still here

This has been quite the hectic month. We've had my eight-year-old cousin Veronica living with us while her family was in China. First we spent a week with her in North Carolina, near Cape Hatteras. This was loads of fun for all, though Matt and I were laughing at ourselves for having bought beach chairs. Sit down and read while on vacation with three kids? Ha ha ha. That never happened. Even with grandma and grandpa in tow. But we never would have chanced it without them I don't think!

Having Veronica with us has created some trade-offs in our home. The noise level has gone up exponentially. You would never know this to meet our family in public, because Ian and Vee both clam up with strangers. But get them on their own.... it gives me a new appreciation for all the noise we must have made as kids when the cousins came over and we roller skated on my parents' hardwood floors upstairs while the adults were trying to visit right beneath us. Sometimes in the last month Matt and I have just sat on the floor, dazed, while listening to what sounds like our house coming down around us. And we're not sure we're done having kids. Hmmmmmmm.....

The flip side of that coin is the wonderful joy of seeing these cousins play together. They love each other. They have such a great time. Ian has had to learn some new ways to interact because Vee is so different and obviously more mature than Caleb! It's been good for him. And, I am not called on to entertain the boys all day long! They are naturally entertaining each other. This is one of the reasons I've always wanted to have more than two kiddos.

All this makes it sound like Matt and I are decision-making about more kids. We're not. But this situation just makes us think. Kids love to be around other kids. It brings a whole new dynamic to have more than one person to play with at any given time. Our selfish adult nature screams daily though, "what about some peace and quiet!!!!" "What about having a conversation with one another or some time alone?" "What about having some extra cash to be able to do basic home maintenance for once..." None of that really seems important though when I look at those little faces and hear them saying their prayers at night, or gather them around me on the couch to read a story. Today Veronica told me that if I were her mom, she'd be a mama's girl. You'd have to know the whole sordid tale of her life (she lives with grandma and grandpa now) to fully appreciate that, but those are the moments when you just know that extra time to read a book or fresh paint on your siding or having a clean carpet just does NOT matter. Not eternally.

So often during the hectic moments it takes God working through me to be able to respond to the 432nd request of the day with a smile and a heart to serve. And there are moments every day that I fail at that! I thank God for a supportive and highly involved husband, for supportive and highly involved grandparents and Auntie Em, and for my dear mom friends who I can call up and just hear their voices. Sometimes we can't even say what all we are going through out loud, but just to know that they are there and going through it too means so much.

Well anyway, tomorrow is Vee's last day with us. I suspect next week is going to be quite interesting for me as the boys adjust to it being just the three of us during the day again. I anticipate missing having another girl in the house, and that they will be missing their playmate and will likely be extra demanding of me. I will probably also be relishing that first naptime when my house will actually be quiet for the first time in a month. Ahhhh. :-)

Pictures are hopefully soon to come of our vacation and even more recent as well.