A Village to Raise A Child...

Surely we've all heard that saying, " It takes a Village to Raise a Child.." I can recall times in my young parenting life when I thought that made no sense. Everyone in the Village should be able to handle there own children not depend on everyone else for help. Now, remember I said my young parenting years when Trenten was a baby who just laid there and did nothing but eat, sleep, and poop.

With the first week of school coming to an end I could Blog countless stories about my week at school, about Trenten's first week as a big Pre-Ker, and Jonah's first Time out at Daycare. Yet, it's the family Birthday party Friday night out at my parents farm that fills my heart with so many emotions I have to Blog about it.

To start off we just thought we were Village material when we use to all get together with the 5 little ones. My brothers and I have 5 children between us. Kaleb 4, Trenten 4, Jonah 2, Autumn 2, Emma 2. As you can tell we like doing things together spread out would be boring! Between us, our spouse's, our little one's, and our grandparents that come to the family birthday parties it was already quite the house full. Add in the 7 joyful children my parents are now caring for(who's names will be used as initials in this Blog) and there is no doubt or denying the Village scenario!

We had 3 births to celebrate last night my nephew Kaleb's, "S" one of the 7, and my Grandmother who is now called Grandma Jo by the 7 we've all taken a liking to her new name and are using it some ourselves. I have to say that every time I'm around these kiddos I learn something new, my heart is touched in another way that I didn't know possible, and its all so hard to express in words for me.

My parents had balloons everywhere, 3 cakes (one for each person) all different flavors, and food for everyone. Each and every one of the 7 were so excited you would have thought it was their birthday. For my Nephew Kaleb who is only 4 this was a normal routine for him. Yet, for the others it was like watching a kid for the first time on Christmas. They were all anxious to see what everyone was opening, and getting so excited over every gift as if it was their own.

After all the food, presents, and cake all the kiddos went outside to play together. I sat on the deck and watched from a distance as a little girl who just got a bike for her Birthday was so excited she pushed it around parts of the yard where the grass was too thick for her to ride it over and over and over again. I watch the oldest boy "C" settle disputes over who's turn it was to swing and even line the little one's up to wait their turn as he pushed each of the kids on the tree swing.

I watched as my Nephew Kaleb learned from "Z" how to jump off the swing set while swinging mid air and land. A little scary at 4, but he was so proud when he accomplished it like the older boys. I helped "Se" who had an injury on his foot that needed doctoring. Apparently a scrap on his foot from a couple days ago that got infected. It had been hurting him for a while, but he didn't tell anyone. A common character trait for this child. He never complains about a thing!

I watched my dad's soft side as he let little "C" attempt to dress him up with a flowery lay and play itsy bitsy spider on his face. All of us kids got a good laugh when we got to watch my dad discipline two of the 7, which consisted of sending them to their bed for a time out. My brother joked with little "R" that he almost came to get in the bed with him because he thought my dad was talking to him he use to get sent to bed so much. Which made little "R" laugh and feel better.

In a whole I guess what I'm trying to say is so many people see what is being done for these 7 kids, but I just wanted people to see a glimpse of what the 7 kids are giving to us. They have reminded me every time I am around them what a gift love and family can be. They remind me what a blessing our children are to us and how we shouldn't take that for granted. I have the joy of watching my family work together like I've never witnessed before. Like a Village Raising a Child I guess you could say.

Everyone jumps in and is desperate to find a way to help take some of the load of my parents. Weather it's being a waitress like my Sister-in-law Jessica and taking hot dog orders to keep the kiddos from raiding the kitchen, all of us working together to refill drinks, keep kids from getting injured, or running off to far in to their wide open spaces the farm provides. It's family time like we've never experienced before, very different but good for all of us. I am Thanking God for this opportunity, not just for me personally but for our entire family as a whole.

Until Next Time,
Julie