"Holy Cow!" is a good way to sum it all up

That's what Kiki kept repeating for 10 minutes after Hanny let out a huge belch from the bathroom in our bedroom this evening while I was reading our Church History story before bed. It sums up my feelings as I prepare for the week(s) ahead of me.

First of all, Hanny officially has less than one month left before leaving to Texas and I've sprung a leak that gushes tears every Sunday pretty much all morning at church. I'm not just sad, there are a bunch of emotions mixed in there that I don't really have time to feel except in quiet moments that come mostly at church on Sunday or at the very end or beginning of the day. It's really happening, and it's kind of blowing my mind. There's so much he/I/we want to do before that happens, and I'm really working full full time steadily, as I haven't really until now. This last week was very challenging work, but so rewarding and intuitive as well. It's like I've been able to try out each piece on its own, and this last week it all was put together. I love those little kids so much already, I can't even believe it. I've changed tons of poop and fed dozens of meals and cleaned up all kinds of stuff constantly, but I've still had time to play and tickle and fall in love with each "little bitty" in my charge. There were only 4 work days, though, so technically this coming week is my first full time one (by full time, I mean working every day all day with several day care kids at once.)

The Lord is blessing me with lots of kids to tend this summer, and I do mean LOTS!! I just added 3 part timers (Angela's super-cuties) and 2 full-timers this week. (The two boys that will be full time happened at the last second on Friday between sending the kiddies home and my family all arriving for our end of the school year devotional night performance on Friday, which was awesome, by the way, and I will post the pics here sometime soon). Their mom called me just before 5, showed up before 5:30, and signed her two boys up before 6. They're very tall, so they seem older than their 6-almost-7, and barely 8 yrs old. They'll be mine every day from 7:30 until 5pm. They love bugs and sports, and I bet will love the science curriculum I've got planned. Mom's a single mom who seems really cool and willing to help out with activities, etc. as much as she can. It's an answer to my prayers for help giving more emphasis to my own boys' needs. I've really been focussing on the little guys the last month. Big kids make bigger messes especially if they're bored. I'm just going to need some major planning time, which I haven't found yet, to help things flow smoothly with the herd of kids we'll have running around here those days. I'm also still praying for a playmate for Abby, who burst into tears again that there's no 4 yr old girl for her to be friends with.

I taught sharing time today as well, which added to my feelings of inadequacy at first, but then went really well, as it always does for me when I'm teaching kids. I love doing it, I just like to be well prepared and have to work very hard to find the time to do so. I woke up first thing this morning and prepared it, and the Lord was merciful, granting me the Spirit in a powerful way in a very small window of time. I'm finding ways to be more effective all the time. He's really helping me prioritize and find the heart of things lately as life gets more full and differring needs put conflicting pressures on my time. Of course, it went really great and I was able to hold everyone's attention and bear my testimony in a powerful way, which is my standard of a successful Primary appearance. I thank the Lord with all my heart that I have such an easy calling now (Sister "Friendly" appears only on any 5th Sunday and tries to help kids get excited about the Friend). Also, my RS Pres. called to tell me she put me into a V.T. threesome with an on-the-ball comp. so I can actually be successful at V.T., after which point, I will be translated...wouldn't it be such a relief to be able to someday get through a month without V.T. guilt!

We took a few minutes to play Mormonopoly with the kids tonight before bed and had a lot of fun. In general, it's all going remarkably well, I just am always afraid that it will explode in my face at some point. The lesson I'm learning is to put my hands up and enjoy the ride, doing my very best each day and feeling monumental gratitude for the amazing blessings that are starting to challenge my "room enough to receive it". I know that there are spiritual gifts in rich abundance being afforded me and my family now, and it helps to bear up the heavy burdens that have become ours. I love feeling the Lord work through me, though it always feels like it happens after I've surfaced from the literal depths of hell itself. (Refiner's fire seems an appropriate image?).

Anyway, I'd better get myself to bed quickly. Only 4 kids tomorrow and I don't have to start until 8:30, but there's always so much to do and never enough energy or time to do it!