Another first - Ice Cream Truck!

Had to run over a street and wait. The truck never comes to our street. Z was afraid so G and I went. She picked a Bugs Bunny one - it was yummy but $2.50. Next time it'll be the $1 rocket.
Pics...(Also had a nice cookout tonight. Neighborhood didn't end up having one so we did!)

Happy Memorial Day!

Remembering my grandfather - a military man. I miss him and it's been since 1991!

Coming from this family, nothing surprises me. Diaper Hats created at nap time: ?!?!

Today was a very emotional day. We learned last night that a woman in our home town was killed in a car accident. That means that 3 little children are going to grow up without a mother (twin boys who are finishing kindergarten and a little girl who is almost 2). It has hit me. I've cried.

Then...The parade today got me thinking about all of the men and women who didn't/aren't coming home. Again, I was sad.

Then, this day also reminds me of the people we've lost including my niece and the daughter who was but never was mine.... Then I think, I should have extended my vacation one more day! Emotions.

Here are some happy pictures from Z's first parade/G's second:

(They had so much fun decorating their flag wand and "bikes"):

One Million Arrows

I just downloaded to Kindle yesterday and will likely come back and record some excerpts here:




Let us devote every child to God and His service. Let us STOP praying that our children will be saved if we are not willing to offer them for His service. Let us lay each child upon the altar. Let us seek this one thing -- that they may become worthy and equipped to be set apart for the service of the King. - 2218



We've been given the exciting opportunity to raise arrows - weapons of warfare. Our kids have been put on this earth for a great purpose and a mission. -2218


My biggest dream for my kids has become for them to always have at the core of everything they do - every motivation and thought - the desire to search for God's dreams for their lives, asking questions like:
How can I make a difference in this world?
What did God create me to do on this planet to help accomplish His purposes?
How can my life be truly fulfilling?
How can I become an arrow for God? -2218

Parenting that focuses less on what your family can do for God and more importantly on what God wants to do through your family. -2218

Projects

I am so thankful to have had this built-up vacation time that HAD to be used by the end of May. I took this week off and attended to some projects that I've wanted to get to since we moved in last fall. Now that the snow is gone and the sun is here, I feel like I can make headway around

Projects completed:
- weed whacked the entire yard (first time)
-built new sandbox
-built new bence under tree house/play structure
-installed baby swing outside
-purchased water table for the kids
-fixed leak in kitchen sink; replaced outside spicket (sp?) - plumber
-installed A/C unit (one done; 3 to go)
-spread wood chips under play structure (25 bags done; 25 to go)
-installation of perimeter fencing (hired this done)
-weeded area and start raised bed garden
-built kitchen area under play structure
-home depot returns (done!)

Projects still underway:

-complete the pool fence (it was a foot to short and I was unwilling to spend $6500 - 10K on a new one so we are working to raise the pickets and then back fill the bottom space with wood or something else. (~75% done)

-sell stuff on Craigslist; prepare for a mega garage sale.

-finish labeling the electrical panel; minor repair to base of chimney (required for fostering) - all but 7 done

-decorate play structure

-plumbing repair on bathroom sink (to be done by plumber next week)

-new carpet installation (being done tomorrow)

Rockstar of the Year

G announced: "Mama, you are rockstar of the year!" Continuing with: "And so am I!"

Where does she hear this stuff?
She did know that a rockstar sings but otherwise, I'm unsure of what else she believes. Little does she know, God did not bless me with singing abilities!!

Poop Stories

There is a section in Z's baby book for "Poop Stories" and I'd wondered how I could fill that up. Well, 5/26 happened and now I have two.

a. One involved teaching him to pee outside on trees (so we didn't always have to run to the house to use the bathroom). He didn't understand this was a new concept JUST for pee. ;)

b. Let's just say the dining establishment last night didn't know that they'd have nuggets on display.........I'll leave it at that.

A Fun Day - 5.24.10 - Beach & Soccer

Coaches Rykea, Frieda, Jim & ? (front)

Kids: Briana, Gianna, Lea & Zach - all the other kids ran to show their parents their popsicles.

The best part of the night for me was when Frieda said - "There's Gianna - the girl that always had great new hairstyles." And then it was over. I was tickled inside especially coming from an African woman.

You Tube Instructions for Hair

Love this woman: Katelynylyn

First call from "the nurse"

We had a great two days/night at a statewide adoptive/foster family event. We rented a cabin, went to the beach twice, went bowling, ran on the grass, ate with a huge group of families, etc...

The time away was just what Mama needed. I can't tell you how refreshing it was. However, add children to any trip and there is always excitement:

1. 1:09 am Saturday morning - I awake to a boy over me and something wet on and around me. Z's first time puking was IN the bed. Chocolate cake, bean salad and pasta. Chunks. OMW! I didn't know where to start. He cried. I remained really calm but could have puked myself. We were in the cabin without a change of sheets so...
I had to rinse his blanket out and hang it in the shower. removed bottom sheet. Made the top sheet the bottom, washed him the best I could and then placed a clean towel under him "just in case there was more", etc.

