Over the past two weeks, we have temporarily adopted my siblings’ children. My brother lost his brother in law to a tragic accident so he left the kids with us as he and my sister-in-law attended the wake services and funeral in Seattle. And then my other nephews and niece wanted in on the fun so they stayed with us, too.
From the 12 kids we housed at one point, we are now down to just 7. It’s been a crazy week, but a grace-filled one, too.
There were a few instances when one or two of my nephews and nieces acted up. One of them bit and clawed at our househelp. I know. Not good at all. Another one outrightly rebelled against Edric in front of the other kids. Edric and I dealt with these matters…primarily by talking to my siblings who could do something about their own children. And they did, which was greatly appreciated.
During one occasion, I did have say to one of the little boys, “You are in our house and you will follow our rules which means you will obey. If you don’t, you don’t get to stay.” I had to lay down the “law,” and he didn’t hate me for it. He knew I meant business and respected that. Children appreciate boundaries. Plus, being banished from a house full of cousins was the last thing he wanted.
Apart from these minor attitude issues, and some unprecedented events and circumstances…like one of my nieces coming over with a head full of lice, and all the kids getting intestinal flu, by God’s grace, Edric and I survived and we are still surviving more children in our house!
I have come to realize that it’s not the number of children that are a burden. (Okay, groceries can get expensive but praise God for His provision.) What makes the biggest difference is obedience and respect!
Because MOST of my nephews and nieces are obedient and respectful they haven’t given us heartache these past two weeks. In fact, I can honestly say that having all of them over has been a delight! I experienced first hand how true the Bible is when it reads, “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.” (Proverbs 29:17)
So I applaud the efforts of parents all over the world, including my siblings, who are deliberate and give their best effort to training their children. Even if no child is perfect 100% of the time, a child who has the heart to be obedient and respectful is a wonderful blessing to everyone!
Some highlights of the past two weeks:
Edric getting the kids to recite their memory verse…
Homeschooling together… 
Outdoor fun…
Evening playtime…
Some physical labor… 
Movie time…
Playgroup…
Tiana having more girls to play with…
Visiting my friend’s farm…
Let’s see how this next week goes!
Hi Joy! You and Edric had an awesome job keeping all these kids busy, happy, and content. I’m sure they had so much fun plus a very memorable 2 week vacation. God bless your heart, patience and diligence.
All by His grace!:)
Wow! That must have been 2 busy weeks! Looked absolutely fun!
Yes it was and a little crazy!