowing me to see you work miracles here and thank you for never once leaving me alone. Thank you for all that Morocco has offered me, most importantly thank you for making this a home. 

Tomorrow I will write more. Tonight I will remember and praise my God. May this offering of praise be pleasing to you oh Lord and may it lead to a renewed joy. 

Rain

As I went to bed last night the sky was clear, the moon bright. My weather app said there was 100% chance of rain, but there was no sign anywhere. We've been waiting for rain since last year about this time. Normally there would be a good rain preparing the soil for the peas and beans that everyone around us plants. Last year that rain never really came. Crops were planted but never amounted to much. I remember in March going to help harvest the few peas that had survived. I've never seen this area so brown and barren that time of year. Brown shriveled piles of leaves and steams littered the ground. Not only did the families have nothing to eat, there was nothing to sell nothing to trade. Many farmers had purchased seed on credit with the plan to pay back once they harvested their crops. 

This fall everyone has been holding their breath waiting for the rain. Desperately, it's all anyone talks about. Each day dawns warm and bright, not a cloud in the sky. Will we have another year like last year ? Could we survive? Then today as the sun comes up the sky is full of black ugly clouds. Rain started sprinkling down at first until it was quickly a downpour. Puddles and mud and smiling faces, everywhere. After a rain like today there is hope of a good crop and a better year. God did that. He brought the rain and with it he brought hope. Pretty awesome if you ask me. 

Siblings - a Conversation With Josiah

Just had this conversation with Josiah and I don't want to forget...

J: "Mom, it's a good thing Phoebe and Isabelle are girls."

Me: "why's that?"

J: "If you had only had boys then you would have been the only girl. Now Phoebe and Isabelle will grow up to be girls. And it's good because now Benson, William and me have sisters."

Pause

J: "I don't really like Isabelle. I really like Phoebe. I like Phoebe better than Isabelle. I still like Isabelle I just like Phoebe better."

Me: "Why do you like Phoebe better?"

J: "She is little and cute and does funny things. Sisters are good when they are older and babies. I didn't really like Isabelle when she was a baby, but it think I will like her when she gets bigger."

Me: "What do you like about Isabelle?"

J: "I like that she's big and funny."

Me: "What do you like about William?"

J: "I like the way he makes big Legos and how he plays cars. I like the way he does things. What I like about Benson is the way he makes airplanes, and little Legos. I like that both William and Benson are my brothers, because of them I have someone to play with. I would be by myself without them."

Pause

J: "I don't really like Isabelle and William. I will like them when they get bigger. Right mommy? I really like Benson and Phoebe. I almost like William and Isabelle a lot. I like Benson and Phoebe this much (holds up his hands to show measurement) and I like William and Isabelle this much (moves his fingers a tiny bit closer together). It's close."

This kid is killing me. Thinking about so much and wanting to do what is right, but struggling with being annoyed with his younger siblings. Sometimes I am fully aware of the insanity of having 5 kids in 6 years, but more often I am so thankful that these five little lives have one another to grow with, learn with and love. Praise the Lord.