Of course, that towel was replaced 3X with more towels, hand towels and eventually the bath mat. Poor guy. The place stunk, he was sad. 1 -5 am was puke management. The morning brought sunshine and a SHOWER for Mama.

Some of the Z quotes:
Mama, I need a towel = I'm going to puke.
I want a bath (fromt he kid who hates baths) - made every time he threw up :(
My belly sick. My belly in the toilet. (This one had me laughing outloud at 130 am - He really thought his belly was in the toilet because of the puke that kind of made it in/on the toilet.)


2. Morning came and all seemed resolved. No fever. I thought - hmmm...he'd never had choclate and he'd had a huge piece of chocolate cake for dinner and that was certainly part of what came up. There was nothing left in him body and the chocolate could have been the problem. I struggled with what to do with him during the 2nd day of classes. After 4+ hours of no throwing up and successfully keeping down his breakfast, I took him to the organized children's program.

Then, it happened:
~1030, I got my first call from a nurse about my child.

I said - Do you have a puky boy. Nope.
He was so tired he was lying on the floor during snack and eating the goldfish with his head on the floor. They thought he was tired so they took him to the nurse and now he was sleeping in her room.

I went to check him at lunch. He woke up. Felt warm. We took his temp and yup - 101 temp BUT...what does that mean. Nothing. He came with me for the afternoon to a class. He entertained himself by sticking literally 25 bandaids on his knees/legs. He was a good boy but then started whining so we left with ~30 mins to go. Picked up sis, went to the beach, threw rocks, stopped in to Uncle's house, headed home.

He came home and immediately peed on the floor 2X after 4 days of successfully training without any accidents. Bedtime. He was out immediately.

The conference was great. Sessions were good. I felt like it was a good use of time. However, I didn't really connect with other families. I just happened to pick the wrong tables both meals and the sessions/conference didn't promote meeting others. That was the only negative.

I did offer to teach a haircare class next time as I saw a number of little girls "of color" who had unkept hair. Only one other girl had braids/beads and the rest were just...sad. Their Mama's need help and they knew it. Me teaching haircare...hmmmm.....

Oh, and I learned on Friday from one of the licensing workers (not mine) that I was considered for a very young baby last week but they decided that my kids were too young for a child that young or perhaps with the issues he/she had. Who knows...
-I was excited to learn that they were talking about/considering me.
-I realized that things are really different on this journey in that other people get to decide which child I bring home...not a birth mother. Someone else. That didn't feel good BUT then I quickly remembered, God is in charge! The social/licensing workers are his conduits.

A licensed foster home

As of yesterday, all of the paperwork and inspections were complete. The licensing worker and her supervisor came for the licensing visit and everything is done!

When will child #3 arrive? Who knows...oh, God, that's who.

Just thought I'd provide the update.

FYI - The private system took 4-6 weeks to get certified. The public system took 5.5 months. What does that say about customer service?

Catching up - May 2010

A visit to Auntie's Work, new sunglasses, and outgrown PJs...

Soccer: Boring

One of the drills was fun. The other was not. G looked over at me and yelled: BORING!

Oh well, they ended the night well in a big group fun activity so that was good.

New Hands

G got up in the night and got in bed with me. I asked her if she'd been dreaming. She said "yes."

K: What about?
G: Getting new hands.
K: What?
G: I was dreaming about going to a store to get new hands; and arms; and feet.
K: Why?
G: Because I wanted new hands like Rylee.
K: What kind of hands does Rylee have?
G: Bright ones.
K: Hm, what does that mean?
G: I don't like my hands. I want bright ones like Rylee's. And yours.
K. (Pause). Do you know that you have brown hands? (Pause). I call them beautiful brown!
G: Yes. I don't like them. I want bright ones likek Rylee's. (Pause). What color hands does Memae have?
K: White. Well, she calls them olive.
G: And Auntie?
K: White.
G: I want hands like Rylee's.
K: :(

Quick things so I don't forget

Z: Leilie Bugs = Lady Bugs. Note, all crawling bugs are lady bugs to him (e.g., ants). He insists they are lady bugs when I tell him they are ants.

Me: G, why are those black elastics all over your floor?
G: Because I was pretending to bake a pie! (With nearly a "duh" attitude in your voice!)

kid quotes

This morning as I was hugging Zade while lying on G's bed, I said "I Love You!"
Z: "That love thing crazy."

I told him that I was going to wash his butt because it was stinky (after he refused a bath and I didn't have time to argue before work). He furrowed his brow and said: "My butt stinky? Nooooooooooooo!" Then he bent over only wearing a polo shirt. I wasn't sure what he was doing. He stood back up and pronounced: "Ewww, My butt 'tinky. You wash it?" He'd bent over to smell his but (from the front)! This kid cracks me up.

I know, TMI...but this is my journal so that someday I'll write each of the kids a book with all of these funny and not so funny things.


G: I'd really like a Dollafin.