We share everything!

One of our family routines or traditions, if you will, is eating breakfast at a local restaurant every morning.  At least, every morning for David!  I usually only get too on my "weekend" Tuesdays and Wedensdays.  For 20 years or more it was Bobby's, but recently it's changed hands and now it's called Maddie's.  The food is only ok, but the prices are good and the cook, Tonya has been there for years as well as one of our favorite waitresses, Michelle.  So we go nearly every morning.  Have for years.  Anyways, David pointed out that we really do share everything-even our food! When we go out to eat, its not unusual for one of us to order one thing, but then decide we'd like to have a little of the other person food too and vice versa!  For instance, this morning, me and Addy split a pancake and sausage.  John ordered chicken strips and onion rings (yes, for breakfast!).  Halfway through the meal, Addy decided she wanted some of Daddy's hash browns and I had some of Bubba's onion rings!  I bet it looks kinda funny to other tables, the way we "share." 

It's rainy and storming in Arkansas today.  Rain is good.  I'm off "work" today from the police department and David has called his employees off till noon time.  When he does this, he'll usually spend the morning working on paper work, books and numbers-his least favorite part of owning his own business.  I'll be busy on the other hand (blogging! Yay!) cleaning, catching up on laundry and running errands-both for our family and for the business.  I love being in the vehicle and driving and running and getting things done.  I dislike staying home and cleaning and all that.  Mostly because right now, we are alos remodeling our home and with 4 kids, that has been CRAZY!  Nothing is where is should be and everything else is in storage! 

I've been keeping Addy home from daycare on my days off, even though we still have to pay full price for her to go.  It's a great daycare as far as daycares go, I just hate sending her and wish we didn't have too.  If I could stay home full time, I might only send her one day a week.  I enjoy our time together.  She watches Dora some, but mostly, she sticks close to me, even helping me clean.  She can put away dishes and sort laundry, which is a big help!  That's something else we "share" in our family, is chores.  Everyone works and works hard.  Even foster kids; their first day here, they get chores to do.  We think that helps them to feel important and a part of the family.  Psalm 128:2 reads "when you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy and it shall be well with you."  And of course, our family favorite, Proverbs 10:4-5 "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the dilgent makes rich.  He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame."
We're builders and I think building is much like farming.  It's respectable and it's hard work.  In the summer, John work alongside Dad, no matter the weather.  John has learned a work ethic and has learned about business.  He sold his first house at the age of 12!  Working has helped John is football and in school.  He takes very good care of his grades and his things.  He gets nice things, nice clothes and stuff, but because he works hard for it.  He is careful and respectful of his things and besides naturally wearing out, John doesn't tear his stuff up.
Presley and Addy mostly help with inside chores, but lately Presley has been wanting to learn to cut the grass on the riding lawn mower.  We'll see where that goes.  In the meantime, she's learning to cook and help with supper and she made macaroni and cheese last night all by herself!
Michelle, our "new kid" is a very hard worker too and that is why I think she does so well in our home.  She's 17 and of course wanting to find her independence, yet on her second day with us, she was out applying for summer jobs.  She found that summer job at a local Sonic and then she also made the decision to attend Harding University this fall!  She applied for her own financial aid, filled out and completed her own admission applications and got herself accepted!  On the days she works, she still finds time to help out by making her and the girls beds.  She does dishes and helps with laundry and sweeps and just whatever is needed.  She is an asset to our home, but just as imortant, she has become a part of our family.  She has become a regular Philpott!!  She gets teased and picked on because she is a teenage girl, but we enjoy having her just the same!
In our house, we share everything!  We share the love, the teasing, the responsabilities and the discipline!  We share happy, sad, mad and glad....
I guess I better get busy sharing some vacuuming and dusting! It's my day off, but there's plenty to do!  And thank goodness for the rain, or I'd be at some job site checking on the guys and running errands and not cleaning house!