This place we call ~HOME~ These people we call *FAMILY*

I can hardly believe my time is so far spent. 40 days and I will be home. It seems that it was just yesterday I walked into a house full of girls I didn't know. Now, they're my sisters; we share our happiness and sad times and laugh together and cry together; when one hurts, we all hurt. They are AWESOME girls!  Apart from this being a terrible photo of me (it looks like I have cammo paint on my face...) and the fact that it doesn't have my dearest friend Jessica in it, here we are!  You never know what's going to happen when you have so many girls in one house... we had a "small" episode with mice recently.  Imagine 15 girls standing on a bed screaming because there's a mouse under it. Entertaining. Deafening. A little much. But with the average age being 19, what else can be done?  It really is quite an adjustment living with so many.  One of my greatest pet peeves is loose hair; especially long loose hair. It is so nasty. gag. yeah. gross. The hair I manage to lose is sickening enough; multiply times 14.  You never can get away from it.  It's in the washer and dryer, on the floor, in the shower, trash can, between your "clean" sheets and stuck to your clothes (because it was in the dryer), all over the counter, stuck in the rugs, everywhere. I'd say food, but... I can't handle the thought of it. Or perhaps try to match 15 girls' sleeping patterns; not to mention, we work 3 different shifts.  So, you learn to sleep with a fan on to block the noise out.  Many other adjustments- sharing ONE washer with all those girls; coordinating trips to town; learning to live together.  It's quite an experience. And I wouldn't trade it for anything! Sure, the hair absolutely grosses me out.  But I think I may come to miss it someday- about like a mother misses getting up every 3 hours in the night! Even now, some of the girls are leaving; it's sad.  But I'm thankful for my temporary family- consisting of 14 sisters!

(Not to mention our dear "mother" Dawn! <3)

a really cool therapy dog they brought in to play with the kids. they loved it!

 Gabe and Weldon got a ride in the car with Natalie! (:

George <3

 I introduced Jayden to earbuds... It was so funny; he just sat so still and listened! The sitting still part was the miracle...



My dear Emma Jane... she is such an absolute sweetie. I was working my second shift at the Blessing House when George came running in yelling something at me about Hope being on the phone.  Well I couldn't figure out what in the world was going on; I didn't think I'd done anything wrong and I hadn't asked any time off. So what would she want?? well, a baby was sick and so I was delegated to take her to the ER. 7 days later, we were quite attached to each other! apart from the fact that I got terribly stir crazy and about went crazy the last 48 hours (I didn't move more than 10 yds in the last 2 days), it was fun and relaxing. Plus, I got to watch 2 spinal taps, a million blood tests, and several IVs. Really makes me want to be a nurse again! She was such a trouper!

Then, on my way back home this morning from being in Ohio since she'd got out of the hospital, they called and said she was back in! So, I'm back in the hospital for another week with her. I think we will be out next Thursday. Nothing bad, just her PICC line got plugged and it's easier for us to just have her here than have to be doing IV stuff at the home all the time.  So, here we are again. Chilling in the room. having a grand ole' time... She's become like my own child; as I was walking out of the hospital the first time carrying her, people kept stopping me to "congratulate" me and ask her name.... it was so awkwardly funny! (:

:) and they told me she's too young to smile (:

she has the absolute cutest grin you will ever see. I couldn't catch it when she was grinning so huge but this is what she let me capture!  Such a beautiful baby! I'm so glad I get to be here with her!

that's about all my news for now... until next time...

Soli deo gloria! Courtney Renae