Friendship that lasts

Today is going to be a good day. I woke up with no headache or stomache problems. YEAH! Im pretty excited. Its been a learning experience having an 8 year old. She can do more on her own than my younger children BUT she is still just a little girl herself. The trick is trying to decide what she is old enough to do and what she still needs to be helped with. *Sigh*
I was hoping to go to North Carolina this weekend to see my friend and her family but I still have an extra child and my van has gotten no bigger. The children start school in just a few short weeks and I dont know if we will make it up there before then. I have already asked hubby if we could maybe go up the week of Thanksgiving. I would like to go for a short trip before then though.
Let me tell you a little about my friend. When I was a young teenager we met this family at church. They had just lost a little boy in a terrible car accident. They asked in lieu of flowers that a donation be made to the church for a children's program they really wanted to see started at the church. AWANA. With the donations we were able to start this program and through working together to get it started I became close to this family. Before long I was spending many weekends at thier house. They had three small children younger than the boy who was killed. I was going over there with about 4 other young ladies from church. They had thier problems but I have to tell you most of my spiritual growth came from the fellowship in this small one bathroom house. Before long the husband who was in the Navy started bringing home young men for dinner and inviting them to church. Before long we were literally one big happy family. I learned about prayer, encouraging, teaching, and learning over there. She kept in regular contact with my mom and my mom told me she never felt slighted. I had always wanted a big brother and now I had three and three or four big sisters at any given time. I was the youngest and everyone looked out for me. When I had a bad relationship my "brothers" threatened to talk to that boy. When I needed clothing advice or skin care advice my "sisters" were always there to help. Some people thought it was odd all the boys and girls together and thinking back I dont think its something I would be comfortable letting my children do but honestly nothing ever happened we were brothers and sisters and that would be gross.
Fast forward.... the years went by and people went thier own ways BUT I could not let this family go. When the husband was transferred to North Carolina in 1999 I cried for a week. But when the wife was literally kicked out of the house with her four children while the husband was out to sea due to a bad real estate contract I drove with her and the children up to North Carolina to try to help her find a new home... all by herself. A few weeks later my husband (then my boyfriend) and I went with her to move into the house we found. She and my husband took turns driving the moving van and we all took turns driving her van full of children and pets. It was an adventure! Now years later we go up there at least once a year maybe more. The Lord has so greatly blessed them with a MANSION! I mean many many bedrooms and bathrooms. :) A big step up from getting 28 people ready on Easter Sunday Morning with one bathroom and still getting to church on time. Her little children that I knew as toddlers are now hulking teenagers. She still opens her home to the world. The doors are never locked and you never know who is going to walk in. They are busy tearing down walls to make a larger gathering room since it is not unusual on a Sat or Sun night after church for the whole church to gather at thier house for fellowship. She taught me about hospitality and how it can bless you. Im still learning. :) Now I get to run to her with questions about my little ones. She always has great advice. She has recipes to feed large families (PRAISE THE LORD) and this year she is going to homeschool so I can even pick her brain over this! I am so impressed with this godly, praying woman! Her children are now 10, 13, 15, and 17. She is emabarking on the "hard" years of homeschooling. As I babystep through these first few years I know that I will have a mentor for the coming years!


Around the House:
ALL THE DISHES ARE DONE!
LAUNDRY IS MANAGABLE!
This is how I judge my home by the above two statements. If I can accomplish these two things I feel I have done something.
The children are right now in the process of destroying the playroom. We have added all of KA's toys to our mix and it is quiet a haul they have. It wont last. I dont allow broken toys or useless toys and I see many of her toys are just that. She and I talked and we are going through them next week and getting rid of the broken ones. I dont mind if they destroy the playroom because they have to clean whatever mess they make and let me tell you I dont let them pick up a few things and walk away oh no I mean clean!
Im reorganizing my bedroom with all the file cabinets I got and its starting to look better.
Hubby is going to mow the grass when he comes home so Im cooking him a special dinner of country ribs and mashed potatoes.
Still need to sort through closets and get an efficient system set up. I want to seperate the girl's clothes so they can find them easier. The boy's closet needs the same thing done.
Well I better get back to dinner.