One funny conversation was with Emily (BIG surprise, I know). Through work, I found out about another family of 6 that makes x (a lot of money but after I got done writing this, Tim says I shouldn't say the amount due to confidentially reasons but it messes up my post so just imagine the largest amount of money you can imagine a family making and triple it!!!) a MONTH. Now you may think that I meant to type a year, but no really, they make x a MONTH. I can not even grasp this. I was thinking about this all day and it happened to be the night I took Emily out for Kid of the Week. This was the conversation...
Me: I am not going to give you the answer to this question, but I am just curious about your understanding of money in the adult world. How much do you think Dad and I make a month?
Emily: Um... hm.... $300?
Me: (staring at her) Seriously? Our house payment is almost $1,000 a month!
Emily: Oh. Then $1,500?
Me (laughing): Okay, let's go about this a different way. MOST people, teachers, policemen, carpenters, your typical jobs, make between $40,000-50,000. Got it?
Emily: Yeaaaaaaah.
Me: A family at work makes X!!!
Emily: (processing, processing, processing, then her jaw drops)
Me: Yeah, that means we could pay off our house in 2 1/2 months. That is cuh-razy!
Me: (processing, processing, processing, then...) Emily, we pay you $20 a week to get the kids ready for school. Do you really think that we would pay you $20 if we only made $300 a month??? Almost a third of our income???
Emily: Well, when you put it that way.....
Second conversation....
Background: Matthew is completely obsessed with making Lego safes, Lego candy machines, and Lego pinball games right now. To be honest, they are cool. I never knew all the awesome things you could do with Legos. But anyway, he is making all these candy machines and we only had vitamins for him to use as candy which seems sad so Tim went out last night to the gas station and bought 4 of those $.25 boxes of jawbreakers to use. This afternoon, this occurred...
Matthew: Mom, I have $1.50 now.
Me: Yeah? How's that?
Matthew: Emily gave me $1.50 for a box of the jawbreakers to take to school this morning.
Me: Matthew! Those were only $.25!
Matthew: (giggling) I know.
Me: And Dad bought them!
Matthew: (giggling) I know.
Me: That just seems wrong.
Matthew: Will Dad be mad?
Me: I think he will pretend to be upset but will privately be really proud of you.
Matthew: What do you mean?
Me: Dude. You just found a way to make money on something you didn't even BUY!!! That is pretty smart!
Matthew: Cool.
Me: But I am not saying it is okay.
I am NOT the strict parent. Can you tell?
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Kid of the Week (KOTW)
We had four kids in seven years (technically 5 kids, but you know what I mean) which means that we had several very young children all needing attention at the same time. When we would run to the store, they ALL wanted to come inside with me instead of wait in the van with Daddy since he most often fell asleep. It also means that we got to the point where we wanted to make sure that our kids each had "special" time with us and not feel like they were just one of the group. When Abby turned one year old, I had a BRILLIANT idea. Kid of the Week. Each week, one child is KOTW. It goes in order from the youngest to the oldest unless it is a child's birthday week and then they are automatically kid of the week.
When you are KOTW, this is what you get to do:
-choose a special meal that we make at home
-go out to dinner with the parent of your choice to the restaurant of your choice (if they choose McDonald's, I REALLY try to talk them into choosing Daddy!)
-be in charge of the remote
-set the table for dinner to sit by who you want
-go first with your "Best Things of the Day" (another ritual at our house)
-run to the store with mom
-go to the dump with Dad (I think this may be the most exciting thing of all! We are high class!)
-sit where you want to sit in the van
and most importantly.... drum roll please...
- get a KOTW treat (which is any candy $1 or under but they think it is da bomb)
This has been the most. awesome. thing. for our family. It has eased tension about who gets to go where with who. When the whining starts, they are SHUT DOWN by the phrase, "________ is Kid of the Week." WE have been doing KOTW for well over 7 years now and it truly is brilliant.
This is my issue... what do we do about KOTW when we have foster kids or have adopted? With adoption, I feel like we can just slip our new child in on their week based on their age but what about a child who is only with us for a few days or a few weeks or a few months? I have no answers, I am just throwing out one of the many thoughts that go along with this process. One of the other many things that I struggle with... how do you plan for a child not knowing who or what age you are going to get but needing to have everything that you need to take care of said child. Confusing? Exactly. For example... we have a room that will be empty soon just waiting for a foster child. We don't know if this foster will be a baby, a toddler, or a child. We have to have an actual CRIB, not pack and play, for them to place a baby with us. We have to have a twin bed if the child is older. So do we get both? But then what if we get a call for two babies? Or two children? See my dilemma?
