My Little (Big) Miracle Family

Growing up as the oldest of five siblings (with two other half-siblings), I guess I just didn't feel like my family was big enough because two years ago I decided to double it.  I met Anique, Alice, Divine, Erick, Boaz, Jastine, and Elene while I was volunteering with my church, and I thank God for each and every one of them and what they continue to add to my life.

Missing Erick in this picture, with a random friend of theirs. 

They are refugees from Congo/ Tanzinia and came to the U.S. about 7ish years ago.  They survived a war, their parents are going through the process of a divorce, and they have to deal with the chaos that comes along with having a huge family.  But I have never met more joyful, thankful, hilarious, loveable kids.

Anique, the oldest, is a sophomore at Bluegrass Community and Technical College and works 5-10pm every day after school and on weekends to help her single Mom take care of bills.  She constantly sacrificially serves her family, laughs at the anxiety that she causes me, and is the first to give God credit for the amazing things he does in her life.  When it comes to financing school, miracles continue to happen to Anique and I am beyond thankful for this.

Alice is just such a teenager.  She takes selfies 24/7 (only a slight exaggeration), is always blaring African praise music from her phone, and says the funniest things (i.e., "there are lots of fish in the lake" meaning "there are plenty of fish in the sea") when trying to explain American culture to her family.

Happy visitors at Berea College, where Anique and 

Alice are considering attending next fall! 

Divine always seems to be stuck in the Mom role and is the classic middle-ish child.  She is a wonderful artist, and kind of has that aloof, middle child, artist personality.  She always makes extra efforts to clean up around the house, and can shoot a look to her siblings to make them behave.  I need to learn that look for my siblings. :)

Erick just wants to be a little man, and forgets to do his homework.  Math's the worst, so I would probably "forget," too.  He always loses his shoes, and eats the most (I never had brothers, so I did not realize how much young boys can eat!), and is learning to wear deodorant.  He is also always polite, which is a big deal for middle school boys.

Anique, Alice and Erick got baptized a few months ago... 

it was an all day event, and was super exciting to get to experience. 

Boaz always falls asleep in my car, and says my food is yummy, and comes up with the craziest stories about his future.  He just might be the billionaire astronaut that he aspires to be, folks.  He has told me that his wife with have the hugest engagement ring ever, so if you will be in the market in 15 years...

We got last minute Halloween costumes at Dollar Tree 

last year.. 4 costumes for like $14. Win. 

A few weeks ago Jastine and Boaz asked me about my boyfriend, which led to an awkward conversation about how sometimes boyfriends and girlfriends breakup.  Boaz asked me if I sit on the couch, eat icecream, watch sad movies, and cry (I told him I actually really do that), and he teased me quite a bit about it.  Anique told me a couple of days ago that when I dropped them off that day, Jastine asked her if they could pray for me together because he was worried about me.  And now I have to cry just thinking about how sweet that is.  Kids understand empathy better than we give them credit for sometimes.

They always fall asleep, and so quickly! 

Elene is just pretending though. 

Elene is still little enough to sit on your lap, and play with your hair, and tell you that she wants you to live with her.  My favorite sweet Elene stories include: (a) the time when she took off the bracelet that she was wearing and said that she wanted me to have it, (b) every time I bring over dinner and/or icecream, she invites all of the neighbor kids over to join (which always worries me, but there is always enough icecream somehow), and (c) she is always the first volunteer to help cook.

They became fast friends! 

I love them for making me feel appreciated, for eating my food and pretending to like it even when it's gross, for how much they love and respect their sweet mother, for falling asleep in my car, for being ambitious, and for being mine.  

A couple of months ago, at church, the pastor used a quote (that I can't find online, no matter how hard I have tried), but the paraphrase is... you are never going to see miracles unless you place yourself in the context in which miracles happen (or something really great and pertinent like that).   Until I met this family, I didn't believe in miracles in the same way.  I saw miracles as big, super identifiable, life-changing things.  Through their eyes, though, I am starting to see the miracles in serendipity.  Good, subtle things happen, and they know that they happen for a reason (by the way, God is the reason).  

My cute family always has something that they can use help with (like getting Erick to do his homework), so if you want to see some miracles happen, I suggest you get to know them and add them into your prayer repertoire.  Big things are happening people, and I'm so glad I just get to watch.