Visits with always changing littles...

I get it. I am preggs. nauseous. exhausted. so sure, i might be a little more run thin than my normal mare- mare MO. but it still manages to surprise me when our kids jump into a different stage of development and the game changes.

you thought you had it figured out. but Oh no. they develop. 

One day recently we had a time at the park that was completely normal, but Heaven stepped in and gave us a supernatural encounter. I met a woman and after just a few questions on my end, she was telling me that she loves Jesus and wants to know more about Him. just that simple. 

so I invite her over. Get the house cleaned, grab some chocolate croissants, spend some time soaking our house in worship and prayer...Val and Novi join us. 

She brings her little 2 year old boy..so we now have 4 littles under 3. but we can do this. we can have a discovery bible study, discuss, answer questions. 

i ignored the croissants being pounded into the floor. i tried to allow the kids freedom to "work it out" amongst themselves as i heard screams, then threats and then... shrieks. ok time for a mama to intervene. small interruption. 

bounce back. our friends little boy runs in and tugs the drink so hard out of his mom's hand the water goes flying and lands on the smart phone. sigh. smile. pick up phone where were are listening to the study and put in rice. 

girls run in screaming. Mama mediator has to step in. again and again and again. 

Hot and sweaty from all the commotion, I smooth my hair down, pour my friend a new drink, smile and try to recover..." where were we?" 

and then Sophia decides that anything that the sweet ( and mischevious) little boy wants she will grab or protect violently and yell "NO!!"

Lord, help me. help us. 

we get through the study/time by pure grit. determination. it was not easy or flowing, but a continued choice. i was wishing there was the silent communication i could send the girls " help a mama out!"

and then the next week, our friend graciously invited us over. must not have been too terrible in her memory. 

We pile up and walk the 15 minutes to her house, with thunderclouds looming. As soon as we get to the one room apartment...with 10 toys..my girls make themselves at home. shoes off, running around, playing with the toys like only children can do. 

But between Layla demanding for food ( she knows an amazing gift in this culture is hospitality), or watching them fight over toys, spilling juice, making bad faces at the food offered, and then begging to go home...it was also not ideal. 

it's a wonder we could talk at all. much less try and dig deeper and have a heart connect. answering questions and trying to Discover truth. 

it was a reality shock into my loves, my rascals, and the obstacles i have when i include them. 

but, let's face it, there is no better culture, no more accommodating and gracious women. they laugh, smile and excuse the bad behavior again and again. i want to learn from them. 

                                            

so visits have taken on some twists, and i am going to have to come up with some more game plans. keepin me on my toes, those girls are.

but i take that challenge and say- My girls are going to be Kingdom releasers right there with me...so we will take some laughs, some grimaces, and some sighs as we iron out this stage.

how i found her napping when we came back...