The Blessing of Community...and She's Here! :)

I remember almost 10 months ago laying on the doctor’s table, looking at the three blinking lights in the ultrasound monitor, the heartbeats of my three sons.  I remember the world spinning. But I remember an overwhelming sense of peace too.  I felt as if God was whispering, “I’ll take care of you.”  
And why did I doubt he would?
 Why do I doubt? 
Haven’t I learned throughout my life that He always does take care of me? 
He has always shown me His love, his provision, and his grace on my life. He has a plan, and I am witnessing it being played out. And within his plan, Truly, He takes care of me.  A big way He is taking care of me through this time is by putting community and people around us. 

This feeling of his blessing swept over me Saturday morning as I looked around our living room at our church community. John and I dreamed of a house where people could gather, a place where we could invite people into our lives. When we discovered this house a year ago  before it was even on the market, God had already lined up good use for it. 

We Americans are consumed by our own little world, in our own little house with our own family. That is most comfortable and safe way to live for sure. But now, with all that is going on in our life with the three babies, we’ve realized that it is impossible to isolate ourselves. We depend on others to help lift us through this period. Through this, we’ve realized no one is designed to do life alone. And I believe that we are not designed to do life with just our families. We need community, friendships and bonds that reach beyond obligation or small talk.  And certainly in this time in our lives, doing it alone would be unbareable. 

Our home on Saturday  was full of laughter, and fellowship and eating. And our home finally felt complete. 

Another reason it finally feels complete is because Amanda has arrived! Amanda is our extra pair of hands, and her being here has really created peace within our home. We've really had and have such amazing help from our families.  But we knew that in this season we really needed someone to live here and share in this whole thing with us. 

We met Amanda on line. Who says God can't work over the internet!?! :) People find spouses all the time in the cyber world, so we thought why not a family member?! ;) 

Amanda was supposed to drive up from California the first weekend in May but decided to come a whole week early! She texted me this fantastic news last Friday.  Both Amanda and I went into this with excitement but also apprehension. However, we both felt  an incredible amount of  peace. Nonetheless,  it is always intimidating at first to open yourself up to someone else. From the moment she arrived however, it hasn’t been difficult. Amanda fits right in, and Evie liked her from the very start, which is a huge victory. Our boys love her too, not only because they get held and cuddled more, but they are loved even more. 

I don’t feel like my life is boiling over the top anymore; it has cooled to a simmer, and there is a little more peace in our home.  The crazy moments are more doable  It also allows me much more freedom. I can get my crazy Evie out of the house. Yesterday I took Evie and Caleb out to play. It was interesting to pretend that I was a "normal mama"-a toddler plus just one infant in tow.  

 The week went by, and Amanda spent most of it in our home, getting used to our family and our schedule. She helps us out in the morning hours until nap time, and then for a few hours in the evening until we put all the kids to bed. She has a very calming, easy going, joyful spirit about her. No amount of spit up, poop explosions or crying seems to rattle her. And at 21 years of age, she has a bright future, and I'm so glad she's decided to spend some of it in our family. One of her best friends moved to Portland a month ago too. We got to meet her, and I love the energy that a young spirit brings into an exhausted home. 

Having these boys has forced me  to step out of my comfort zone and invite people into our life. Since they were born, there has seemingly been someone else in our home most of the time. Our space is an open door now to others, and I am learning that this is the way it should be. I want my kids to grow up seeing this as normal, to always have someone filling the empty rooms in our home. And with Amanda here, Evie has the older sis that she’s always wanted. ;)