Easter

We always go to my grandparents' house for Easter. We have a big meal, and an Easter egg hunt. I always loved that, but, this year my grandparents had to go to Florida. I was disappointed, until I learned that I learned that we were going to  a lady named, MaryJane. She recently had back surgery, and she missed communion at our church. We went to her house as a surprise, and we played some songs. We also had communion, because she was really upset. I was very happy that we got to do that for her, and I hope she was happy too.

Free Ice Cream Day!

Today at school we were talking about how it’s national ice cream day. Of course someone mentioned that Dairy Queen has free ice cream. I wanted to tell my mom about the free ice cream, but of course I forgot.

I was at violin lessons and my teacher brought up the subject that Dairy Queen has free ice cream today. I immediately remembered what that kid at school said.

Well I am sure you know what happens next. We are now driving to Dairy Queen to grab our free ice cream. I can’t wait. Everyone out there who is reading this, happy National Ice Cream Day!!!!!

Lots And Lots Of Popcorn

I decided to make popcorn for an after supper dessert. I used a popcorn maker that you use over the stove. I usually just make popcorn in the microwave so I didn't know just how many popcorn kernels I would need to make about a mixing bowl amount of popcorn.

I poured the popcorn kernels into the popcorn maker and turned on the stove top. It felt like an hour before the popcorn finally popped. I looked inside the popcorn maker and my mouth dropped. There was enough popcorn to feed an army! Almost.I poured the popcorn into a big bowl and realized that the bowl I was using wasn't even big enough!

We all ate a LOT of popcorn tonight and I'm still eating some now! At least we now know that If we ever run out of food during a snow storm, that we have plenty of popcorn to feed us all!

I am pretty sure we had more than this combined

Go Daddy Go

I hope you all liked my last blog. If you like learning about my family, you will love hearing about my dad.

When mom and dad were first married, dad wanted two kids, my mom wanted twelve. You decide who is winning. Anyway this is the way most arguments go with my parents, mom wins.

Dad is also very forgetful. One time, we all asked him to go get some ham at the grocery store. He came back with turkey. We all said it was ok but for some reason we needed ham. So he went back. Guess what he brought back. Turkey.

Also if you are going somewhere with dad and to the right there is this little fast food resturant called McDonalds, guess witch way we are turning. Right.

If you have ever seen one of the videos you will hear this really loud  voice yelling 

"GO HOPIE GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My dad is not like most dads in the world, but thats ok. If dad where me, he'd be  saying, 

"GO DADDY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

So crazy, it's normal

Imagine this, you are sitting in your living room and your parents say you are having a new sibling. Do you get the picture? Now I'll ask you this, would you be shocked at the news? I wasn't.

okay lets face it, if your life started out with four other siblings, and since then your parents added three more, you wouldn't be shocked at the news that your parents are adding another one.

Trust me, life with eight other siblings is not an easy job, especially with my family. Here are just some of the things you need to know how to handle when you live with my family.

1. You need to know what sarcasm is.

yes that is totally true.

2. You cannot be surprised when we add another family member.

3. You need to know how to share a room.

There is a very strong chance that if you live with us, you are going to have to share a room.

4. You need to be okay with really loud noises.

5. If you are a boy you will have to change at least one of victors poopy dippers.

It's kinda a rule that mom made so that the girls who are crazy enough to marry one of my brothers, don't have to teach the boys how to change the dippers.

6. If you are a girl you have to know that you are out numbered.

I really don't know why mom and dad have five boys and only four girls but you learn to live with it.

7. Know that dad will embarrass you.

Just trust me on that one.

8. If you wan't dad to do something you have to tell him to do it ten thousand times until he decides to do it .

9. If you play two truths and a lie with someone you just met at camp or something, for your lie it is always easy to pull of "I have two siblings" .

It gets them every time.

and finally,10. Know that when you are talking to someone about your family, just say you have a big one.

If you tell someone you have eight siblings they think you are crazy.

Well know you know just a few things about what I have to live with, but thats okay becouse, to me, it's so crazy it's normal.

My Mom's Spa

Me and my sister made my mom a spa. It was amazing. We had a blast. My mom had a fun time. We gave my mom a massage and we got the foot thing that someone left at our door. Oh ya that is why I gave a spa. When I saw the foot thing when we came home from vacation I thought to myself I think God put it there for a reason and that reason was that mom needed a spa and a FREE one to. so that is what my sister Hope and I did. and at the end Victor had some fun to!!!!!

Big Sister Again!

Wow! The way that our lives have changed in the past week has been miraculous! I have been so blessed and so amazed by the little kisses from God showing us that, yes, as crazy and "duggerish" we may seem, we are doing the right thing by saying "yes" to bringing in my newest little brother Victor Noah King.

Going through school today having many people say a variety of things in relation to this adoption has been exhilarating! the fact that the circumstances are so ridiculous is almost even more exciting to me. I'm sure my parents are stressed (not saying I am not) but I'm so excited.

I also understand how insane we may look. I mean, we were insane without the newest circumstances.

I also know that we are going to have to get over that. I know of some wonderful people in the bible who were... To say the least... "Crazy". For example:

Ruth- she was shunned for being a Moabite woman in circumstances extremely crazy. She didn't HAVE to stay with her mother but she did because she knew what Gods calling was on her life. she was known as "that" woman. I'm sure we can often be "that" family.

Moses- I mean... We all know he wanted his people to be let go! We have heard it all before. But he was disliked by his own people! They were upset because he was bringing even harder situations onto their life. He was CRAZY. He was going up against the PHAROH! I mean... Would you? But again... He knew his calling.

John The Baptist- I just like pointing our that he ate bugs. He was crazy. We are not eating bugs. Are we still crazy?

To restate my point. We ARE crazy. Not bug eating crazy... Still crazy, but that's okay.

No family with eight children, seven children at home with issues of their own, should (in normal situations) be staying with their dad for an unknown amount of months until their mother can come home from Utah with their newest sibbling. No family would welcome the spiritual attacks and battles that come along with adoption. No family would welcome the chaos that is GOING to happen in our family with this happening. No family would be content with relying on others to provide for them for awhile. No family would understand that they aren't going to be perfect. 

We aren't going to be perfect. We arent perfect now.  We are a mess. We are chaos. We are struggling. We are praying everyday for the next to work out with all of our activities and messes. 

But that is OKAY. 

I thank Jesus that we aren't perfect. That just allows more room for God to show us how much we cannot do this on our own and how much we now HAVE to rely on him. 

Everyone in this family has to rely on God in our own ways right now. It's difficult for me to think that because of how little and tiny my 1 lb. baby brother is, I will not be able to see him till at least the end of May, maybe June, maybe later. As much as I tear up and struggle over that, I know that God will bless me with this little boy for the rest of my life and he jus needs to heal with my mom in the hospital for now. 

So, this is my point of view right now. I am awaiting the time away from my mom with slight anxiety just thinking of my little siblings and how I will need to stand up for them. I am terrified. But I know that that place is where Jesus works best...

Mariana Christine