Here's Something Weird...

A few months ago I went to lunch with my friend Daina and her mother Dace.   We'd just been to an exercise class together and were digging into our after-workout rabbit meals when Dace mentioned that she was looking for back up families to host orphans from Latvia this summer.  Dace is involved in a program called Project 143, a group whose efforts focus on placements for older orphans.

With my entire family's voices protesting in the back of my head, I said, "I'd be a back up."  Dace explained that we'd only be called on if a placement wasn't working out.  She took my name and information.  For the next few months my friends teased me about how I was going to have Latvian orphans crowding my porch this summer.

Fast forward to yesterday...

My phone rings at about 8:30am.  It's a woman named Maggie.  She's from Project 143.  A placement for three siblings isn't going well.  The kids are in New York but the organization wants them out of the home immediately.  Can we take them?

Oh boy.  When I'd volunteered to be a back up I'd,

1. Never really thought it would happen
2. Pictured one Latvian orphan

If you know me at all, you know that the outcome of this conversation was me saying yes (providing I talk to my husband and kids and they were on board.)  My family is amazing.

So this Friday, I will temporarily (all of the 200 Latvian orphans who are here for the summer program are scheduled to fly back to Latvia on August 11th) become the mother of six kids instead of my usual three.

This should be an adventure!