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To my first loves… {your life was almost normal}

Here I sit. Again. With what feels like crazy–radical before me.

And. As always…I think of you.

We were *this* close to being “done” after our 3rd child was done. I think the 3rd child tips the scale a bit in our culture of being normal.

And then we tipped it.

We grew and grew again.

Here I sit with 5 children under 10–and we are anything but “normal”.

Every where we go it’s…”you have your hands full”…and I smile…because really–it means my heart is full too.

And while I wouldn’t change anything about our big–in the moments of prayerful consideration…of crazy–radial before us…I think of you…the children whose lives were almost “normal”.

Vacations without people looking.

Grocery trips without strangers asking if your siblings were siblings or friends.

Fewer meltdowns. Less healing. More average.

Less help. More survival.

No more private school. More togetherness meant homeschool. Instead of a variety of sports–everyone can pick just one.

But then.

I watch each of you.

Together.

And you take my breath away.

You have walked in orphanages with us.

You have seen connections happen…not overnight but weeks and months of pouring out.

Together…we have missed…A LOT…of what the world might think is normal. But we have been together through it all. And I realize…in our world–this is not normal either.

I have watched your hearts change from such a young age…focused on greater things…and I know—this…is not normal.

I have watched you sacrifice and give up things…willingly…with joy…because you saw the purpose or heart in the sacrifice…and I know–this is not normal.

How thankful I am that the Lord has led us…

How thankful I am for how you challenge me…

How thankful I am for the sacrifices you don’t even acknowledge or know you are making…

Because we want to be–anything but normal.

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