Liam left on his mission to collect our new family members this morning, which meant I attempted to do some schoolwork with the children whilst he was gone. If either parent leaves the house these days, it creates high levels of drama purely from the rarity of it. When I go shopping it requires several rounds of hugs and kisses and ‘I love you’ and ‘I’ll miss you’ and ‘please don’t be a long time.’ So the fact that Liam was going on a far more exciting errand made the hyper levels go through the roof.

Maddie had a story to listen to, so I decided the best option was to increase my class size and read it to all three of them. The boys then played Bingo using ladybird spots, and Maddie made her way through a wordsearch.

Fortunately we finished a few tasks before Liam walked back in, because there was no way much work was happening once these three girls arrived in the house.

Introducing Coconut, Hazlenut, and Peanut, three very freshly hatched Cream Legbar chicks. Peanut was by far the newest, still trying to fluff up her down and very sleepy when she arrived.

Obviously they provided an awful lot of entertainment, and after a brief initial cuddle from each child we put them safely in their cage to warm up under the lamp.

And children intermittently came and stationed themselves to observe the proceedings. It’s been decided already that Coconut is attempting to be the big boss, with Peanut Butter, as Micah is calling her, being the often picked on smallest sibling, who every now and then jumps up and shouts about it, and Hazlenut looks aloof and disinterested. Occasionally they just look like little drunk old ladies, standing swaying, falling over nothing, and having a snooze in their dinner dish.

After lunch we gave the chicks some peace, and went outside to build a magpie nest following the instructions from Maddie’s story. After a few complaints that it was too hard, we got stuck in with making a mud bowl, hunting down twigs, lining it with soft leaves, and putting a little rock family in it.

Of course, once the boys got wind of some squelchy mud play going on, they were straight in joining in the fun and making nests of their own.

After dinner I suggested we do a short local walk as the kids hadn’t been out for a couple of days. I should have known that it wasn’t going to be a smooth one, given the fact one child had already been tripped up and knocked over a plant pot before we left the driveway. We then had another fall as three kids attempted to scuttle out of the way of some walkers but one tripped up, followed by a teenager/parental dispute, and then another child falling on top of a smaller one, leaving one with a hurt ankle and the other with a bumped head and mouthful of dirt.

Walks are definitely becoming more stressful as the paths get busier. Still, there were a few happy minutes skimming stones in the river before we limped back home and bathed the mud coated younger children.

It’s strange how days can hold so many emotions isn’t it. We went from stressful schooling to endearing excitement to a wearying walk. I know this is normal for any season of life, but I’m finding these days are even more tumultuous than normal. I don’t know quite how I feel one minute to the next. And from talking to other people I don’t think I’m alone.

I’m grateful for so much, but I’m anxious too. I’m soaking up the chance to live slower, but I’m restless. I’m enjoying so much of the chance to have time with Liam and the children, time we’d never have had, but I’m craving space and quiet and order. I long for routine but fear rushing around. I’m frustrated with weeks of waiting, but if I think ahead then I’m easily unsettled.

But I keep holding on to the fact that nothing is wasted. God meets us in any and every moment. The good, the bad, the fearful, the grateful. He’s in the waiting. And He’s in the future. I don’t understand it all. I don’t have the answers to the whys. But I know He is good and I trust His hand.

8 ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.’ – Isaiah 55:8-12