Our house is a very very very fine house

Jodi, I loved your blog post, today. It made me think about how blissfully content I feel in my own home. I keep thinking about the day Jeff said we could all live here and make it work in his two bedroom house. I had a good laugh at his expense. I wouldn't say that he had some visionary plan to make it work but he knows what it's like to work with what you have. I do too. It shouldn't have been a surprise when God said to me, "This is what you have to work with." And I'm sure it was no surprise to God when I said, "Hmmm...I think I have another plan that would work better, God." That was the day that God had a good laugh at my expense.

Eventually, we turned a two bedroom house into a four bedroom house. Jeff has been so gracious to allow me to redecorate and turn his house into our home. He skeptically, allowed me to paint our garage door orange. He help me move the furniture from room to room to back to room each time I changed my mind until I felt it was just right. I look around this home and I see the beginnings of "us" and the plans of the Lord.

Right now, Jeff is taking a nap on our comfy sofa, as he's gearing up for his night shift all week. Laundry piles are all around him on the floor, while I work on folding them and keeping the kids as quiet as possible. Molly is in her room, playing with her American Girl dolls and the mice she got for Christmas. Teige and Katie are in a constant cycle of love and hate, and I'm trying to let them work it out on their own as long as no one gets hurt. Calla is in her room, occasionally popping out to make me listen to a new song she just discovered on her Zune or to tell us a story or to grab a snack. I'm typing this and thinking about a grocery list at the same time. I know, pretty amazing, huh? (shy smile)

Not totally off subject, I wish today, more than anything that my 13-year-old daughter could see how much I love her and how much God loves her. I wish she could see that the plans and dreams I have for her are good and that God's plans are even better. I wish she could see past the "now" and the "what's fun today" and "what is good for ME" and see that the there are so many around her who want what is good for her forever. I can't help but think that the frustrations I feel about Calla are mirrored in the heart of my God when I choose to go on my own understanding. Only he knows how to gently and cleverly bring me back around to His plan. He knows my daughter's heart too and what it will take to gently and cleverly bring her back around to his plan. Peace guards my heart where this is concerned for once in several months.

Well, enough meditation and sorting out for today. After all there's laundry and grocery shopping, my two favorite things!

Emmanuel today and smooch