“Wait! What?”

There’s no doubt that large adoptive families often create a lot of curiosity.  In fact we’ve had quite a few question aloud over the years, “Do they really all get along as much as it looks like they do?”  Well truthfully, that question makes me smile big because does anyone really think that we could pay them enough to pretend that they love each other if they really didn’t?

Yeah, I don’t think so.

We take zero credit for our kids.  They are truly some of the bravest, most courageous human beings ever to walk this earth!  They have collectively (pre-family) endured trauma, grief, loss, abuse, neglect, starvation and abandonment, yet they have chosen to be heroic warriors and victorious over comers!  Their attitude toward life is incredible – each exuding hearts of thanksgiving, tenderness toward others and sincere joy.  Truly, they are remarkable!  And like I said, we take no credit.  They individually made the choice to live with joy, giving love always despite their past.  

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And what makes them even more amazing is that they each one came home from unique circumstances and obviously different genetics and yet they love each other and those around them so well.  I think that in itself confirms that all they really wanted was a safe family where they could thrive.

So probably to most it comes as no surprise that as I write posts I am continually praying that God will stir the hearts of those stopping by Our Place Called Simplicity to pursue opening their arms and homes to treasures like our Nehemiah, Isaiah, Elizabeth, Johnny, Elijah, Ruby, Birdie or Jubilee.  So I guess that last sentence was my warning….cause yup I’m praying for you!

Anyway, while we were road tripping this summer as a sweet moment was unfolding I thought, “My bloggy friends will love this…and it will remind everyone just how beautiful a big ol’ pile of treasures gathered from all over the world truly is.  And maybe it will convince some on the fence to jump right in!”

So this summer we ended up driving about 7,700+ miles.  Like all our other road trips we drove day after day and we had a blast just as we always do each year.  In fact in January the kids begin to ask when we are leaving to head East, we truly have that much fun!  On our rides we do crazy stuff like play competitively “Frozen Yogurt/Yogurt” and sometimes that involves some true shrieking as the competition tightens and we laugh and laugh as the miles roll by.  We also worship loudly and most years I read a biography aloud from the YWAM series (pictured on the sidebar – click the link and order some for yourself – they are amazing and YWAM donates to The Gem.  Win/Win).  This trip we read William Booth’s biography.  It’s truly a blast!

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Well one would think that the kids would tire of each other and get on each other’s nerves sitting together in close quarters for thousands of miles.  In fact many people are mystified at how we could possibly travel across the country with a van full and still want to ever do it again.  Well we can do it cause we really love each other and there’s no doubt the kids are each other’s best friends. Which leads me to my little story….

We had stopped for the night and Dw had gone inside to check us into the hotel while the kids were getting the wheelchairs and suitcases out before we joined him inside.  They are incredible helpers and we look like a well-oiled machine – which we really are not.  No one has assigned tasks yet everyone just digs in as together we “get ‘er done”…it’s pretty sweet.  They know what needs to be done and just go about tackling the task.

Anyway, we got Ruby and Johnny in their chairs and were moving all the luggage inside the hotel while Dw handed me the keys to the two rooms.  We have a boy’s room with dad and a girl’s room with mom each night we are in a hotel. As we moved toward the elevator Dw ran back outside to move the car to a parking spot.  Before long the kids, wheelchairs, luggage and I reached our floor and it was then that we paused to see the room numbers assigned to us. Each part of this trip we had been either across the hall from each other or next door.  But this particular evening the rooms were literally at the opposite ends of the floor.

How did our kids respond when they learned this “tragic” news?  Their comments went like this:

“Oh no!!  We aren’t next to each other!”

“Wait! What?  The rooms aren’t even near each other?”

“Are you kidding?  Really?  Not next to each other or across the hall? Seriously?”

“What?”

“What are we going to do?’

“Are you really serious?  They aren’t even sort of near each other?”

I was smiling and listening to them and loving that they love each other so much when they themselves came up with a brilliant solution:

“Hey I know!  We can Facetime each other from Mom and Dad’s phones.”

I started to laugh out loud.  They had literally journeyed thousands of miles next to each other and now they would Facetime to talk to each other while they were on opposite sides of the hotel floor!

Trust me friends, they really do love each other that much.  And we sure as heck love them!

#AreYouConvincedYet

#JustSayYes

#LoveOneAnother

#WheelchairsArentScary

(Top picture from hotel room as we were playing cards.)

 

 

 

5 thoughts on ““Wait! What?”

  1. Awww, they’re so sweet!!

    They are indeed incredible human beings….and their incredible parents should get credit for being such examples of overflowing love in action. Children learn what they live, and yours are now living in such a haven of love!

  2. I totally hear you. We took our pack of kids (not quite as big as yours) on an RV trip for a year. We sold our house, put our stuff in storage and loaded up. We were gone from July to the following Aug and hit nearly all the states ( including Alaska) and 7 Canadian provinces. It was so fun! We added our 100lb dog and when we all poured out of that RV people were shocked! When it ended we were all just a little sad. If you ask them, it was the best year of their lives. And they were older -2 in HS , 1 in middle School and one in elementary. Most of their friends say they could never have done that with their families. That made me sad to hear. But the more my kids travel and meet people the more they realize how unique their love for their siblings is. God is incredibly good.

  3. I’m so curious what you do for meals? It would get so expensive eating out…could you do a blog post on the finer details? Finding hotels, meals, activities etc? Thank you!

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