It's Always Cheaper by the Dozen

Yes, we are now a family of one dozen. Two parents, two boys, and eight girls. The four little ones are not moved in yet, but we got to spend the whole weekend with them and they will probably be here soon.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were wonderful days of wandering around the city getting to know each other. Daddy and Mommy got to meet them first at a restaurant, and as they were putting them into the car to go somewhere, we other children happened to walk by on our way back to the hotel. They decided to pick us up, since the first question from our four year old was "What are your kid's names?" We all had a great time going to the park, spending Saturday at an amusement park, and taking lots and lots of pictures.

Christian is six, and pretty determined. He will do everything he can by himself, but occasionally asks for help. He loves Daddy, and singing in the car. We nearly went hoarse singing, "Jesus Loves Me", "The Green Grass Grows All Around", and "The Wheels on the Bus" in the hours in the car together.

Savannah is four. She always knows when the camera is out, and puts on her prettiest smile. She is very brave, and does what Kendra does. She jumped out of the swings many times over the weekend, falling out a couple times, but always getting right back on.

Destiny is three. She is so sweet, always wanting to be held, or hold somebody's hand. At the beginning of the weekend Jordan was "Dirt" and Kendra was "My Sister", and Nicole was "Cole" but now Jordan is "My Jordan", and Kendra is "Grampa" or "Camper". The rest of us are still "What is your name?" to all four of them.

Audra is seventeen months old. She is the absolute best baby. We picked the four of them up every morning at about ten, and Audra never had a nap and got to bed late every night. Despite this, she never cried, or was even fussy. She talks a little, and she says "Yeah" every time she is asked a question. When Daddy and Mommy dropped us off at the hotel the first night before taking the four of them back to their foster home, Audra said "Let me out" when she saw us getting out of the car.

Chris swung like this so he could swing himself until we started jumping out of the swings. We have video of everbody jumping except for Mommy, Audra and Nicole (because they didn't jump).

The first day Destiny and Jordan matched in orange, jeans, and, of course, cowboy boots.

On Friday we went to a science workshop for a few hours, and we all really enjoyed that. There were tunnels to crawl through, experiments to try, and hot air ballons to play in. When we got there, Daddy jokingly mentioned that we weren't enough for a group rate, even though there were so many of us. The man looked at all of us and said that he would give us a group rate anyway.

All together.

God has put eight years of preparation, grace, pain, work, growth, sweat, heart-blood, and tears, into the above picture. When we began searching for children, none of these were born, but God graciously made us wait for them.

Psalm 115:3,13,14; 116:1-9 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest,
O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.