A Couple of short stories

Esther(on left) and Jessica having a shower...............they love showers!!

All the kids are such sweeties......... the boys too, although I doubt if that is the name they would like. One of Esther's favorite sayings is: "Mom? You love me and I love you, right??" They all need confirmation regularily, I think that must come with there only being one of me and there are so many kids!

Last night at dinner, we were enjoying a soup, with small chicken legs in it, on rice. We were all enjoying our meal when Jessica dropped her chicken leg on the floor. She immediately got down from table, picked up the leg, and proceeded to wipe it on her shirt to make it clean, jump back up on her chair and finish eating it. Of course I couldn't stop laughing, but it is likely a much cleaner floor than most of them ever had. (I must say that the other kids didn't even notice except that mom was laughing - they all think I am a little crazy anyway! :) )

I am hoping to be able to update our blog with little stories regularily as a day doesn't go by when something silly or funny, etc happens. I haven't had internet service since the last blog I posted so must say that I am a little behind sending emails and answering emails but I will try to catch up soon.

I am presently taking a Hebrews class so my mornings are booked away from home and then in the afternoon I try to get caught up on the things in our home. There seems to be so much mending I need to do these days - I think the kids clothes must just be getting tired. I did manage to have 2 nights away from home and kids last week which was a very needed break. Just gave me the umpf I needed - how long it will last is unknown........... Anchalee and Kim took care of the kids which went well. The kids love having someone else in the home - the rules are usually a lot more lenient.... another story...........

One of our older girls got up last sunday and thanked the Lord for her home and family. She said that she doesn't always agree with our rules but she knows God has a plan for her life. She did thank Him for Dave and I and said that I have been very patient and good to them. So..........then a Thai mom got up and said that we (Dave & I) do not have hard rules at all. Her father locked her younger sister in her room for 1 year for lying. I think that is a bit extreme but the mom was just letting our kids know that they have it very easy. When we got home, I thought we should all get together and have a little meeting about the rules in our house. So, we sat around the table and I asked them what all the rules are that they could think of in our house and they were: Do not lie, do not steal, do not touch someone elses stuff, do not eat in the bedrooms, clean up after yourself, be nice to one another and always put the other one first. Wow, I have since decided they have it toooooo easy!!! I told them that these would be the rules in any home.........they were actually very surprised as they thought they had so many hard rules. Kinda funny when you sit down and go through things. I figure I need to get tougher.........just kidding, they all are really doing good. The one that makes me the most upset is the lying and that seems to be a norm in Thailand.