Sharing Our Time

My boys and I had been praying for our friends from Orlando for a long time.  They had been making some wonderful decisions to take the missionary discussions and learn more about Jesus.  Jordan even fasted for them last week.

The thought came to me:  "You're praying for them… what are you going to do about it?"  This week will be Abe's longest time at home, so I was tempted to not share our time with anyone; but again, the thought came to me… "What are you going to do about it?"

I immediately sent the boys' mother a text message and asked her if she would like to bring them and another neighbor boy here until Monday afternoon.  She gladly agreed because she would be working all week.  So… now we have 9 children for 5 days!  What a party. :-)  In fact, yesterday we had an even dozen because we were watching 3 more children while their parents packed up their house for a big move to Utah.

It has been a great blessing in our home to have the children all here together playing.  We have felt God's love abundantly in our home.

Our Hospital Visit...

Yesterday we found out that a friend of ours was in the hospital.  All 12 children made cards for her.  This friend has such a beautiful heart… she actually welcomed a visit from all 14 of us!  Promising to keep it short, we gave her the cards and some flowers, and then we all sang I Am a Child of God.  She cried at the sight of so many little children with love bursting from them.  When Jordan and Tyson saw her cry, they turned their faces away because they too had tears welling up in their eyes.  They were worried about her.  Everyone felt the presence of the Holy Ghost in her humble hospital room.

Abe took all 12 children out of her room while I stayed to talk to her for a moment.  She said it would be of help to her if I stayed all night.  The first thought in my mind was, "Because Abe is rarely home, I should stay HOME with HIM!"  Immediately… almost before that thought completed itself in my mind… a second thought entered my heart and mind even more powerfully… "Because Abe is rarely home, it is a BLESSING that you are ABLE to stay with your friend in the hospital through the night."

My friend and I stayed up talking until late into the night.  I felt so blessed learning more about this amazing young woman!!  Some day I will seek her permission to tell her story.  Her entire life is a miracle!!!!

I'm so grateful that these "thoughts" for Abe and I to share our time were not dismissed.  The Lord has an amazing way of blessing us so much more when we choose to open up our lives for HIS purposes.

From the pictures, you can see just a fragment of the excitement going on here.  These are memories I am grateful we did not pass up.

We walked to the beach before our friend dropped off her boys for the week.  It was FREEZING on Wednesday!!  

We bundled the little ones up in coats and hats...

But the boys… decided to be warriors!!  It was 50 degrees, and they all got all the way INTO the water!!

You should have heard their warrior cries when they got out!!  We laughed hysterically!!

Our 6 warriors turned into 6 "men" in a hot tub.

 Thursday, 3 more wonderful children joined the party while their parents packed their house.  We held a lot of wrestling matches.

…and of course we went to the beach.  (It was a bit warmer on Thursday.)

I can just hear Abe saying… "WHAT A WEEK!"  

WHAT A BLESSED WEEK!!