Confessions of a mom of 6

We have officially had the boys home for one week and have been a family of 8 living under one roof. I'll be honest, the first few days we were extremely tired but I saw much of it as a challenge...and I love challenges!:) But, this challenge, unlike others, does not have an ending point (or at least not one for more than a decade!) and I have been hit with the reality of 6 kids, 24/7, for as long as the Lord gives us...and it no longer feels like a challenge but more like someone asking me to jump over the Grand Canyon...I just can't do it! Can't do it, that is, in my own strength. Through this most beautiful of life changes, God is once again reminding me - in HUGE ways - that HIS strength is perfected in weakness and I can do all things through Him who gives me strength and that I can rest confidently in the fact that God will complete the good work He started in me and in our family IN SPITE of my sin and my failures!!!

I don't think I have ever heard the word "Mommy" used so many times in the course of a couple of minutes as I have in the last week. I feel like I should have one of those "draw a number" things they have at the meat counter in grocery stores attached to my hip so that everyone can come and draw a number and then wait their turn until I can get to them!

And don't even get me started on the bathroom...I have seen pee in places that I have never seen it before and there is only so much I can do to "show" them exactly where we put pee in the Pichura home...I'm trying cheerios tomorrow and after that they are all Bryans!!! And I would like to know whoever thought up the words for pee and poop in Amheric. Pee is "shint" and poop is "caca"...not the best word choice if you ask me! That is the new language we will be working on for the coming week!:)

After one full week, we also have a rough tally of how much food (certain items) we will be going through every week. Here is the statistics for one day:
-approx. one loaf of bread a day
-one box of cereal a day
-two gallons of milk every three days
-one Costco size tub of jelly (I'm guessing it will be every week and a half!)
The jury is still out on many other items as I have not had to make dinners yet (what a blessing!!! The thought of adding that to my plate is still a little daunting! :))

We still are praying for some good nights of sleep! We had one...we know there must be more somewhere! Last night we thought would be one of them but around 10:30 the power went out (until 7:30 the next morning!) and without central air we really count on our fans working to keep the air at least moving. I ended up sitting on the front step around 2 in the morning just trying to cool off!:) And just now, as I was planning on heading to bed as soon as I finished this post, we went to go and shut the garage door and we found a dog in our garage! :) I tried to drive it home (thanks to an address on it's tag, but no working phone number) and no one was home...so I came home, grabbed some paper, wrote a note, went back to the house to leave it...and we now have a dog in our garage and are praying to NOT get a sunrise phone call!!! :)

I pray that in the midst of this chaotic post you do not see a whining, complaining woman...but one who is overjoyed to be a mommy of 6 beautiful children, who wouldn't trade it for anything, who doesn't look back with one moment of regret but looks in thankfulness to her Savior...but a woman who is also trying to be transparent about life in hopes that what shines forth is not ME, but JESUS CHRIST Who lives in me!!!

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20