Living on His Grace & Mercy Everday

I got home from taking Noah home late last night. I always feel like a celebrity when I go to see the Carters. I get the red carpet rolled out for me. Noah and I were not even in the car at the aiport before Jeff's Mom, Enola, was filling me in where we were going for the evening. Brought a smile to my face. What girl would not like the celebrity treatment??

I have gotten to spend a lot of time with Noah over the last 10 days and he has such a good handle on missing his mom. He misses her, yes, but he is happy to talk about her. One day he came downstairs while I was making M & M cookies. He asked what was I making and I told him. He said, "My Mom makes those. Where did you learn to make those?" I told him that my Mom had taught me to make them. He smiled. I reminded him that my Mom was in Heaven too and then I said, "Maybe your Mom and my Mom are making these cookies together in Heaven." Another big smile. I just have a peace that he is in a good place in his grieving.

Jeff is doing well. He is noticably different. He has a lot on his plate and he has alot of help to try and cover all the bases. He is running from 6AM to 11PM. His to-do list is a mile long. Single Dad stuff. All that said, he knows he is blessed. He said when he starts to forget it he thinks of Karin's friend Shannon who recently died of cancer and Shannon's husband died a few years earlier. Left behind are two kids the same age as Salina and Noah without any parent to raise them.

It could be so much worse.

With God's grace and mercy we will make it through. Day by day.

They all still need prayer. And a lot of it. The after school homework/dinner/bedtime process is overwhelming, at best. There used to be 1:1 ratio for homework and now there is not. (when school starts, I mean). Noah needs someone to almost stand over him to keep him focused and that is not always possible, even with the grandparents pitching in. It is stressful. Please pray about the logistics of the after school/evening time frame.

Both kids deeply miss their Mommy but Salina is at such a critical age to not have her Mommy near her. It concerns me, for sure, but I know that God allowed us to go here, so He must think we can handle it. This is where we can pray for His grace and mercy to follow these kids. God is the father to the fatherless. I have to believe He is the Mother to the Motherless too.

I leave you with 2 cute pictures. One of the kids swimming and the other is of Noah's "bed" on his last night at our house. All the kids slept in our Bonus Room (by choice - we have plenty of extra beds!). They spent hours making their "beds". Noah slept on the seats of 3 chairs, a ottoman, and a big cushion on top to make it comfy.