Wow. I’ve missed a lot of major events by not keeping you all updated, so I’ll try to give a brief rundown:

Christmas was fun….highlight was a sleepover with the kiddos, watching Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys (a personal favorite) and drinking hot chocolate. I hardly slept a wink between a mover and a talker, but it was well worth making the memory. 🙂

New Years Eve was less fun….had to take Hudson and another boy home early because they were fighting. Camille had a blast though playing games and watching a movie with the other big kids. There were fireworks in the village for a good 30 minutes at midnight. 🙂

New Years Day Hudson was upset about something (I can’t remember why now)….but it was bad enough that he put his boots and jacket on and told me he was leaving the house. The directors came to get him and he stayed a few days at their home to calm down while we discussed next steps. It wasn’t like we wanted him to leave, but something had to change. THANKFULLY after we came up with a plan, there has been a dramatic shift in his behavior and attitude. Thank you for those of you praying during those days.

Since the new year began, we’ve been battling defiant attitudes and rude behavior in Camille, and other lesser things in Hudson. But it CHANGED when for two days I had a fever and was just plain feeling crummy. The day before I got sick, I’d spent all day in a Biblical Counseling class, and then came home and proceeded to get terribly sick, overwhelmed by unruly kids (who were just really glad to have me home) and I didn’t know what to do. …..someone then just “happened” to send me a “Screwtape Letter” for Moms, and someone else just “happened” to send me a Tozer excerpt on suffering…..then I listened to a sermon about returning to God, and one of the points really struck me.

The pastor talked about how when we see everything with a criticizing eye, and do not see the blessings that God has given us, it’s like we’re turning our back on God……..and then I realized that I’d slipped into a pessimistic pit. Even when the kids were running out the door in socks to greet me because they couldn’t wait for me to get out of the car, all I saw was hyper kids who wouldn’t leave me alone, who were going to get sick, and who wouldn’t listen when I told them to go inside. I did not see the love in their eyes, their overflowing joy, their excitement to show me what they’d done all day while I was gone, and all the rest. Needless to say, Jesus and I had a face to face meeting and I confessed this pessimism and literally almost instantly the fever broke and I felt better. The kids came home shortly after and my perspective was drastically different. God changed my heart. In a big way. He gave me a renewed vision and a clear direction. Thank the Living God in Heaven!!!

……and then I sprained my foot. The next day. Figures. I think God knew I needed some rest, so the doctor prescribed keeping my foot up and off walking for two weeks. It has been a blessing though to see Camille and Hudson jump to the occasion, helping out, saying “okay!” when I ask them to do something instead of complaining, and seeing them learn compassion. It really is a blessing to be here and to be with these kids. Thank you for being with me in prayer. Couldn’t do it alone

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