Day 2

This is day two of me blogging and I want to apologize for any grammatical errors up front. I usually proof something I write several times. 

 Ain't nobody got time for that!

 I wanted to let you in on the way the Ketterer house flows at this moment. My wife is blessed with an amazing job where she works for a law firm a few hours from home each day. This has been a huge blessing to us. It enables me to work a whole lot less at the hospital, where I am a bachelor level RN, PRN status, which means I work as needed. Because I go to work very few hours I am able to spend large chunks of time with my wife and children. This gift of time has been amazing during this season of transition from orphan into sonship. the best way to get rid of orphan thinking and behavior is to spend as much time with your father as possible. However, even though I LOVE my family, the draw back to our setup is that I'm always around my wife and children!!!!

Let me explain.....While Ivey's up in her office working I'm packing lunches, fixing hair, driving kids to school, fixing breakfast, loading and unloading a dishwasher 7 times a day, putting Rodee on the bus, taking kids to dr appointments, meeting with case workers, picking kids up from school, changing diapers, cleaning the house, changing diapers again! It's non stop! And you should see how much trash a family this size generates! Ivey, my wife, bribed the trash men with a giant chocolate Santa to take all our Christmas trash from the front yard. I'm serious it looked like Armageddon on our front lawn. We joke about what those trash men must say as they approach our house. Thankfully my wife handles all the laundry! That chore alone would destroy the average person. Thank you Janine for the amazing washer and dryer. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving!

My wife and I have recently spent so much time together, she said it changed her love language. If you haven't read the book about the five love languages, you need to. But she said that her love languages used to be quality time and physical touch. Now it's purely acts of service! You have to know my wife to understand her sense of humor, we both laughed forever at this. We love laughing! 

Our job as parents of six can quickly become overwhelming. The only way this incredible feat of daily life is possible is because my wife and I are a darn good team. We have discovered our flow. And when a wrench is thrown into the machine, we are quick to adapt. Our unity with each other and the Spirit is key to not just surviving, but thriving. Recently the head of the Knoxville's Department of Children Services paid my wife and I a humbling compliment. She said our home was the best foster family she has in the system. Her words are priceless. 

While the Ketterer daily grind is sometimes grueling. God is always present and speaking and loving on us all. He is faithful to bless us supernaturally with times of rest and amazing vacations! Ivey and I were chosen by WinShape, a ministry arm of Chic-fil-a that focuses on strengthening marriages, to sail through the British Virgin Islands on a Catamaran! I mean, who gets to do that? We were snorkeling by day and dining on lobster tail in the star light! God is faithful to reward those that care for his orphans! He has supernaturally provided over and over again in our lives! 

The rewards of a home jammed pack full of love and excitement is enough on its own. But God never just gives enough, he is an extravagant giver! The overflow of living a life the way we do is that a day doesn't pass that we are not blown away by who God is and what He's capable of. We have the privilege of getting to watch the miraculous before our very eyes, and all we did  was just obey his words; care for my orphans. 

I can't wait to tell you more about all my children and the many miracles we've experienced. Again, I have run short on time, I must tend to the natives! Homework must be done! 

Below is a link to a poem I wrote after we got back from the British Virgin Islands entitled I HAVE SLEPT ON AN ISLAND.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/michaelandivey-ketterer/i-have-slept-on-an-island/10150657552348477