Adjusting

A full dinner table, and I don't mean
the Mac-n-cheese.  

We are one week into the new configuration of our new family. We are now eight instead of seven. This is good on a practical level because food manufacturers package items in multiples of four. Eight is a good solid number. The kids can pair off; there never has to be the “odd man out.”

Little Eli has adapted to our rhythm of life marvelously. He is already calling my wife “mama,” He and my next youngest son have a thing they do: They both say, “bu bu bu” and giggle at each other. Eli, as expected, is the center of our family universe. We are discovering with delight his likes, dislikes, idiosyncrasies and similarities to his biological siblings. He is fiercely independent at times and at other times I am forced to get used to the utter dependance that a nearly-two-year-old has on his parents. What a delight it has been so far.

A friend recently remarked that God has asked an awful lot of us. Referring to the fact that we have now have taken in a fourth child to our home after having two the traditional way. I don't feel like I am burdened or that I am doing God a favor. I think that these kids are in my life because they are supposed to be. They teach me to be patient. They teach me humility, kindness, and occasionally crisis management skills. Above all, however, my kids bring love into my life and I think that God is really after here...more love. It makes sense to me even if it seems crazy, or a burden, or like an example of the breakdown of society to others.