Home Sweet Home at last...

Having Joseph home has been just like welcoming a new baby.
We have to get to know his personality and what he likes and does
not like..
I'm trying to teach my older children that yes this has been very stressful
but when you look at Joseph you know it's worth it.
Every time you add a new child into your family it takes off another layer of
selfishness...It's hard..I have no time to feel sorry for myself or to get on the
phone for hours and talk about how hard life is. I have no time to go shopping
or just go hang out with friends. Now I know why God wants us to have alot of kids
because it keeps us at home and out of trouble..it's forces us to depend on each other within our family. It keeps me hanging on to my husband for his support and advice.
It's crazy around here right now.....You wouldn't think adding one more little boy
would shake things up so much but......it has.
Our world is changed our home has changed...all because of Jo and In the midst of
all the craziness I can honestly say I see God..I see him laughing at me when there
is food all over the place. I see him smiling when all I feel like I do is change poop diapers I hear his voice when I get scared he tells me that he brought Jo into our life for a reason and not to doubt him...I feel his grace and forgiveness when
I lose my cool or feel over whelmed... I see him growing Taylor and Tucker.. I see them rising up to the responsibility of helping us run our house-hold right now.
They too are changing diapers and holding crying little ones. They are being a comfort to their brothers and sisters and honoring Scott and I ..Having them
along side of me gives me incredible unspeakable joy.....
Alot of families I know try and take all the hard-ship out of their children's life.
Protecting them from all disappointments and not expecting their help...Scott and I have never felt like this was the thing to do. We have always taught our children that this life will disappoint you. Friends will disappoint you and yes even your family will not live up to your expectations....One day when you marry your spouse will let you down.....It's through the ups and downs of life that Christ grows us.
It's in the hard times that he waters us and shines his sunshine on us and helps
us to grow stronger and straighter....In his word it says that we should count it all joy when we go through trails and tribulations...because it's then that Christ says I have something to teach you through all of this.....
I pray that our family can and will be forever teachable. Not perfect just willing to learn from the great teacher Christ..........
I pray we continue to teach them that people or circumstances don't make you happy.
We have to put our trust in the Lord..We have had great times as a family. We have also had hard times as a family. We have shared it all with our children and they have grown right beside us along the way....My prayer is that when Taylor goes to get married and her husband struggles that she will be a support to him and lift him up .
I pray that Tuck will be able to put the needs of his wife above his own.....
After all we are supposed to put others first and how else will we learn this if everyone is always putting us first....How else will our kids learn this if we are always making their road smooth....or always making sure they never go through any bumps in life and then when they get married Bam here is this person that don't make everything alright for them......you get the point.....
I said all of that to say :
Thanks to my family for being the only people on this earth I want to go through hard times with..With you guys around it hardly seems hard at all..We will get through this and get Joseph better and we will look back and see God's fingerprints and see how much we have learned through it all....I love you..