And clothes. Oh my good golly, clothes. Do we get clothes for every single age group in unisex colors from birth to 6? Do you know how many clothes (and more importantly, how many girls???) we have in this house? The last thing we need is MORE CLOTHES!
That said... I can not wait for our first "home study" next week so our worker can tell us what to plan for and what the best course of action is. Speaking of our home study... another God moment. I got a call yesterday from her and she informed me that she attends our church and just wanted to make sure we are comfortable with her continuing to do our home study. I told her absolutely. That is awesome. What more could we ask for than a Christian worker who says, "I will be as professional as I can, but I can also help you with some of the tough questions of being a Christian foster home within a secular setting." I love her already!
Now for a little insight to my daily life....
Tim has a lot of extra skin. Really. It is gross. But these are the fun things he can do with it...
And then Sophia thought it was too cool so she tried but did not inherit the extra skin. Sorry Sopher.
We put all of our computer paper up high so the kids can't get it because we go through it like ca-razy! Really high so they can't get to it. It is not working like we had hoped.
My dear, sweet, husband who is a dead ringer for Ace Ventura! I LOVE this man!!!
And more... LMBO... I LOVE my life...
When you are KOTW, this is what you get to do:
-choose a special meal that we make at home
-go out to dinner with the parent of your choice to the restaurant of your choice (if they choose McDonald's, I REALLY try to talk them into choosing Daddy!)
-be in charge of the remote
-set the table for dinner to sit by who you want
-go first with your "Best Things of the Day" (another ritual at our house)
-run to the store with mom
-go to the dump with Dad (I think this may be the most exciting thing of all! We are high class!)
-sit where you want to sit in the van
and most importantly.... drum roll please...
- get a KOTW treat (which is any candy $1 or under but they think it is da bomb)
This has been the most. awesome. thing. for our family. It has eased tension about who gets to go where with who. When the whining starts, they are SHUT DOWN by the phrase, "________ is Kid of the Week." WE have been doing KOTW for well over 7 years now and it truly is brilliant.
This is my issue... what do we do about KOTW when we have foster kids or have adopted? With adoption, I feel like we can just slip our new child in on their week based on their age but what about a child who is only with us for a few days or a few weeks or a few months? I have no answers, I am just throwing out one of the many thoughts that go along with this process. One of the other many things that I struggle with... how do you plan for a child not knowing who or what age you are going to get but needing to have everything that you need to take care of said child. Confusing? Exactly. For example... we have a room that will be empty soon just waiting for a foster child. We don't know if this foster will be a baby, a toddler, or a child. We have to have an actual CRIB, not pack and play, for them to place a baby with us. We have to have a twin bed if the child is older. So do we get both? But then what if we get a call for two babies? Or two children? See my dilemma?
And clothes. Oh my good golly, clothes. Do we get clothes for every single age group in unisex colors from birth to 6? Do you know how many clothes (and more importantly, how many girls???) we have in this house? The last thing we need is MORE CLOTHES!
That said... I can not wait for our first "home study" next week so our worker can tell us what to plan for and what the best course of action is. Speaking of our home study... another God moment. I got a call yesterday from her and she informed me that she attends our church and just wanted to make sure we are comfortable with her continuing to do our home study. I told her absolutely. That is awesome. What more could we ask for than a Christian worker who says, "I will be as professional as I can, but I can also help you with some of the tough questions of being a Christian foster home within a secular setting." I love her already!
Now for a little insight to my daily life....
Tim has a lot of extra skin. Really. It is gross. But these are the fun things he can do with it...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Week 3
It was our turn to bring snacks tonight to our foster/adoption class. I may be an overachiever. This is the way it went...
Tim: Bring double-stuffed Oreos and milk.
Me: But Jessica (the girl who brought snacks last week) brought chili so maybe people are expecting dinner.
Tim: It is supposed to be SNACKS!
Me: But she brought CHILI!
Tim: SNACKS!
Me: CHILI!!!
Tim: So they can stop by McDonald's on their way home.
