Full Life, Full Heart

I have not been very good about keeping this up, have I?  There has been so much going on I don't even know where to start.

My quick recap of the time elapsed since my last post must be first put into perspective by part of the message my dear friend Cathy gave with our pastor on Mother's Day.  I have heard Cathy share this before, but every time it becomes more entrenched in my heart and more powerful in its effect on my life.  In a nutshell, the message was that all God's children need mothering.  We are not just called to love only our own biological offspring.  Mothering is not just done by biological mothers, or mothers, or even women.

I'm learning that I really like mothering.  Not in a middle class white Suburban American stay-at-home mom of two kids way.  That way can wear me out, isolate me, and try my itty bitty reserves of patience.

Mother's Day weekend, we had 4 extra girls in our home. I loved it.  If we always had 4 extra girls we would totally need another bathroom and probably a van, but other than that ... God, I take back what I said when I was a teenager about "Please don't give me a bunch of girls."  That was ignorance talking.  I'll take as many as You want to give me.  We allowed Molly and Anna to skip school on Monday, cancelled all of our obligations, and hung out with our Ugandan guests.  The girls ran around in the morning, Anna and the 8-year-olds played with the baby dolls and Molly and the 13 year old played cards.  We had a picnic at the park.  We went out for ice cream.  We played board games.  We ordered pizza.  "Uncle Jeff" (who the 2 little ones adored) made popcorn and one big tangle of girls and blankets huddled together with bowls of popcorn and watched a movie.  I don't think life could have gotten any more perfect.  And then we had to say good-bye Tuesday morning.

One afternoon this week I got to fill in for Anna's teacher in her classroom during the staff appreciation luncheon.  I didn't have to teach or anything - just keep control during a movie.  I have told you that I would make an awful kindergarten teacher right?  It is too funny to listen to them carry on -  I really could care less about order and quiet as long as no one is getting hurt and property is not being damaged.  I don't think the teacher sees it that way.  But she wasn't there.  So I got to giggle behind my hand for an entire afternoon of kindergarten shenanigans.

This weekend brought me another household of girls.  Jeff and I were the last parents whose answer was still "maybe"and not "no" to the sleep-over schemes of Molly & friends.  (We are in this position often). The other parents probably wonder if we're insane.  I don't think it's that big of a deal to host these sleep-overs.  They are good kids.  I like Molly and her friends.  The only hard part is when Anna has to be extracted from the group.  When I had to pluck her away for bath and bedtime she sat in the tub lamenting "This is the WORST day of my life! I don't think I can EVER talk to you again! I can't BELIEVE you won't let me stay up with the girls!"

Sunday was Rock the Routine at church.  This is an annual event where instead of having service as usual, we go out into the community and do service projects.  At the end of the day, we get back together for a celebration service and meal.  Jeff and I were leaders of the group going to the Salvation Army.  If it weren't such a difficult event to coordinate, it would be so great to do this more often.  It is such a good experience in so many ways.  One of the things it does is bond our church family closer together, and grows our heart for our community.

Today I was at the Center.  It was a good day.  My "boss" approached me and asked me to help her brainstorm on some projects - ways to get refugees more connected to American communities.  There is a period when the Center no longer serves the families and at this point they are vulnerable and could use American friends to help them navigate the waters of life in the U.S. The "crisis" period is over with its endless paperwork filed and basic needs covered.  The part about learning to be a New American begins.  My "boss" asked me to help her develop some programs to target this need.  I thought I heard angels singing when she and I were talking.  Seriously, I can't imagine anything I would rather do more.  Except maybe getting paid for it.  But really, if I could find a way to pay off my student loans and pay for some child care during the summer - I technically don't need the money.

Tonight I am looking forward to meeting with my group of book group friends.  My in-laws are visiting this weekend.  We are so excited to have them. My life is full, and I am happy.

Jeff often jokes that I'm like a Labrador retriever in that I get antsy and hard to live with if I don't get exercise.  I think my heart is that way too.  It works best when it's working hard.  My life is most beautiful when it is full of people to love.