My Cup Runneth Over...and so does my calendar!

Somehow I assumed that once school was finished things would slow down for the summer...nyet!  I can't remember a busier summer.  This week I found myself very overwhelmed especially when it seems like every time I turn around something gets added to the schedule.  I am so very thankful for our family, for God's provision, for Wayne's work being busy, for good health, for the help that comes along, and for the privilege for being parents to these precious gifts from God.  Yes, my cup runneth over.....

Kashi & Slava

 Kashi & Slava have a love/barely tolerate relationship.  In the 2 years that Slava has been here the poor dog has been poked, whacked, and tormented by Slava, especially in those first several months.  Slava's poor impulse control made it difficult for him to not do something to her whenever she walked by.  He's not mean to her, just irritating.  I snapped this pic during a moment when they were getting along, probably because Slava was feeding her potato chips.

Dr. Jordan & Patient Slava

 I walked into the bathroom yesterday morning to discover Jordan putting a "cast" on Slava using clorox wipes.

Swingin' Slava

...my cup runneth over and so does the calender:
Monday:  Met my sister-n-law for lunch then met with some ladies in the evening to share about adoption/foster care.
Tuesday:  dropped Anna off at a nearby farm where she works with horses, went to a lunch meeting with friends from Bethany Christian Services.
Wednesday:  Ran Andrii to the church for a fife/drum event at 9am, went with the rest of the kids to the Matthew Project (summer feeding program we volunteer at), ran kids home, ran Slava to the social worker appt, somehow Sierra got to her library and babysitting job (I believe Curtis and Wayne shuttled her around), ran to Walmart on the way back from social worker.
Thursday:  morning phone call warning me of lice exposure, check for head lice (no lice, thank you Lord), treat exposed head with pesticide shampoo, have melt-down due to lice threat, Sierra wakes up with swollen gums, run to meeting with a pastor's wife about Orphan Sunday, run home and take Sierra to dentist (infected gums due to a seed embedded in there...now we get to go back on Friday for a laser procedure), run to pharmacy, run home, go to grocery store.  Thankfully Wayne cancelled a meeting he had in order to get the kids to Karate by 5:30 since the  added dentist appt put me behind schedule.
Friday:  Hair cuts for 4 kids, battery dead in car (thankfully my nephew was on hand to jump it), made it to dentist on time....main dentist not there, another dentist cleaned out the infection but now we have another appt next week for the laser thing.  I crashed in a lawn chair by the pool for an hour and asked Wayne to bring home pizza for dinner.  Spent the evening with my cousin who needed some ministering to.
Did I mention the kids begged to go on a camping trip that several other families from church are going on?  Wanting to bless them, I agreed to it.  So on top of all of the above, we're packing, shopping, baking, and getting set up for this 5 day camping trip.  Work is so busy that Wayne can only be with us the first night and the last, but thankfully my daughter-in-law is coming for the middle days to lend a hand.  There are dozens of other things in between the things I mentioned (cleaning, laundry, meals, parenting, paperwork, bill paying, banking, phone calls etc).  Notice I used the word "run" a lot?  It feels like that is all I do.  No trouble sleeping at night for me...only trouble staying awake!  In the shower the other day the Lord told me that I've been doing things in my own strength.  Yes, I hear from God in the shower.  It's one of the only places I go that I'm not distracted.  And yes, I can see where I've been relying on my own strength, which isn't working too well.  Hence the lice-meltdown.  I can also see the devil at work as I've been a threat to his plans.  The enemy doesn't like orphan ministry, marriage ministry, or helping released prisoners.  The attack shouldn't surprise me.  I'm now reading Ephesians 6:10-18 each morning to remember to put on the full armor of God.
Pretty much I just give the Lord my life each morning as I desire to put on Christ, walk where He would have me to walk, do what He would have me to do, and not worry about what I can't do.  I just want to please God and bring glory to His Name.  I am thankful for my over-flowing cup and calendar!