Me: ??? (Imagine me looking at my husband with a baffled expression on my face)
So I make cocktail meatballs, spinach and herb dip with two kinds of crackers, Truffle Fudge Brownies, and grapes. Why do I do this? Because I have never made any meal (for my family OR friends) that has not involved leftovers. I think that if I don't make enough food for everyone, the world just may come to an end. Needless to say, we had 4 leftover meatballs (enough for Tim to eat as soon as we got home), 4 leftover brownies (enough for the kiddos who were so hoping we would have leftovers), leftover spinach dip and crackers (who doesn't need leftover spinach dip???) and enough grapes for me to snack on tomorrow. See. It all worked out well. Except that everyone in the class is ticked that there are high expectations now. I told the couple who is bringing treats next week to please just bring double-stuffed Oreos and milk.
I am not going to give you any info on the class tonight as it was depressing. Talking about loss and grieving. I have had enough of that to last me a lifetime so I am just going to say that we are one more week closer to being approved to do foster care or adopt! Yay!
My children. I love them. I really do. They make me laugh every day. Today they did not have school. Today I did not work. It was an awesome rainy day to just chill together, relax, and hang out. Matthew had his good buddy, Leighton, over and Emily was at a friend's house. First thing that happened was that Abigail woke me up saying, "Look at my eye." Since our room was pitch black and I was still coming out of a nice dream, I said, "Oh, looks pretty." She said, "No, LOOK at it. I think I have pink eye." Turns out the poor child has pink eye so badly that it looks like her eyes are bleeding. I have lots of pink eye meds around here. My kids get it a lot. The problem is that they all contain sulfa meds, which Abby is REALLY allergic to. When she was 3 months old, she had an ear infection. Within 15 minutes of receiving the first dose, she was in full-body hives. A year ago, she had swimmers ear so I used some ear drops that Emily had to help and she broke out in full-body hives. Turns out the medicine had sulfa in it (this is why you shouldn't share medicines, by the way) and they told us that if she had a reaction to EAR drops, that we need to be very careful. So anyway, the medicine that she can use had to be picked up by Tim which means I get to take a sick day with her tomorrow. YAY!!! Um, I mean, suck. I have to take a sick day.
Then later in the morning, as I was making lunch for the kids, they were playing hide and seek and it was Sophia's turn to be "it". As she was counting, she was coloring on a new dry-erase board that I got. She brought it to me and had made a connect-the-dot for me to do. I did it. I keep cooking. She keeps coloring. All of the sudden, I hear Matthew, Leighton, and Abby all yell out, "SOPHIA!!!" and Sophia startles and says, "Oh!!! Ready or not, here I come!!!!" This is why a spacey child should never be "it".
After lunch, the kids decide to play Pictionary. Leighton knows how to play the game but just can't remember what the letters stand for. I explain that they are for the different categories and he asks a couple of other questions and then they are ready to play. He and Matthew against Abby and Sophia. They go first. Leighton starts drawing. Matthew watches. Leighton keeps drawing. Matthew watches. Abby and Sophia whisper/giggle to themselves, "I know what it is!". Leighton draws a little more and finally says, "Matt, you are supposed to guess!" and Matthew says, "OH! An ice cream cone!" The drawing had about three scoops by then.
The moral of these two stories is: Do not choose a Cronquist to be on your team if you are playing a game!!!
Tim: Bring double-stuffed Oreos and milk.
Me: But Jessica (the girl who brought snacks last week) brought chili so maybe people are expecting dinner.
Tim: It is supposed to be SNACKS!
Me: But she brought CHILI!
Tim: SNACKS!
Me: CHILI!!!
Tim: So they can stop by McDonald's on their way home.
Me: ??? (Imagine me looking at my husband with a baffled expression on my face)
So I make cocktail meatballs, spinach and herb dip with two kinds of crackers, Truffle Fudge Brownies, and grapes. Why do I do this? Because I have never made any meal (for my family OR friends) that has not involved leftovers. I think that if I don't make enough food for everyone, the world just may come to an end. Needless to say, we had 4 leftover meatballs (enough for Tim to eat as soon as we got home), 4 leftover brownies (enough for the kiddos who were so hoping we would have leftovers), leftover spinach dip and crackers (who doesn't need leftover spinach dip???) and enough grapes for me to snack on tomorrow. See. It all worked out well. Except that everyone in the class is ticked that there are high expectations now. I told the couple who is bringing treats next week to please just bring double-stuffed Oreos and milk.
