Die To Self...easier said than done.

Friday we "did school" until 3:30pm! Things take much longer with Slava in the mix, but we did have a good day. Wayne took Sierra, Andrii, Anna, and Jordan to the archery shop to get their bows set up for the archery program that begins on Saturday. This left me...alone...with Slava...for almost 3 hours. He was a good boy, and we had fun, but for those 3 hours the only thing I was able to accomplish was playing with Slava. He loves to play "boolah" where he pretends he has a belly ache and I'm the doctor. He takes deep breaths like I'm listening to his lungs, then I extract a series of play food from his belly, much to his delight. Then he says, "again!" and we must repeat the process. I even added playdough boolahs to mix things up a bit which he also loved. We ended the playtime with some bowling down the hallway and then finally it was bedtime. By the end of the evening I was struggling with thinking about all the things I needed to do but couldn't do with Slava needing my undivided attention. It's certainly much easier when the other kids are home. When I put him to bed (I always lay down with him until he falls asleep) instead of falling asleep within 10 minutes like he usually does, it took him an hour to fall asleep! This added to my frustration which was then multiplied when I realized that Saturday morning Wayne and all the kids would be out for another 3 hours for the archery program! This all equaled me getting nothing done...again. In my frustration came the tears, then I remembered to cry out to the Lord. The answer bounced back, almost like an echo, "Slava is all you need to do." Funny how the flesh gets in the way and clouds up the truth that you already know. My flesh, my selfishness, and probably some hormones too, so easily flare up and I forget what my priority is.

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have don it unto me. Matthew 25:40 Sitting on the floor with Slava and playing with him for hours is ministering to him and when I minister to him I am ministering to Jesus.

Slava must have seen my tears because he sat up and looked at me. I told him to lay down. He held out his arms and said, "hug." He offered several hugs which I gratefully accepted. He is making much progress...maybe his Mommy will too.

We woke up to a winter wonderland. When Wayne left for archery with the kids Missy and I took Slava out to play. Missy had the day off of work which was a nice surprise. For over an hour we walked around in the snow, pulled Slava in the sled, and watched the dogs bounce around. I felt at peace knowing that I was doing exactly what the Lord had for me to do. Nothing else was more important. Plus I actually got some much needed exercise!
Missy hugs Jake our very old Husky. Missy has a gift with elderly people and animals...and Jake is an elderly-animal!

Slava, Missy, & an arthritic Jake.

Even after 2 hours Slava did not want to go inside (little does he know that Mama doesn't usually go outside) so we headed up the road for a walk. We stopped at our neighbor's who are also our very good friends. I went in and had coffee with my friend, Lauri, and Slava vacuumed her living-room. We were all very happy. Slava and I walked back home and Papa and all the kids were back. My load was lightened a bit when Papa took over with Slava and I could go back inside to tend to bill-paying, cleaning, and starting dinner...all those things that seemed so important last night.

Here I caught Curtis playing in the snow with Anna while Bethany tends to Jordan who's laying on the ground for some reason. All while our Boarder Collie, Kashi, chases the snow.

Tonight Wayne Jr. and Kerri came for dinner and to take Sierra, Andrii, Anna, and Jordan home with them for a sleep-over...very brave newlyweds! They even offered to take Slava, but I felt that it's too soon. I did suggest, however, that if they'd like to spend more time with him they can come anytime and Papa and I would gladly go out for dinner! Hint Hint. It seems so strange that right now Slava is asleep, all the other kids are out, Wayne's watching football, and I find myself with free time. What will I do now after I publish this post???