Love (times 7)! Happy Valentines Day!

This morning Jared hands me one of those heart shaped candy valentines. With my 40 something eyes I have to wave the thing around to get to the right place to even read it. It says "be mine." So I said "oh Jared that is so sweet." And then I said "you know what i have to do now." He looked at me and said "no what?" I figured he would react like most six year olds when I said what I was about to say. I imagined he would run away from me screaming like I had just threatened to tickle him...but then I said "I am going to have to kiss you." (most of the times little boys run away laughing while saying "ewww".)..He looked at me and said "YAY" and then grabbed me for a big hug. So I kissed him and just enjoyed the moment.

It has been a year and 11 days since our kids have come home from Ethiopia. Our lives are so full of love. Our oldest is almost 18. Our youngest is almost 4. But there is a 6 year gap between Sam our 17 year old and Andrew our 11 year old. When we had Samantha we couldn't imagine loving one other child or that our hearts could grow, and grow and embrace 6 kids. It just wasn't in our plans. When Andrew came I was struck by the expansive nature of love. I also totally understood what people meant when they said we would love our second one just as much. It just didn't seem possible to love anyone as much as we loved Samantha. The amount of love we have for her has increased as the love for everyone of our children has expanded 6 fold. We have learned to be more patient, more understanding and mostly to never underestimate God. We also have learned to never say never....while we can't imagine ever having another child we also know now that we will honor God's plans over our own. And it is a good thing because our lives are so full and much better when we follow Him...

When the kids came home from Ethiopia they didn't speak much english. Now they are having a hard time remembering their Amharic. The first week we had to teach them to put toilet paper in the toilet because it wouldn't clog up the system. We had to teach them not to throw crumbs or apple cores on the floor inside because unlike their families hut it isn't so simple indoors to just sweep the crumbs out of an adjacent doorway from the mud floor. Even this week I had to remind them not to fan the flames on the stove top or blow into the flames because unlike an outdoor fire you could actually ignite the fire more and set something on the counter on fire. I have watched Grace who did not feel comfortable in close proximity to Mark alone grow to love and trust her Dad. Last night I quietly watched as she put her head on his shoulder and grabbed his hand to ask him a homework question. I have watched Ella who was so angry and sad when she came home turn into a laughing giggling uncontrollably happy girl. I have seen Jared the boy who was so angry and confused that he would pull the curtains down from the walls turn into a sweet and loving child that is so excited when his mom wants to kiss him.

After having an abortion as a teenager I never imagined that I would or could be a mother of one child. I misunderstood who God was and thought I should be infinitely punished. I sat back and watched as God made my dreams come true and expanded my heart from a woman who believed she knew best how to plan her life to knowing that God's plans are so much more superior to my own plans. Love multiplies immensely sometimes when we think we don't deserve it. Love multiplies way beyond where we think the balloons of our hearts can expand without bursting...I Praise God today and honor Him as the ultimate lover of our souls and my eternal sweetheart ....THANK YOU FOR THE HEART THAT HAS EXPANDED TO LOVE MY HUSBAND AND SIX KIDS....