Blended & Beautiful

The gift has traveled many miles.
The outside is scuffed, torn and rumpled. It looks different than when it was first sent out The delivery address and stamps are hardly visible.

After several attempts the package is delivered to the new location. The postman rings the doorbell.
The door opens. The box is lifted gently. It's opened with care. Gentle and expectant hands reveal something beautiful!

The ones who receive the gift are surprised. They are more than excited! It was more amazing than they could've ever imagined!

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It was Christmas many years ago. "Did you mean it?" Those were the words I was hearing on the other end of the phone, and she was sobbing. "Yes. You can stay with us as long as you want."
Two teenagers needed a home. The wheels had completely fallen off the one they knew. We already knew & loved them. We had a home for them; our home; our family.
The next several years were a crazy beautiful chaos. Five teenagers in the same home. You can only imagine! There were glorious highs & bottom dwelling lows. It was a new dance every week. We knew we had to just keep dancing...stumbling...and dancing.
Teenagers are an interesting breed of humans! They remind me of toddlers with bigger bodies and an expanded vocabulary. Storm adores teenagers! I adore toddlers! So I guess together we were a good fit in this adventure of five at one time!
The noise. The silences. The smells. The mess. The drama. The "come to Jesus" days. The manipulation skills. The tears. The humor. The laundry. The shoes. The groceries. The driving lessons. The boyfriends and girlfriends. Proms. Graduations. And POOF! It was over so fast!
​Before I could blink...they were all grown! They survived. We survived!! Good News: They are all wonderful adults loving their families and making Storm and I "Papa & Mimi"!
​
They all taught me so much:
1. Being a Mom was my favorite job!
2. Some things were over our heads when it came to blending a family. As hard and scary as it was at times, it was what God called us to do. He held our hands. He showered us with grace.
3. Kids will like you some days. Kids will not like you some days. Love them anyways.
4. It's supposed to be hard. It's worth it.
5. Kids grow up. So find the humor. Always believe in them. Give them grace. Enjoy the ride.
6. Doing the best you can is all you can really do. Trust God to hold their hands and hearts.
7. I am blindingly aware of my need for Jesus because I am a parent--and that is a very good place to be!

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#teenagersrock