A typical shopping day

For several days the weather has been so bad that we couldn't hop in our bus and drive to town.
Simple things like needing milk, is not so simple when you have 18 kids and your husband is out
of town.
With the roads being icy I just didn't want to chance driving our bus to town so we stayed put, but oh how I needed to get out! I spend a few days just feeling claustrophobic in my own home.
I was irritable and grouchy, and just feeling like lousy mother of the year. I could rationalize that

I knew it would pass .... but I still hated being in that place.
So today I loaded up the bus and took off to town. Now Saturday is not the best time to go shopping with 18 kids... but I was feeling little desperate.
First we stopped at the day old breadstore. We got a HUGE bucket of all kinds of bread for forty dollars. We formed a assembly line and loaded it in the bus. Thekids were real excited with all the donuts.

Our next stop was Sams club. We have a system. Everyone has a partner they are responsiblefor, they all stay behind me and the basket, and everyone had to stay to one side of the isle.

It all went perfectly, so we all sat down for a hot dog. I dread ordering food for our group. Never fails whoever is waiting on us gives me that look like "what could you possibly want with 19 hot dogs", but I push forward and try to ignore them. Many times at McDonalds or Taco Bell the say "could you please call first?"

My kids were picture perfect . They all sat down and patiently waited for there food. When they got there drinks they knew they had to go in fours and waited for their table to be called. They were quiet (praise God) and polite. I kept running back and for the to get napkins, relish, and check to see if the hot dogs were ready.

One woman approached me and said "Where are you from?" I knew
from experience what she was asking, and I said we lived in Abilene and these were my adopted children. I know now to cut to the chase and just let them know we are an adoptive family. With so many the same age, multiracial, I think they know already. She said "You have amazingly well behaved children, are you here by yourself?" I told her my husband was out of town.

For a moment I had to think why she was even asking that.
We go everywhere together.

A few minutes later another woman approached me to ask some of the same questions, this time to say "God bless you."

When I got in the Bus I took a moment to thank Jesus for those two messengers from him. To me they were saying you are doing a good job. I so needed to hear that to keep going with joy in my heart. You would think at fifty three, tons of kids raised, I wouldn't need to hear that, but oh how I do.

And my blessed Savior knew that.

Many times people are just critical. They are upset that I would take so many children into a store, even if they are well behaved. I feel like we are special needs sometimes... wanting to cry out "We have a right to be here too." But I don't, because through our family they need to see the blessings of adoption and the
love of Christ, and it starts with me.

So off we went to the Christian book store. It is huge, people are kind, and we have a wonderful time.