Asking for help

In the beginning of September I felt completely overwhelmed by school for the first real time in years...we had Chels entering dual enrollment classes online, Caleb starting high school and adding Cam into Kindergarten.  I asked another pastor's wife for some advice and she said GET SOME HELP!  At first I didn't want to admit I needed it, but as we prayed for God to help us we realized that this was part of the plan.  Thankfully I had two volunteers sign up immediately and C is the one who we kept as our permanent help!  Mondays are now known as C Day around here.  She is a dear friend who comes to work with Corey for 1 1/2 hours while I work more one on one with Caelyn and Cam.  She does rice and beans, playdough, using tongs to strengthen Corey's hands, puzzles, logic games (this one is called Bambino Luk from www.timberdoodle.com) and generally keeps him busy doing things that help him grow and learn (but he thinks he's just playing).  We pay her in chai and cookies and she usually stays for lunch (we secretly think she might be doing research for a book entitled "Why I Don't Homeschool" but we cannot be sure just yet...) and then some conversation.

In asking for help we gained someone at our church who will understand Corey's needs more fully...a respite to allow me to have a day of the week when I can work more with our younger group...and most importantly A FRIEND.  I'm so thankful God showed me over this Fall that we no longer can do all of this on our own and that with God weakness is strength when we depend on Him to be there and give us wisdom.  We had started to become an island and the stress was overwhelming our family...now we are learning to ask for help.  God has also provided a dear older couple who adores Corey and since they have had no children, they thoroughly enjoy him and understand his needs.  He sits with them each Sunday morning for the first part of the service and we are so grateful for them in our lives!