Never Underestimate the Power of Parenting

alternate title: This will make you want to cry

A friend of a friend this week has run from her supremely abusive marriage, taking her five children under the age of eight and two garbage bags of belongings. That is all she got out with, but she is out. And she is determined to make a life for them all. The past couple of days she has been getting a place to live sorted so the kids have been staying with my friend. (on a side note, the amount of furniture and clothing and other essentials donated through word of mouth has been amazing, so she is actually setting up a home!) Today my friend had an appointment and could not take her two kids plus three of the five with her (the two little ones were with their mom for a doctor appointment), so she asked if I'd watch the three kids. I was happy to help.

My girls and these kids were playing a game. I was listening from the other room. Somehow the topic of being sick was being discussed. Here was the conversation:

Middle child (7): I got sick one night in bed. It was awful!
Flower: One night I spit up all over my bed, too. When I cried Mommy and Daddy came running to help.
Eldest child (8): Your Dad came to help?
Flower: yeah...
Eldest: Really? You're serious?
Flower: uh huh

She was incredulous that a Daddy would ever help! I was on the verge of tears for these poor kids who can't comprehend that. And, I breathed a prayer of thanksgiving that mommy and daddy being there to help them is something my kids can take for granted.

Don't ever doubt that the mundane parts of parenting matter. They do. Seriously.

Please keep this family in your prayers. They will be in their home tomorrow. They still need so much, but they are grateful to be together and be safe. Pray that they remain that way!