Mixed and Matched?

I have a fellow blogger friend whose blog is Ebeth's four and no more. She blogs about her family of four children, ducks, horses, and her faith. I love to read her blogs and I've often wondered how she does it all without going insane. She's a mom whose passionate about education, family (you'll often here her say these moments are fleeting and memories are all you'll have), and her faith. I'm a mom whose passionate about education, family, and faith..you start see why we get along huh. One of the few differences between us is that I'm a bonus mommy and my husband had two children before we met then we had two children together. Cicircumstances, that would take a novel to explain, have kept our blended family in fragments for a while so I've never been able to identify with the "four and no more" until recently. Thanksgiving was my first experience with a family of six. I'd like to say that I handled it well but that would be lying. My mom was in town with my younger sister Lafon and they helped...a lot! I begin to wonder anew how my mother managed with seven children and an adult child for a husband. Once more she has been solidified in my eyes as a giant among women!

The first obstacle we had to over come with the "newly" acquired bonus son was transportation. We both have compact cars. I drive a Honda accord and he drives a Saturn. Now normally this is not a problem as we usually take the Honda when we go as a family which seats five but with six not so much. The next hurdle was "where is he going to sleep?". Thankfully Phillip had been given a fold out sofa for the family room downstairs, that's right folks God IS good! The next major obstacle was he came to us with NO CLOTHES!!! we have two sons together they are aged five and two years. Bonus son is 12 years old soooo no chance of those clothes fitting him ever! Now thanks some Christmas angels and really amazing St.Louis Mommie friend Kenisha we have a whole wardrobe for him from fall/winter and spring/summer...which brings us to physical obstacle number four. Where do you put two seasons of clothes when all the dressers and closet space are being used for the other three children that live there full time? Even with all of these obstacles I know that God will see us through it. Like I told my husband  I love to read the stories in the bible not so much living them. Especially not the prodigal son story! Lord I know you have a plan for my family a plan to prosper and not to harm...now if you could just help me remember that in the dark days ahead I'd be forever grateful.