The Calm Before the Storm.

In a previous post I told of how my parents would be headed for Ethiopia for 6 days and leaving me home with 6 kids.

That begins TODAY.

This afternoon my parents head for the airport, fly to Dubai for a 12 hour layover, then fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, meet up with my new sister, finalize the adoption on Thursday, and fly back home again on Sunday afternoon.

And I will be HERE, holding down the fort. We have various people scheduled to come and help me keep sane, but still, it is going to be a LONG week. Little brothers are a challenge, little girls don't brush their hair unless I tell them, the newly turned two year old has just realized she is supposed to be 'terrible' at this age, and dog and cats starve if you don't feed them. With all that plus cooking, laundry, and generalized house keeping...yeah, very long week. But it will all be worth it at the end.

And on Thursday.

Thursday afternoon to Friday night I get a little break (Thank you, God.). Someone stepped in to watch the kiddos for that period of time so I could go to a conference in Rhode Island called AWAKENING. Now this conference is going to be sick. Really sick. I don't know if you've heard of Jeanne Mayo, one of the most influential youth pastors in America, but SHE WILL BE THERE. I don't know if you've heard of Jonathan Stockstill, one of the most influential worship leaders in America, and his band Deluge, but THEY WILL BE THERE!

But the most exciting thing is that we (*I'll explain in a minute, keep reading) will be there. And not just in the crowd of thousand.

A while back some guys from the Rhode Island church showed up to Merge (my youth group) to amp up their conference and after hearing our worship team play, they invited us to come and lead morning and afternoon worship on Friday at the conference! This is like... a huge deal! A major surprise blessing and ginormous privilege. We have NEVER done anything on this scale. We are all so excited to be a part of this. Let me remind me that when you are diligent in serving God he hooks you up with FAVOR.

7 kids from a youth group of about 150, glorifying God with the gifting He has given them, and now we are leading at a regional conference with thousands there. But 10 or 10,000, it doesn't matter. We are in this for God.

{My biggest concern is that I still have a voice, come Thursday, with which to sing. I tend to lose it when I am sleep deprived and stressed out. Tea. LOTS of TEA!!!!}

This week is going to be crazy! But I am really excited about it. When I am at the end of myself that is when God can really shine through. His strength is made perfect in weakness. And this week isn't about me.

*SOLI DEO GLORIA.*

Maybe pictures to come, maybe some cool stories. But you won't hear much from me by way of blogging for about the next week. By then I will have accomplished mothering of 6, worshipping in Rhode Island, and getting a new sister.

READY, SET, GO. I'm off, full throttle.