It Takes a Village...

This was the scene at our house tonight. A Monday night, with nothing special planned. Then, all of a sudden, our quiet Monday night turned into a wild neighborhood party of sorts. Three neighbor boys ended up staying for dinner and a very active play date afterward. Here they are, during the quietest part of the evening, eating pizza and watching "Lion King." This might sound like a chaotic night to many, but, really, this is a joy. I always dreamed of having the type of family where I not only had my only children, but where our home was a "hub" of kids running in and out. And that is just what our home is becoming.....I absolutely love it. This may sound like a strange dream, but it is a dream come true for me. I have written before about the wonderful neighbors with which we have been blessed at our new home. These are wonderful Christian families who are highly committed to raising good kids who are on fire for Christ. I feel strongly about the "It Takes a Village" idea, especially in today's culture. Children need a network of support around them; they need to know that their parents and a circle of other caring adults care for them, look out for them, and cheer them on. So today's letter of thanks is going out to my neighbors, the Oetmans, who have done so much to welcome us into the neighborhood and join with us in this amazing and sometimes daunting task of raising these children. Between the two families, we have eight children (they have six!!), so I have learned a lot from Sherry about mothering, and the unique idiosyncracies of children, and taking your children for who they are, where they are, and when they are there. I am so thankful that God placed this amazing family into my family's life, and I look forward to joining with them, along with some other families in our neighborhood, to form "the Village" that will nurture, grow, encourage, and raise these precious, amazing children.