These kids are going places!

Whew, we have a LOT going on these days! I am so thankful for Auntie Deb watching three of the kiddos outside so I can have this moment to update the blog. Don't expect too many updates in the next few weeks, though. We have been super busy, but it's only going to get busier!

Where we've been:
The Zoo on Friday
Grandpadad and Grandma's Sunday school class on Sunday morning
Armstrong Park and Kidsville Sunday afternoon
Grandpadad's ESL (English as a Second Language) class last night, Monday
Fossil Rim Wildlife Park in Glen Rose, TX on Saturday - pictures following

Where we're going:
California(!!) on Saturday! This will be our first plane ride with quintuplet one-and-a-half-year-olds, to attend Cousin/Uncle Grant's wedding the following Saturday the 31st. Gavin is a groomsman just as Grant was his best man at our wedding 15 years ago. We wouldn't miss this momentous occasion for the world and LOVE Grant's darling wife-to-be, Anna! We also are very excited to introduce the remaining quints to the relatives out in CA and Oregon who have yet to meet them. [Seth and Grace were out there last summer, but Will, Marcie and David haven't been yet.]

This California trip is a massive undertaking, but it's only a small test of what's coming as we leave for Papua New Guinea on June 8th. The flight to CA is 5 hours; the flight to Brisbane, Australia is 16 hours.  :o}

Gavin's parents are bomb-proofing their home in preparation for us to move in. Wisely, they are going to move out and just ceed the whole house to us. We have five very active, climbing, problem-solving, inquisitive toddlers who, when we arrive in a new place, truly scatter like a bag of golf balls dropped on the floor. Imagine/remember how hard it is to keep up with ONE active one-and-a-half-year-old. Multiply it by five. Divide by two (adults)-and-a-half (Isaac). Yup, we need prayer. :]

We need prayer first of all for HEALTH. Auntie Deb has only three babies outside because Will is at the doctor's with a fever and ear-tugging and general misery, and Grace is in bed with general misery and a slight fever and ear-tugging. David felt warm last night. So far Marcie and Seth seem right as rain.

We also need prayer for PATIENCE with each other and with the babies. The stress level can really sky-rocket, but we know the Lord is greater than any stressful circumstance and we need His Spirit to control and guide us. We are working on not complaining when things aren't as we would like them to be, so we would appreciate prayer for that!

We need prayer for WISDOM in parenting as each child (minus placid Seth) is starting to react in his or her own way to the upheaval of us getting ready to leave both for CA and for PNG.

I keep reminding people that our babies are only just over 18 months adjusted age because I don't want those around them to expect them to act older than their developmental age.  So be forewarned, if you're one of those blessed(?) enough to see our babies/toddlers in the next few weeks: It's pretty crazy, and they are not themselves. Lord willing things will calm down quickly once we settle into our home in PNG, but until then it's constant transition and activity and packing and stress for our little ones.

Isaac said on his way out the door yesterday, "I am so scared to leave my friends." Thanks for praying for him, too!

Okay, this blog is too long so I'll close with one last thing since a lot of people have asked: I am doing great, thanks. :) I think people are concerned because I am the one leaving my family behind here in Dallas. While that is very, very hard and sad for me, I am truly, deeply, absolutely thrilled, excited and grateful to return to our community in Papua New Guinea! It really seems like a foretaste of Heaven to go back to friends who have become family there. It's also the answer to years of prayers, to the glory of God! Only He could have kept our babies in such beautiful health and healed Seth so completely. (Please keep praying, though, that he gains weight and can tolerate the air quality in our valley.)

Love and gratitude,
Carrie

Auntie Deb with the kids (plus one - Naomi's nephew) at the zoo. 

This is such a great picture! Left to right: Gracie, Marcie, David, Deb, Seth, and Will.

David clearly enjoyed himself