That Ole Time Gospel Music (Dateline September 2005)

In a house with a lot of kids living in chaos is a way of life. What looks like utter bedlam to most people looks pretty normal to me. Dinnertime is a zoo, bath time is even worse, and let’s not even talk about what happens when seven kids come home from school at the same time. You either develop coping skills or you lock yourself in a closet until they all drop from exhaustion.

So it wasn’t too surprising one morning during breakfast, after successfully putting braces on my daughter’s feet (she has Cerebral Palsy and has braces to hold her feet in proper alignment), that I yelled out “Halleluiah!”. If you’ve never had the pleasure of putting braces on a 7 year old with ankle alignment problems it’s something that’s done with lots of some sweat equity (and internal cursing). So that morning when her foot slipped into the brace without any screaming on her part (or mine, for that matter) it was a matter for extreme celebration. Not to be blasphemous, but “Halleluiah” was the first thing that popped out of my mouth (for a change…)

I have never heard a table full of kids so quiet. I glanced up and seven pairs of brown eyes were staring at me in total awe (which usually only happens when I loose my temper…I’m Irish, I’m allowed.) Nicholas (age 8) was the first to pipe up. “Halleluiah!” he said. Alexandra (the smallest six year old in history) started to giggle “Halleluiah!” she said. By this time the whole table was holding a revival meeting, with the house shaking and the cats running from all the Halleluiah’s being yelled.

Between all the “Halleluiah’s” and “Praise Jesus!” refrains we actually managed to get off to school on time that morning. (Someone must have been listening.) No, we’re not Baptists practicing for a revival meeting, just a houseful of budding Lutherans cutting loose (Garrison Keeler where are you when I need you?)

Later that week, during the typical after school typhoon of activity, I actually managed to get my son Luc (who has CP) onto the potty chair before he had an accident. I must have been pretty loud in my praise about what just happened, because from somewhere in the back of the house one of the kids yelled out “Halleluiah!”

As always, love from Buckley

Mary (who has way too much fun in a big house with too many kids and room for just one more…)