Friday, October 09, 2009

Adventures in Homelessness Part 7

Well, it has almost been 2 weeks again.... That first week at Julaine's was great. Monday was Rosh Hoshana and so Glenn had no classes for the day. It was the first time in months that we were able to not leave where we were staying all day long. No drives to school or to look at houses, etc. It was the most wonderful thing! That night we sat in the living room just enjoying being with each other as just the 6 of us again! I am SO thankful for all these places that God has opened up for us to stay at. When we packed up our apartment on August 1 we packed a week's worth of clothing, our sleeping bags, tents and camping supplies. We assumed that, at least for part of the time that we were homeless, we would be camping at Green Lakes State Park or something but every night we have slept on a bed or air mattress in someone's home. I am honestly amazed at how gracious God has been and the people who have opened their homes to us!

On Thursday I got a call from a friend from Rochester. His babysitter had backed out on him at the last moment and was wondering if we needed somewhere to live for the next week. He told me that they would give us unlimited access to their house provided that we took care of their 6 kids. He was surprising his wife with a weeklong Caribbean cruise for her birthday but was going to have to cancel if he didn't find someone to take care of the kids. I know that they needed this trip together and I know that someday I want someone to do this for me so, after talking to Glenn, I said yes. Glenn drove me out here on Saturday and then turned around and headed back to Syracuse because he had a lot of studying to do and a busy week of school ahead with just over a week before his next exam. It has been a busy week being a mom of 10 kids. They have 3 in 1st grade, and one each in 6th, 8th and 10th grades. It has been fun for Caleb to have some brothers for the first time and Paige (their only girl) to have some sisters this week. I was nervous coming into this week because I had never really spent any time with any of their kids but it truly has gone so well. I have had quite a bit of help from Carrie, a friend from church who Jay ran into when buying food for the week at Aldi. She has helped get the kids on the bus and helped get them to bed a few of the days which has been a big help. It was also fun to get together with a few friends while the kids were in school after we had gotten our school work done for the day. This week has not made me want to have more kids but it sure has been fun to have 10 kids for a week and I am kind of sad that the time is nearing it's end. Next time though I think I'd like to have my husband along for the ride because I sure have missed him.

I think that this may be the last adventure in our time of homelessness. I may be wrong but I can trust God that He will bring the adventures I need to draw me closer to Him. I have really learned to trust Him a lot more in these last few weeks. He has proven Himself faithful again and again. I will be getting a ride back to Syracuse on Sunday afternoon and then scrubbing the apartment on Monday and Tuesday while Glenn studies/ takes his exam then on Wednesday he has a day off and we will be moving in, Lord willing. I am really looking forward to opening all of our boxes and getting rid of lots of stuff that obviously we don't need since it has been in boxes since the end of May and we have basically lived out of our car for the last 2 1/2 months - we really don't need much.

I guess the song that is on my heart is the one that has been wafting up the basement stairs on and off all afternoon thanks to listening to KLove on the way home from school: "Take my life and let it be, all for You and for Your glory. Take my life and let it be Yours. Glory to God, Glory to God, Glory to God forever!"