The New Normal

Well here I am.  We survived.  The first month was incredibly hard ... kind of like having 3 new babies that don't stay in the crib.  I was very sick for the first 2 weeks, which made it harder.

I have been WAY TOO busy to sit at the computer.  They keep me busy all the time!  With spring here, there is much I want to do ... start our vegetable garden, clean out the weeds and plant flowers, build my white picket fence, make soap and get ready for the Farmer's Market, finish taxes (oy vey) .. but I can hardly see the floor in my "used to be cleaner and semi-organized" house.  Every day it looks like a tornado came thru!  Mess everywhere!  Why do kids throw everything on the floor?!!

Someday I just leave it all behind and go outside and prepare the garden.  I built some raised beds, started tilling around the soon to be white picket fence for herbs and flowers.  But I just can't seem to get on top of anything!  When will things become normal again?!!

Actually it took about a month and now we call it the "New Normal".  I love my new kids, but being honest I spent some time the first week, greiving over the loss of the old normal, things will never be the same ...  we are now a bilingual, multi-racial, blended family ... and it is all good.   Somedays are hard, some good.  Everyday is FULL.  No chance of boredom here!

The kids are learning English and I am learning Orominya.  We are communicating very good with what we have to work with.  Lately, they are beginning to share some history and included in there are many heartaches.  I'm so glad we know the Healer of hearts.  They are Christians!  So very cool!  They sing Christian songs in their language, remind us to zalote (pray) when we forget, before eating.  They learned "Jesus Loves Me" very quickly. 

They have very tender hearts, but also a very stubborn streak, in each one.  Like normal kids!  Remember when your mom used to say, "Eat your food, the starving children in Africa would be happy to eat ANYTHING!"  It's NOT true.  They are as picky as any kid.

We have a huge paradigm shift going on here.  They LOVE to work (hoji).  If you are doing something and don't give them a job, they are hurt.  "Me no hoji?", with a very sad face and tears.  Out in the garden, Dibora does a mean hoe.  She told me she and Zakeya both worked in Kamashi in the garden.  They were probably only 2 & 3 years old.  Such a huge difference with our kids in America. 

This has been an incredible ride, a white knuckler at times, but I wouldn't give it up for ANYTHING!  God is good, all the time. 

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hands have provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

I'll be back, the next time I come up for air!