Gingerbread Houses (sort of)

This was my dining room table this afternoon….

Once a year we have “gingerbread” (aka graham crackers) house making. We had seven of the kids’ friends over and a candy, icing, cookie, sugary frenzy quickly followed. It was rather fun, but I really can only handle this much fun once a year.

Not only do the kids overload on delicious sugar, they also begin to get rather creative with the icing.

Sweet friend, Brayden

Brayden, with his darling, angelic face…started this whole icing-as-face-decoration-war-paint idea. So of course, the other kids followed suit.

Mia, Lacy, and Madison

These beautiful girls…one of my daughters, and two of her friends, decided against the war paint and went for lip gloss, sort of.

So after all of that excitement everyone played, laughed, squealed and ran around like wild animals. It was great!!

After everyone left, the kids and I were getting ready for dinner and Joseph said “Mom, I am glad we had food today.” I assumed he meant all the candy and icing…so I chattered on about how fun it was, how great it was for friends to come over, how blessed we were to be able to do fun things. He then corrects me “No, I mean lunch and dinner.” then tentatively asks “we get some tomorrow…right?” 

There is so much pain in that question!  Joseph has been adopted for a little more than five years, but still periodically needs me to answer this question for him. Joseph, like many kids who are or have been in foster care are familiar with hunger, fear, and instability. Try as he might, he still wonders if it can or will happen again. It isn’t fair, it isn’t right, but it is reality to him.

I get that question every few months. I feel very blessed to be able to assure him,”Yes, Joseph, we will have food tomorrow.”  I waited for his standard further request for me to show him the food for the next days’ meals. But today he just shrugs and says “I know, just checking.” 

This would be when the heavens open and you hear the angels singing! Normally, Joseph would grab my hand and lead me to the refrigerator and ask me to show him what we would be eating, then we would head to the freezer, and then the pantry…just to make certain enough food is there. But TODAY I got a very nonchalant shrug and “I know, just checking.”

I wanted to scream and do the happy dance, but I figured scaring the kids half to death would be a bad idea…so I did a quiet thank you prayer and just said…”Ok, Joe.”

That is progress around here people, and I LOVE IT!

 
“So if there’s anything I’ve learned
 From this journey I am on

Simple truths will keep you going Simple love will keep you strong Cause there are questions without answers Flames that never die Heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise So thank you Lord, oh thank you Lord How could I ask for more”

 -Cindy Morgan