What is the hardest thing about living on a bus with 7 children?

What is the hardest thing about living on a bus with 7 children?  When I got asked this question, yesterday, I didn't even have to think about the answer.  It wasn't the laundry, the cooking, or the lack of things. It wasn't even bathing the children in a bathhouse with filth and bugs.  The hardest thing about living on a bus with 7 children is the lack of alone time and the lack of quiet.

From the moment I get up someone is always within arms length of me. I go to the bathroom someone is knocking on the door or I am answering questions about something. "Where's Mom?" is popular. I have thought about NOT answering but it would just lead to more questions and several people yelling my name. Therefore, I just say, "I am in the bathroom - PLEASE  LEAVE ME ALONE!

In addition to the lack of time alone comes the constant noise. Please don't miss understand, I love the voices of my children but at times when combined with screams, arguing, complaining, and lots of name calling mainly MINE. I have had enough!! (Yes, my children do scream, argue and complain. We are all a work in progress.) Then, add in the Leapsters, the MP3 players (that I have to asked to be turned down), the TV, the noise of the air conditioner, the traffic, and the other people in the campground. Some days my ears just hurt because of the constant vibration of my ear drums.

You may think that at night I would have quiet. This would be true at our 'stick house' but not on the bus. There is no where to go and be alone.  Just because all the little children are in bed doesn't mean that have alone time or quiet. This is when Jeff and Sierra want to talk because they haven't been able to have time alone with me all day. Or they want to watch TV.  I do enjoy spending time with them and the rest of my family but giving up of myself 24/7 is hard. Finding a safe place to go alone is hard. Maybe I should use one of Sierra's ideas which is to lock herself in the van and ignore the banging on the door!!

Even though this is the hardest thing about living on a bus with 7 children, I wouldn't change our situation.  I love living on our bus, telling others about our relationship with Christ, and seeing the beautiful country God has created.

However, I will ask Jeff for more days like today. Today, Jeff took some of the children out to lunch and to the playground while the others took a nap. 

I am sitting here - in the quiet - the only sound is the words coming from my brain being pecked out on the computer.

Well - wait a minute... a small voice ... "Mom, Mommy... can I get up?"   So much for quiet.

 I remember the days not too long ago when I just couldn't wait to hear someone call me "MOMMY".  The days for quiet and alone time will come before I know it and I am sure I will be calling my children to come for a visit.

Today, I will just be thankful and enjoy my life on our bus - NOISE and all.  It is hard - but every noisy minute is worth it when I am surrounding by my family and living out the vision God has set before us.