Packing...

Most of our packing was done, but the day after we got our Marching Orders, we finished up and packed the whole day long after a breakfast of buttermilk pancakes, eggs and ham. 

Most of the kids worked hard most of the time.  ;)

We have a system... everything starts fine and dandy.  Joy and excitement, singing and dancing fill the air. Tossing things here and there, lots of "yes moms" and "yes dads".  Helpful brothers and sisters.  Sweet talks. Thankful-for lists of The Dalles.  Talks of our new appointment, new ministry, new people, 

new city, new house, new cars, etc...

stir up hope in all of us. 

And then... a few hours into it, when weariness and overwhelming-ness  take over,

we settle quickly into our all too familiar flesh.....

I start throwing stuff away, the kids start protesting, I say "Where in the world did all this stuff come from?"  "Who left a banana under the bed?"  "What did I just step in?"  "I didn't know cheesesticks could get this hard."  and "THERE is my black flip-flop I've been missing since last summer!  How did it get up there?!?"   Then someone's crying that now they don't want to move and I have to psycho-analyze, only to find out that my child just doesn't want to pack.   Paul's scowl deepens. 

Chaos begins to creep in and take over the loving-order that the Lord had so easily begun our day with.

STOP THE SHOW!

Deep breaths,

pray together, ("yes Ann I know Elijah has his eyes open,

but how would you know unless your eyes were open too?")

and make some fun....

What to do with an empty, freshly scrubbed toy chest????

 

We pack, and Paul carries the boxes downstairs to the garage.

This box had a special surprise in it.

I think Paul caught on though because there were giggles around the box.

So the joke was on David.

Paul picked it up, without giving David a chance to jump out with his "SURPRISE!".

And instead, David screamed with cries for help, which we all ignored.

After Paul finished his "Incredible-Hulk-Box-Crushing-Scene"...

he set David down and squeezed Elijah's nose.  

Then we all seriously considered taping up Elijah

and putting him with the rest of the boxes in the garage.

But we love him too much,

and what would our family be

if we were missing even one...

incomplete.

Thank you Lord, for the fullness You give me.