Today, we went on an adventure with all eight of our kids. (I've got plans of you meeting all of them.) Our oldest even brought a friend along. The adventure was as follows:
1. Tabatha was attending a Bible Study over lunch. So I dropped her off at 12:30 and proceeded to meet up with a friend of mine and his two children. We fed all 11 children and both adults at Burger King for $25 (cause we're good like that.)
2. After lunch, we picked up mom and continued on to our friend's house, where we proceeded to have a giant water balloon fight. (450 water balloons!)
3. After we dried off, we loaded everyone up and drove to meet up with another family, who needed to sign some adoption paperwork for us. (I know.. MORE PAPERWORK!)
4. After the signature transaction, we went home. We rotated all children through baths and showers while we cooked dinner. This was a feat in itself.
5. Finally, children clad in their pajamas, we drove into town to watch the annual Semi-Truck Parade that kicks off the County Fair each year.
At each stop, we took stock of what we were doing and we asked ourselves how much harder this would be with a medically fragile, mentally retarded fifteen year old added to the mix. We couldn't help but to feel that WE CAN DO THIS!
The family that signed the paperwork at stop number 3 has eleven children. They are some of our best friends. One if their children has Cerebral Palsy, (like our Trevor, but more severe,) and Epilepsy. They have been an amazing source of inspiration and motivation for us. Believe it or not, the paperwork they signed was to agree that if Tabatha and I were to die, they would take all 8 of our children AND Alivea, giving them 20 children, 3 of which with special needs.
Here's the lesson for the day: There are amazing people that exist. Our friends are counted in those ranks. We are surrounded with an awesome support system. Our children are well behaved, (mostly,) and with God's help, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that
WE CAN DO THIS!
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