I am not going to give you any info on the class tonight as it was depressing. Talking about loss and grieving. I have had enough of that to last me a lifetime so I am just going to say that we are one more week closer to being approved to do foster care or adopt! Yay!
My children. I love them. I really do. They make me laugh every day. Today they did not have school. Today I did not work. It was an awesome rainy day to just chill together, relax, and hang out. Matthew had his good buddy, Leighton, over and Emily was at a friend's house. First thing that happened was that Abigail woke me up saying, "Look at my eye." Since our room was pitch black and I was still coming out of a nice dream, I said, "Oh, looks pretty." She said, "No, LOOK at it. I think I have pink eye." Turns out the poor child has pink eye so badly that it looks like her eyes are bleeding. I have lots of pink eye meds around here. My kids get it a lot. The problem is that they all contain sulfa meds, which Abby is REALLY allergic to. When she was 3 months old, she had an ear infection. Within 15 minutes of receiving the first dose, she was in full-body hives. A year ago, she had swimmers ear so I used some ear drops that Emily had to help and she broke out in full-body hives. Turns out the medicine had sulfa in it (this is why you shouldn't share medicines, by the way) and they told us that if she had a reaction to EAR drops, that we need to be very careful. So anyway, the medicine that she can use had to be picked up by Tim which means I get to take a sick day with her tomorrow. YAY!!! Um, I mean, suck. I have to take a sick day.
Then later in the morning, as I was making lunch for the kids, they were playing hide and seek and it was Sophia's turn to be "it". As she was counting, she was coloring on a new dry-erase board that I got. She brought it to me and had made a connect-the-dot for me to do. I did it. I keep cooking. She keeps coloring. All of the sudden, I hear Matthew, Leighton, and Abby all yell out, "SOPHIA!!!" and Sophia startles and says, "Oh!!! Ready or not, here I come!!!!" This is why a spacey child should never be "it".
After lunch, the kids decide to play Pictionary. Leighton knows how to play the game but just can't remember what the letters stand for. I explain that they are for the different categories and he asks a couple of other questions and then they are ready to play. He and Matthew against Abby and Sophia. They go first. Leighton starts drawing. Matthew watches. Leighton keeps drawing. Matthew watches. Abby and Sophia whisper/giggle to themselves, "I know what it is!". Leighton draws a little more and finally says, "Matt, you are supposed to guess!" and Matthew says, "OH! An ice cream cone!" The drawing had about three scoops by then.
The moral of these two stories is: Do not choose a Cronquist to be on your team if you are playing a game!!!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Am I crazy?
Hmmm, the question "Am I crazy?" could be asked for many different reasons in my life. Am I crazy for getting engaged to some guy after we only dated for 8 months? Am I crazy for marrying said guy 2 months after said engagement? Am I crazy for getting pregnant (Tim's fault!!!) 2 months after we got married? Am I crazy for having 5 children in 7 years? Am I crazy for wanting to add more children to our four highly energized children? Am I crazy for putting in my notice at work today without having a set job?
The answer: Probably. But let me take this one by one.
Am I crazy for getting engaged to some guy after we only dated for 8 months? That was the longest 8 months of my life. I told my dad after our first "date" (at York College, this meant going to the student center for some french fries and ranch dressing) that I had met the guy I was going to marry. Let me tell you what happened and you will see why I knew he was "mine". We were in a Monday evening class called Educational Psychology. We had those long brown tables that can seat about 3 people on each side. I was sitting next to this guy named Tim Cronquist. All I knew about him was that he ran for freshman class president and won but I didn't vote for him. Our teacher said, "We are going to take this quiz but I want you guys to spread out so you are not on top of each other." I looked at this Tim guy and said, "As much as I would like to be on top of you, I am going to move over." I owned him from that point on. He got me my quiz, my pencil, and even asked, "Is there anything else I can get for you?" He was mine!
Am I crazy for marrying said guy 2 months after said engagement? Probably but since we were moving to a new city, it only made sense for us to get married so we weren't paying for two apartments in the same place. I have to give kudos to my mom who pretty much put my wedding together. I tried on and approved of the dress but other than that, I left the rest up to her b/c I really didn't care and she did an amazing job of putting it all together. The only things that went wrong were out of her control. My niece (thanks, Laura!) starting to bawl when my dad said, "Anyone who opposes this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace." And who would have thought that I would say, "Forsaking all lovers" instead of "forsaking all others"???
