Just a spoon full of sugar…

So today was a good day. I admit it was not easy to be here today and not be with the boys. I kept thinking that it was good to have time but hard to be what I know to be about a 40 min trip away and not be with them. I have a chest cold and so going out in the rain this morning was not going to happen. I felt bad because I felt like not being at church was lame on my part but I just couldn’t see myself in the rain back and forth to get there and in the cold (which was a heat wave today in the upper 30s as compared to tomorrow which is going to be in the 20’s again)… it just didn’t seem like a good move.

I went back to sleep and Mark and Lori went to church. Amanda text messaged me from Germany at noon and woke me up. I was so glad to hear from her. I had a good quiet time. Prayed, read a devotion, and asked the Lord to speak to me from His word. I confessed I felt badly about not being in church today but that I was just not feeling good and I confessed also how I felt about some concerns I have over being able to get all the kids. He answered me with Psalm 127.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.”

Not only does He give to His beloved in his (my) sleep, He gives to me so much while I am awake. It was really good to just be with Him today and not be in the crowds.

We were blessed over again in that so many of you have reached out through email and the phone. Chelle called the other day, and Melissa called to check on us and then Jan Williams called from MS. to touch base and encourage us. We are so glad to have all of you as friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. We count ourselves as really rich to have such amazing people who would call us friends and who lift up our children and this adventure to God.

The best call of the day however came from my eldest Son. Ummm I love how that looks! My Son… I’ll just revel in that a while but the story for you goes like this, we had given John Lori’s cell number the other day in case he needed to touch base with us. He we waited until we heard an all clear from the SDA and then we sent an TXT to him saying it was ok, not to worry we are waiting on papers tell Kevin we love him too and we will see them soon. Then we waited. We didn’t hear back, until today. He called and Lori put him on speaker phone and he was like, “are my Mama and Papa there?” (in Russian but we got it) and Lori was like “Yes your Mama and Papa are here” and he wanted to talk to us and he spoke to us both saying he missed us and loves us and when will we come? He said “My brother is with me too” Ya’ll…. I not only understood him when he said my brother is with me, but get it… HE SAID… “MY BROTHER IS WITH ME.” As in, Mama and Papa I know Kevin is my brother and I am cool with that… as in I have bonded to this idea and I am taking this person on as my sibling. Our boys are getting it! God is making it clear to them and they are already loving one another as family even though they are not blood. They are brothers in their eyes and in ours and they are looking after one another. You guys I just stood there and cried. (Hush I know you are not the least bit surprised). I had a major Mama moment! You can hear in his voice how much he wants to be with us and he was excited about tomorrow. We are too. I am so thankful.

Later on I made dinner for the crew, Lori and Mark and I were getting ready to eat when Mama Olya came home and we sat together and had spaghetti with Chicken meat balls, which are quite tasty, and I have learned how to cook them for the kids. Mark seems to think the idea of “courses” is lovely and for keeps mentioning that Ukrainians are used to courses… I have tried to encourage him to enjoy this while he is here, because I do not do courses, nor do I plan to have time to with five children when I am home. He keeps saying I could learn. Hum guess we will see how that resolves!

Olya was really worried about my cold. She said I need vitamin C. I explain that I am taking some and she was like, “No you need some now in real fruit. You will eat a Lemon.” Oh yes. She wanted me to eat a lemon. Not a part of a lemon. Not a wedge or a half… a WHOLE LEMON. She said, “I will put sugar on it you will eat it.” This was not a suggestion good people. Olya was quite serious. She took the lemon cut it into slices put sugar on it and put a bowl of lemon in front of me. She sat on the stoop across from me and waited for me to consume the fruit rind and all. I had little help from Mark and Lori who were quite entertained at the prospect of my downing and entire lemon for their amusement and of course according to Olya my benefit. Lemon on top of a bowl of spaghetti makes for an interesting aftertaste is all I have to say.

Much love to you all… wear your hats when it is cold, or get the sugar ready!
Love,
Jenn Smith.