It was a tiny pork roast, which I made into bbq pulled pork. I specifically bought the package of four small roasts at Costco, because they are enough to feed four people dinner with leftovers for a couple days.

I threw the frozen roast in the crockpot around 8 or 9 that morning, as is my usual tactic. It would be ready to pull around three. Pulled pork is really just pork overcooked to the point where it begins to fall apart. Then it shreds with a fork, add barbecue sauce, and viola! pulled pork.

After my husband got home from work, the pork still had another hour to cook, so we ran some errands. My youngest, who had spent the day with friends, texted me, “Can all my friends come back to the house for awhile.”

“Yes. I made pulled pork, I think it will stretch (no pun intended) to feed 7 or 8.”

When I got home, I shredded the pork, boiled up some fresh corn on the cob (it was sooooo good). My husband and I ate our dinner before the first crew arrived. Five of them, hungry after a hard day at the mall.

The food wasn’t apparent to them when they initially landed because my daughter wanted to dye her hair a funky color first. I came out of my room expecting to see the aftermath of a feeding frenzy and was surprised that nothing had been touched. Perhaps they filled up on junk food at the mall. I yelled, “Did everyone eat who wanted to eat?”

Then the stampede, “I didn’t know there was food.” I jumped out of the way.

After they had their fill, I stashed the modest amount of leftovers in the fridge, in wonderment that there was anything left at all. Then I got a text from the oldest child resident, who was at the lake with her friends. “Is there enough food for the three of us?” “Yes,” I replied.

There was a satiated pause from the first shift of kids, then a flurry, and they were gone. Right on the wind of their exit, the second crew walked in the revolving door of my home. After their lake swim, they were hungry. There was exactly enough left to feed them.

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14:18-21

It was a tiny pork roast. Though I didn’t feed 5000, I was amazed that little roast fed ten people. Though I hadn’t intended to feed the masses, I was grateful I had the food to feed them that day. I don’t know why the kids choose to come to my house to hang, maybe it’s because I always have a hot meal ready or maybe it’s because I leave them alone when they’re here. I just know it won’t last forever and I want to enjoy their presence while I can.

I do love that they come. For me, it’s the medal of my marathon journey as a mother. Enter through my revolving door and I will feed you.

Gretchen Leigh is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Covington. You can read more of her writing and her daily blog on her website livingwithgleigh.com or on Facebook at “Living with Gleigh,” or twitter @livewithgleigh. Her column is available every week at maplevalleyreporter.com under the Lifestyles section.