Am I crazy for getting pregnant (Tim's fault!!!) 2 months after we got married? Tim and I were both dumbfounded when I got pregnant with Emily. The fact that I got pregnant despite of using two forms of birth control was beyond our comprehension. It wasn't until much later that we realized that this child was purely God. Emily was the only reason I got up in the mornings after Samantha died. Emily was the only reason that I continued to find joy after Samantha died. Emily was the only reason we continued to have children because she was our proof that we could have healthy children. All God.
Am I crazy for having 5 children in 7 years? Also Tim's fault.
Am I crazy for wanting to add more children to our four highly energized children? Probably. However, we have four loving, caring, and supportive children who are so very excited to offer a loving environment to more children. Once you have had four kids, what is one or two or three more??? The more, the merrier, right???
Am I crazy for putting in my notice at work today without having a set job? I hope not. This is one of those times in our life where I am just trusting that God has a plan for us. I am putting in my application at all of the schools here to sub as a teacher associate or in the lunchroom or wherever they may need me. Our goal is to get me back to being a stay-at-home-mom to be there for our foster/adopted kids just as much as I was for our own kids. I am not saying that this is the only way to be a good parent but this is what we always wanted. I have no desire to have a career. I will get a job to get us through but my only goal is to be a good mom. When I was a kid, all I wanted to be was a mom. To eight kids, to be exact. (Actually, at one point, I did want to be a pediatrician but that was before I realized how much school was involved.) Maybe it isn't too late to be a mom of eight kids, but I just know that I want to do it closer to home than I am now.
So am I crazy? Maybe. But I would rather be "crazy" than boring.
The answer: Probably. But let me take this one by one.
Am I crazy for getting engaged to some guy after we only dated for 8 months? That was the longest 8 months of my life. I told my dad after our first "date" (at York College, this meant going to the student center for some french fries and ranch dressing) that I had met the guy I was going to marry. Let me tell you what happened and you will see why I knew he was "mine". We were in a Monday evening class called Educational Psychology. We had those long brown tables that can seat about 3 people on each side. I was sitting next to this guy named Tim Cronquist. All I knew about him was that he ran for freshman class president and won but I didn't vote for him. Our teacher said, "We are going to take this quiz but I want you guys to spread out so you are not on top of each other." I looked at this Tim guy and said, "As much as I would like to be on top of you, I am going to move over." I owned him from that point on. He got me my quiz, my pencil, and even asked, "Is there anything else I can get for you?" He was mine!
Am I crazy for marrying said guy 2 months after said engagement? Probably but since we were moving to a new city, it only made sense for us to get married so we weren't paying for two apartments in the same place. I have to give kudos to my mom who pretty much put my wedding together. I tried on and approved of the dress but other than that, I left the rest up to her b/c I really didn't care and she did an amazing job of putting it all together. The only things that went wrong were out of her control. My niece (thanks, Laura!) starting to bawl when my dad said, "Anyone who opposes this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace." And who would have thought that I would say, "Forsaking all lovers" instead of "forsaking all others"???
Am I crazy for getting pregnant (Tim's fault!!!) 2 months after we got married? Tim and I were both dumbfounded when I got pregnant with Emily. The fact that I got pregnant despite of using two forms of birth control was beyond our comprehension. It wasn't until much later that we realized that this child was purely God. Emily was the only reason I got up in the mornings after Samantha died. Emily was the only reason that I continued to find joy after Samantha died. Emily was the only reason we continued to have children because she was our proof that we could have healthy children. All God.
Am I crazy for having 5 children in 7 years? Also Tim's fault.
Am I crazy for wanting to add more children to our four highly energized children? Probably. However, we have four loving, caring, and supportive children who are so very excited to offer a loving environment to more children. Once you have had four kids, what is one or two or three more??? The more, the merrier, right???
Am I crazy for putting in my notice at work today without having a set job? I hope not. This is one of those times in our life where I am just trusting that God has a plan for us. I am putting in my application at all of the schools here to sub as a teacher associate or in the lunchroom or wherever they may need me. Our goal is to get me back to being a stay-at-home-mom to be there for our foster/adopted kids just as much as I was for our own kids. I am not saying that this is the only way to be a good parent but this is what we always wanted. I have no desire to have a career. I will get a job to get us through but my only goal is to be a good mom. When I was a kid, all I wanted to be was a mom. To eight kids, to be exact. (Actually, at one point, I did want to be a pediatrician but that was before I realized how much school was involved.) Maybe it isn't too late to be a mom of eight kids, but I just know that I want to do it closer to home than I am now.
