This is how we became 'The Brady Bunch'

To say that things have been busy around here would be the understatement of the year.  And it goes without saying that God has been with us, He has been our strength now, and forever more. He is how we have gotten through this crazy and busy time of our lives. 

As many of you know we live in an old childrens home/hostel.  We love the place and the space etc. 
Well, you have a big place and guess what?  You inherit extra kids!  I have always said I do little people (the requirement is they have to be shorter than me).  Well through a series of events we have ended up with 3 extra TEENAGERS.  Yes, start humming the Brady Bunch theme song.  The kids are great kids.  We love having them.  There are times where Chad and I look at each other and say, "how in the world are we doing this, with both of us have full time jobs and not having any more house help then we did before?” With other hostels that are open they have full time haus merris to do laundry and clean etc.  Well, since we aren’t technically a hostel in the system, I just have a haus merrie 1 day a week.  




And with extra kids comes extra food to prepare (remember there is no fast food or convenience food), way more laundry (with no dryer) and it rains almost every day so trying to time how and when to get laundry in and out before you have to start all over.

I am not saying all this to get your sympathy or to whine.  I am saying all this to tell you how GREAT our God is.  He has pulled us through each and every day.  Yes, there have been days when bedtime can’t come soon of enough and the alarm goes off way too early there has been on many occasions that patience and stress level has been nonexistent or through the roof.  But when my  focus is on the Lord and not at all the tasks at hand, he pulls me through.

At school the grade 1 students this last week have been learning about Mary and Martha and how Martha got annoyed that Mary wasn’t “helping” enough.  I think God has been saying to me and my heart, that I sometimes need to stop doing tasks and listen and learn what God would have me learn.  I have a hard time doing this even when it is my own family and responsibilities.  God has found a way to get it through my thick head, by adding more kids to the mix!  I can so easily get overwhelmed when I think of all the things that need to get done and the hours in the day.  I have come to the realization that if I focus on the jobs then the stress level goes through the roof.  But if I focus on God and rely on his strength (and the still small voice) then the tasks happen as needed but the attitude of this mom is better.  The old saying Happy wife/mom, Happy family comes to mind.  We have enjoyed having the extra kids, and maybe this time the lesson will stick after everyone goes back to their respected homes. 

I keep praying that hostel parenting on a long term basis is not part of a future job title here in the years to come.  Chad definitely disagrees on that point since he is a big kid himself. Perhaps God puts people together who are so opposite, like we are, so we can balance eachother out. Either way there is no end to the excitement!

God Bless you all and your families!
-Ruth