"Devotion is worth the effort at this time"

I think I shall go back to Wednesday afternoon/early evening. We were finished with childcare for the evening. Earlier that day I had packed up our foster son and daughter to go over to my in-laws who are also licensed foster parents. So it was back to just the six of us....the original Kellems family. It had been a VERY long time since we have been together without any other children. While listening to the kids and Larry goof off I said in my flesh "are you sure God? this almost seems so soon." I knew it was a flesh question in my head. We all loaded up to enjoy a family evening meal out to eat at a Chinese restaurant before church which also was the evening before Larry was supposed to go pick up our new additions. We were enjoying our meal and just to be goofy we all opened our fortune cookies. God has a sense of humor I tell you and even though I knew it was a flesh question He wanted to confirm for once and for all that (as my fortune cookie stated) "Devotion is worth the effort at this time." Funny how I KNEW it was God speaking through this tiny strip of paper.

On Thursday Larry went up to pick up the children. I so much wanted to go but I had the responsibility of the daycare to run. When they showed up, I fixed lunch for them and Larry headed to work. I had a few hours left of day care for the evening which went really well then I was able to spend time with our family. We went over the rules and then watched "Pink Panther."

Friday after daycare we went to see "Ratatouille" at our local drive-in which our new additions had never been to before.

Saturday we hung around the house a lot. It was nice to hang out here for me so I could get some more organizing done. Perri dropped over to hang out as well and even helped with some of my chores (THANKS PERRI~~~LOVE YA :) then just she and I went out to a VERY late lunch. It was nice to step away from the house for a bit and spend quality time with such a wonderful friend. When we came home Larry took the boys to go buy a basketball goal. Baths and bedtime followed a while later.

Sunday consisted of church which brought the largest smiles to Larry and I as we looked up and down the aisle with all of our children with us. Immediately afterward we went and invaded Wal-mart of the majority of their bean bags so each of the kids will have their own space to sit when we watch TV or movies. We were in a huge line with each child carrying their own bean bag. One lady asked "So you have 7 children I said no ma'am we have 9" and it made me the proudest momma. We watched Star Wars Episode I. Later, Mom and Dad brought over our other foster children to visit. It was good to see them again and for Mom and Dad to visit with their new grandchildren.

Beginning Monday was our planned vacation week from childcare/work. It was nice to spend the day hanging our with our children around the house. Later on we met Perri and her children at the roller skating rink. I manned the non-skaters while Larry watched those who were out on the floor.

We have a few more plans for our vacation week beginning with tonight's weiner roast. Some of our new additions have NEVER had a S'more and we think it's about time they had this delicacy. Tomorrow we hope to work on the kids' bedrooms (a project that keeps getting pushed back) before going to the fireworks. We also hope to go to the zoo possibly as well. Saturday is our trip back up North to return the children to their foster mom. We plan on meeting the foster mom at church. I don't foresee a very long stay up there for the kids because most if not all of the children are already to move down here.

Overall through the power of prayer (God has gone before us) things are going REMARKABLY well. I continue to be amazed of how much LOVE that God has given me for each of these children. To hear them call us MOM and DAD melts our hearts. We even have had some "I Love You's". They are ALL looking forward to having their last name changed. (Praying for our own Happy Gotcha Day) We have had some issues that we have had to deal with and know there are going to be more but I know that GOD is moving and making this a forever family.

Thank you for all who have prayed and are continuing to pray for our family. I KNOW beyond a shadow of doubt that God has joined these two families into one. I look forward to seeing in the future what God has in store.

**Edited to add** The weiner roast was awesome. The kids had a great time. It was wonderful to spend time with family and friends. I was especially happy to see my former foster son. It was hard to let him go home with Grandma and Grandpa. It still breaks my heart because I feel like he is my 10th child.