So am I crazy? Maybe. But I would rather be "crazy" than boring.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
What was funnier today?
That we decided that the soccer team we are coaching is our trial run for doing foster care?
That Abby had barely touched the ball until I promised her a hot fudge sundae and then she scored the one and only goal within about 30 seconds?
That Sophia is not keeping our top secret blackmail of "I will give you a penny for every time you kick the ball" deal when she yells from across the field, "MOM, I GET 100 PENNIES!!!"?
That I had this conversation with Sophia in the middle of the game:
Sophia: Mom, I get 60 pennies!
Me: No way!
Sophia: Fine. You're right! I get 50 pennies!
Me: Whatever. I think it was more like 40!
Sophia: (long pause) Okay!
????
That Sophia was doing cartwheels while Abby was making "shadow butterflies" from the setting sun in the middle of our game?
That we had a parent ask us on Saturday about the pictures. Oh crap. We forgot to pick them up! So we told this mom that we were going to go pick them up right away so we would have them for tonight. Of course, she (VERY nicely) asked if we had them tonight and we had to confess to being big fat losers and not having them. But we told her we would go get them right away so we will have them on Saturday... Fast forward to the drive-thru line at McDonald's for the promised hot fudge sundae when Tim looked at me and said, "DOH! (Okay, he really didn't say 'DOH' but it makes the story funnier if I say he did!) We didn't stop and get the pictures!"???
This particular conversation in the van on the way to soccer:
Me: Did you get the balls?
Tim: Hee hee. I got the balls and they're loaded.
Emily and Matthew: EWWWWWWW!
Emily: Dad, you don't have ENOUGH of those!
Tim: I had enough to bring you into this world!
Matthew: No, Mom brought Emily into this world, right Mom?
Me: Well, we both did.
Matthew: ???
Emily: And now that you brought me in to this world, you can't get rid of me! Mwhahahahahaha!
Sophia: Ewwww! That's disgusting!
Emily and I: What's disgusting?
Sophia: That Dad farted!
??????
That Matthew accidentally spilled his milk at dinner and Lizzie (sweet doggy) lapped it up as it fell through the leaf cracks on the table, getting it all over her head. Then 5 minutes later, Sophia spilled her milk, leaking again through the cracks and while Lizzie lapped that up, Tim accidentally spilled the plate that had the pork steak juice on it which also leaked through the cracks. So now, our dog looks like she used hair gel this morning. ??????
That while in line at McDonald's,
Abby: So... we live in America?
Us: Yeaaaaaah.
Abby: Well, that is weird, because I thought America was some place that had brick streets and wooden ships and an ocean nearby.
??? *Thank YOU, American History books- you chose all the accurate drawings of America!*
OR that as we are trying to get approved to do foster care/adoption, I nearly gave Sophia a concussion! I got something out of the freezer and gave it a good slam while I walked away. I heard a "kuh-thunk" and turned around just as Sophia was about to pass out. She was fine with no open wounds but a nice goose egg on her head. Poor baby. However, the two lessons I learned from this incident... 1) your child will continue to grow whether you want them to or not and 2) do NOT laugh when your child takes a freezer door to the head. ????
That Abby had barely touched the ball until I promised her a hot fudge sundae and then she scored the one and only goal within about 30 seconds?
That Sophia is not keeping our top secret blackmail of "I will give you a penny for every time you kick the ball" deal when she yells from across the field, "MOM, I GET 100 PENNIES!!!"?
That I had this conversation with Sophia in the middle of the game:
Sophia: Mom, I get 60 pennies!
Me: No way!
Sophia: Fine. You're right! I get 50 pennies!
Me: Whatever. I think it was more like 40!
Sophia: (long pause) Okay!
????
That Sophia was doing cartwheels while Abby was making "shadow butterflies" from the setting sun in the middle of our game?
