I have to be honest with you. I had no idea what a ‘flotilla’ was, but I have a thing for collective nouns, so I thought it would be fun to look it up. I can’t really blame isolation on that being a highlight of the day, I would have found entertainment in learning that previously. Which doesn’t say a lot for me on the entertaining scales, does it really?!

When I sat downstairs on the early shift this morning I picked up my crochet to do a few more rows. I have this nifty little row counter which helps me keep track of where I am on the pattern. Well it would, if it wasn’t such an appealing toy for my offspring. Perhaps they are wannabe nightclub bouncers, clicking people entering the building. But for whatever reason they love it. And today they left me clueless as to whether I was on row 15 or 23. Because it certainly wasn’t row 1113.

I was on a bit of a mission this morning, because two parts of a set of toys had gone missing since yesterday, and that kind of thing really bothers me. So I was combing the garden, hunting the house, and quizzing the kids on the possible location of the pieces. Theo has an amazing ability to know just when to wind someone up. So he started by telling me ‘oh I know! I put them in the tree!’ And smirked as I went out hunting through the leaves. Following that he named several other places he ‘may’ have hidden them. And then walked around singing a little ditty that I genuinely have no idea where it came from: ‘you break it, you buy it! You break it, you buy it!’ He moves me from laughter to tears of frustration and back again a thousand times a day.

We tuned in to church this morning, our band opting for a more muted vocal accompaniment today.

For the first time, Little Fox also sang along. The congregation was increased greatly in number by the teddies that joined us as we talked about things we worry about, and how Jesus spoke to calm the storm.

Everyone got involved with the craft activity of making boats like the one in the story. Although I’m not sure the fishing boats in historical Israel were called ‘Coca Cola’. Maddie insisted on including the disciples and a bed for Jesus to sleep in.

And then they went out onto the stormy lake. Thankfully the boats did not sink, and they provided entertainment for most of the day.

Having been in and out of the pool several times, it got to later in the afternoon and Theo came to talk to me in the kitchen. He spotted the hatch in the utility room ceiling, which opens to a space in the garage roof. This was absolutely fascinating, and he quizzed me for about 15 minutes on it. What was up there, are there spiders, is it dusty, we’d need a ladder to climb up there, could we clean the dirt out…on and on until I was giving up the will to answer. He then disappeared and returned a few minutes later with Maddie and Micah. They had packed backpacks including drinks and teddies, found torches, got their ‘communicators’ (megaphones), and were ready to go on an adventure exploring the loft hatch. There was much anger when I said I was afraid that wouldn’t be possible. I tried to appease them with exploring the eaves cupboard in Megan and Maisie’s attic room, but was met with sulking, tears, and disappointment. Meanest Mum Ever.

I thought the family zoom call might brighten the mood, and it did for a while, until Theo realised that Auntie Mim wasn’t on there as she was napping before a night shift. He declared he was just going to stay and chat to everyone until she woke up, but sadly the call had to end, and his grief was real. It’s no winder the kids have big emotions, a desire to control, and lots of worries. This world we’re living in is so alien and the months of missing people are long – especially when you’re only small. Thankfully the roast dinner brightened him up a bit.

Liam’s still coughing a lot at night, but he saw Megan’s enthusiasm to get the sofa up to their bedroom and spent some time doing a repair on it before taking it up to them. I’m hoping the new found order in the room will last. At least until tomorrow.

We settled the small children and were given permission by the older kids to go for a sneaky river walk this evening. It feels like moving into a new age and stage with the girls, and it’s fun and exciting and scary and lovely all at the same time. It was definitely a blessing to get a 10 minute quiet walk in before it got dark.

The kids Sunday school story this morning was one of my favourites, which I’ve quoted here before. The story of ‘The Captain of the Storm’. The storm whips up and the disciples are afraid and they cry to the sleeping Jesus to help. And He stands, and tells the wind and waves to hush. Because He made them, and He has the authority over them. And He asks the disciples, ‘were you scared? Did you forget who I Am? Did you believe your fears instead of me?’

As we walked along the river in the quiet this evening, I thought of many different times where I’ve walked that same path over the years. In different life storms, in grief, in hurt, in fear. I found myself wondering what the next few weeks and months will hold. Seeing Theo’s sadness at missing family hurts my heart. When Toby went to bed he was upset, worrying about Coronavirus and who might get ill-or even die. And I understand that fear. But as I walked tonight I remembered all the storms we’ve been through before, and the Captain of those Storms. The One who is right here, alongside us. He speaks, and the storm is stilled. The loss remains, but the internal storm can be quieted in His presence and at His word.

And as Paul finishes his letter to the Thessalonians, this is my prayer for all my family and friends tonight.

‘Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all’. – 2 Thessalonians 3:16