A day of grace: His mercies are new every morning

Today the sun rose bright and the air was clear and beautiful. The kids rose bright and beautiful too, thank God. The "funk" we were in last night was gone. David was happy and calm (for David), and everyone was happy. Thank you SO much for praying! I wonder how much the dank fogginess of the past few days affects their mood? We knew the adjustment would be a challenge. We didn't expect it to be easy by any means, but we didn't expect it to be so grindingly difficult as last night was, and it was a bit freaky thinking about how subsequent nights would be!

Here at Ukarumpa there is a Quick Response Team (QRT) for any security emergencies. Anyone can dial the number and the men on the team receive the calls to their radios wherever they are. After my post last night, a friend of ours (the ever clever and funny Scott Carey) suggested we find five willing families and start our own QRT: The Quint Response Team. That made me laugh out loud. I can just imagine placing the calls: "Come get your designated quint! We can't take it anymore!"

I think what made it so hard last night, besides the kids being miserable, was how wrecked our house was and how many dishes we had to do after they were in bed - and I'm not even cooking from scratch yet! I need to plan meals ahead and make them in the morning when I still have house help (lovely local PNG ladies) to help with prep and clean up. For instance, we have to bleach our fruits and veggies here. That's what I mean about everything taking so much more time. We also hang our clothes out to dry. There is a ton of laundry with a family this size, especially in such a "natural" environment (dusty, dirty but beautiful outdoors!). So we are figuring it out, one day at a time, and God's mercies really are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

I think the absolutely most wonderful thing about living here is the people. There are such precious friends who have become family! We got to play Frisbee golf this morning with some of them, including their adorable children who bedecked my hat and ears and hands with flowers and grasses. It was so sweet. :)

Young girls in 5th-7th grades have been such a big help, as has Aunt Deb, Isaac's former kindergarten teacher Mrs. Miller, and lots of friends who prayed and grieved with me over my many years of longing for another child. They are definitely around now to celebrate with and help us! It's the school break, so we arrived at a good time. Lord willing we'll get settled enough that we can do this with less help (but don't get me wrong - we'll take all the help that wants to come!). We plan to hire Isaac's former babysitter, another lovely PNG lady, every afternoon. I will have house help every morning, as I already mentioned. According to a couple of mutual Colombia friends, a family who lived in our mission community and had triplets back in the early 70's hired three local ladies each day: one to do the laundry/diapers, one to help with child care, and one to clean. That makes me feel better. :)

Isaac continues to thrive, enjoying his friends (especially his PNG friend Jason) and the great outdoors. It is SO beautiful here!

One big prayer request is that Seth has a cold. I still have my sore throat, but it's a lot better - just scratchy now. Seth mostly just has a mildly runny-nose, but he was feverish as well this afternoon. Please pray he can kick this on his own. The bug that's going around is fairly mild, not like what the kids had in CA, thankfully.

Speaking of which, in my most recent thank-you post I forgot to mention my parents' invaluable help in CA and my mom staying with me when Seth was in the hospital. My dad bravely flew the other kids back to TX with Gavin. So thank you, Mom and Dad!! They also helped us a ton that last week when so much was going on, plus they and my poor sister and brother-in-law have had to clean up our mess left in the house. Naomi has been there to help. The house must seem so empty without her five little charges running around and yelling to be held! My dad says the house echoed with little voices the first time he went back there.

Kenneth and Courtney, thanks for helping with babies and cleaning the stroller and pack 'n' plays. :)

Dad had his 2nd hip replacement surgery and is doing well, although he has a lot of recovery to do and isn't sleeping great in the meantime. We pray he recovers fully and is a new man with his two new hips! Then he can come visit us and handle the hills around here with ease.

We're very excited that Gavin's folks are coming in September!! They've lived here twice before for a year each time. Papa teaches at the high school and Marmi works in Member Care or doing whatever needs to be done. She is an amazing servant (they both are) and loves having people over for dinner, too. I imagine our joint family meals will be mostly served here, however, since we need kid-proofed surroundings and tend to leave a massive wake of messiness behind us. :) The kids will be THRILLED to see Marmi and Papa's familiar faces again on this side of the world!

I'd better close and clean up the kitchen and fold clothes. :)

David eating a Grosh sorbet popsicle. We miss you, Aunt Sarah!

Our wonderful front porch. Gracie is looking over the railing, Marcie (dirty as ever) is chasing the ball, Will is climbing on the bench but is only visible from the tummy down, and Seth is in Mrs. Miller's arms. David was elsewhere. The two big boys were visiting with their mom and another one of my good friends. The house in the background belongs to our friends since childhood and college, Kurt and Johanna. See what a great community this is!? :)

Suppertime was much nicer tonight! Thanks for the meatballs, Weavers! The kids LOVED them.

Love and gratitude,
Carrie

P.S. Isaac says the laundry shoot in our new house is "epic."

Check our my friend Opalyn's blog to read about the newest little quints! www.clarkquintuplets.blogspot.com