That we had a parent ask us on Saturday about the pictures. Oh crap. We forgot to pick them up! So we told this mom that we were going to go pick them up right away so we would have them for tonight. Of course, she (VERY nicely) asked if we had them tonight and we had to confess to being big fat losers and not having them. But we told her we would go get them right away so we will have them on Saturday... Fast forward to the drive-thru line at McDonald's for the promised hot fudge sundae when Tim looked at me and said, "DOH! (Okay, he really didn't say 'DOH' but it makes the story funnier if I say he did!) We didn't stop and get the pictures!"???
This particular conversation in the van on the way to soccer:
Me: Did you get the balls?
Tim: Hee hee. I got the balls and they're loaded.
Emily and Matthew: EWWWWWWW!
Emily: Dad, you don't have ENOUGH of those!
Tim: I had enough to bring you into this world!
Matthew: No, Mom brought Emily into this world, right Mom?
Me: Well, we both did.
Matthew: ???
Emily: And now that you brought me in to this world, you can't get rid of me! Mwhahahahahaha!
Sophia: Ewwww! That's disgusting!
Emily and I: What's disgusting?
Sophia: That Dad farted!
??????
That Matthew accidentally spilled his milk at dinner and Lizzie (sweet doggy) lapped it up as it fell through the leaf cracks on the table, getting it all over her head. Then 5 minutes later, Sophia spilled her milk, leaking again through the cracks and while Lizzie lapped that up, Tim accidentally spilled the plate that had the pork steak juice on it which also leaked through the cracks. So now, our dog looks like she used hair gel this morning. ??????
That while in line at McDonald's,
Abby: So... we live in America?
Us: Yeaaaaaah.
Abby: Well, that is weird, because I thought America was some place that had brick streets and wooden ships and an ocean nearby.
??? *Thank YOU, American History books- you chose all the accurate drawings of America!*
OR that as we are trying to get approved to do foster care/adoption, I nearly gave Sophia a concussion! I got something out of the freezer and gave it a good slam while I walked away. I heard a "kuh-thunk" and turned around just as Sophia was about to pass out. She was fine with no open wounds but a nice goose egg on her head. Poor baby. However, the two lessons I learned from this incident... 1) your child will continue to grow whether you want them to or not and 2) do NOT laugh when your child takes a freezer door to the head. ????
Monday, September 12, 2011
One week down, nine to go.
We had our first meeting tonight. We walked in, signed in, and then they proceeded to hand us a manual that barely fit into our 1" binder. Then a packet of papers with about 20 pages to fill out. Then a envelope with another 50 papers that will need to be filled out before the 10 weeks is over, including but not limited to... health form for each of us, forms for the dog, a blue print of our house, a safety checklist for our home, etc. Gee, if I had known it was going to be this much work, I would have just gotten pregnant! I didn't have to fill out any of this stuff when I had my own biological kids! :)
In all seriousness, it was good. There was a lot of information but we didn't feel overwhelmed like we thought we might. A lot of the stuff we talked about tonight was things we already knew I think the "scary stories" will come later! The people are all there for different reasons- adopting family members (one a niece and one a grandchild), adopting after attempting 3 1/2 years of infertility, etc. We are the only couple from Williamsburg. I find it "divine" that the class is one mile from our house. One lady I was talking to tonight said that they went to their introductory meeting August 11 and was told it would be hard to get into this class. When I told her we went last week, she couldn't believe it happened so quickly. It is definitely not because of us, that is fo' sho'.
The three younger kids have to either write a story or draw a picture of what they think a new child in our house would be/look like. Emily gets her own form to fill out. Tim told her it was a 30 page test. Judging from the way her jaw dropped, she believed him at first. LOL I am excited to see what the kids come up with.
In other news, I want to be a stay at home mom again so if any of you have any brilliant ways of making money from home without selling anything, having to do parties, or do home daycare, please let me know. I wonder what I could find that consists of being on Facebook all day. :) I don't know how this is going to pan out, but I know that while it was important for me to be with my own kids while they were at home, it would be important for me to be home for any foster/adoptive kids that may come along. (Disclaimer: This is not to say that to be a good parent, you have to stay home. It is a personal decision that Tim and I made for our family long before we even had kids- which was not too long if you recall our two month honeymoon before Tim knocked me up.) That being said, I am praying a lot about it and keeping options open for what our future may hold. At this point, it would actually work for any foster kids to come with me to work (as long as they are over 2) so that may be a solution until we can figure something else out.
Things I learned today...
1. Marinating fish in lemon juice over night and then pouring lemon juice over it for cooking make for very puckered lips.
