Noise.
Messes.
Those are three words that probably come to mind when you think of living life in a big family. And, yes, all three do happen from time time. Okay, okay - daily! But, and this is the kicker, they are minor in comparison to the love and sharing and caring that happen in the walls of our home. There is GRACE that God sends us to not only survive but thrive as we plow through the messes and chaos and noise of large family living. And while we do that, we grow closer to each other and also to Him.
Yesterday was one of those days where I wish I could just pause time. Ya can't do that though, so just like our Blessed Mother, I will hold them in my heart and cherish those memories...
**We are a puzzling family. Last year, we even set up a permanent small card table in our living room as a puzzle table (because we were finding that a puzzle was constantly taking up our eating and school space on our kitchen island or dining room table). It's so nice to have almost a continuous puzzle being put together there. But sometimes, a puzzle is too big for that small square table. And, St Nicholas sent one such puzzle our way on his feast day this year. So it took over our big kitchen table for the last week and a half. And yesterday, it finally was completed. These three - 17 years old, 8 years old, and 4 years old - put the final pieces on (other than the one lost piece - lol!). A 13 year age difference between the oldest and youngest puzzlers!! Isn't that the sweetest?!
**Lady was treated to make up as her big sissy, Ariel (12), was getting ready for the day. Instead of shooing away the interruption and distraction of her baby sister (2), she decided to scoop up little Lady and put some make-up on her. Lady came running out with the mirror in her hands and just couldn't stop looking at herself in her hand-held mirror. You could just see the joy she felt and that came from the love from her big sissy.
**We had a special family party to go to last night, and all our kids were excited and getting ready for it. Melody (14) decided to use her new flat iron from St. Nicholas on her little sister, Rose (6), to curl her hair. It took well over an hour, but Melody patiently and lovingly continued and made little Rose feel just like a princess. And the beauty of these two just shone so brightly that night!!
++Thank you, God, for shining your light and love in our family as we do our best to lead them to You among the messes, chaos, and noise that come with large family living!++