2. Halloween is NEXT month and I haven't even THOUGHT about costumes!
3. My husband looks hot in a pink shirt.
Tis all for tonight, my friends. Time for this old lady to get to bed!
In all seriousness, it was good. There was a lot of information but we didn't feel overwhelmed like we thought we might. A lot of the stuff we talked about tonight was things we already knew I think the "scary stories" will come later! The people are all there for different reasons- adopting family members (one a niece and one a grandchild), adopting after attempting 3 1/2 years of infertility, etc. We are the only couple from Williamsburg. I find it "divine" that the class is one mile from our house. One lady I was talking to tonight said that they went to their introductory meeting August 11 and was told it would be hard to get into this class. When I told her we went last week, she couldn't believe it happened so quickly. It is definitely not because of us, that is fo' sho'.
The three younger kids have to either write a story or draw a picture of what they think a new child in our house would be/look like. Emily gets her own form to fill out. Tim told her it was a 30 page test. Judging from the way her jaw dropped, she believed him at first. LOL I am excited to see what the kids come up with.
In other news, I want to be a stay at home mom again so if any of you have any brilliant ways of making money from home without selling anything, having to do parties, or do home daycare, please let me know. I wonder what I could find that consists of being on Facebook all day. :) I don't know how this is going to pan out, but I know that while it was important for me to be with my own kids while they were at home, it would be important for me to be home for any foster/adoptive kids that may come along. (Disclaimer: This is not to say that to be a good parent, you have to stay home. It is a personal decision that Tim and I made for our family long before we even had kids- which was not too long if you recall our two month honeymoon before Tim knocked me up.) That being said, I am praying a lot about it and keeping options open for what our future may hold. At this point, it would actually work for any foster kids to come with me to work (as long as they are over 2) so that may be a solution until we can figure something else out.
Things I learned today...
1. Marinating fish in lemon juice over night and then pouring lemon juice over it for cooking make for very puckered lips.
2. Halloween is NEXT month and I haven't even THOUGHT about costumes!
3. My husband looks hot in a pink shirt.
Tis all for tonight, my friends. Time for this old lady to get to bed!
Friday, September 9, 2011
I feel like I am pregnant.
You know when you are pregnant, you kind of keep it a secret at first just telling a few people. Then when you decide to tell people (at 5 weeks with Emily, 23 weeks with Abigail... we like variety), you tell everyone- your friends, the people you work with, the cashier at Casey's? That is where I am at right now. I am so excited to be possibly adding to our family... whether it is for a day or a lifetime. I was thinking today that I want to get a photo album and keep track of the kids that we are blessed to take care of. I don't know if that is legal or not so I won't go taking pictures before I find out, but I think it would be cool.
"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:2- This has always been a very scary verse to me. I try to not judge people but as I was taught tonight, it is a constant battle. I took the girls to Claire's to buy a gift for a birthday party tomorrow. The second we walked in, there was a high schoolish (I like to make up new words) girl in our faces, "HI! WELCOME TO CLAIRE'S! WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR TODAY?" I am a shopper who really hates that. I want to go in and look. If I have questions, I will ask. Say hello and then back down. But oh, no, she was all over us. She followed us and gave me a basket to put my stuff in, even though I didn't want one. I took it with a fake smile, said thanks, and turned away. I will admit that I was not friendly. I was standing with Sophia and Abby at one of the kiosks and am watching her attack Emily to ask what she liked, what she wanted, and give her a basket. In hindsight, I am so proud of my daughter who is so nice and outgoing. She was very genuine in saying thank you and taking the basket that she didn't need. Emily then came over to me and I was snarky and said, "Oh my gosh. Is she not annoying?" I really don't think Emily would have even thought anything of it unless I said something. Fast forward to checking out. She is the one helping us and I notice that she is "a cutter". I felt about 1 inch tall. This poor girl had deep, deep painful looking scars on her arms where she has cut herself probably because she has low self esteem and here I am- a grown woman acting the exact way that I tell my kids not to act. It was such a wake-up call. I could have cried. I wanted to hug that girl and tell her that she is awesome. Good for her for trying to do a good job at work. Good for her for wearing a dress that shows her scars. And good for her for having a smile on her beautiful (no, really, she was VERY pretty!) face even though she has obviously been through a rough time. She may never know, but God used this girl. I, personally, will never forget her.
Well, that was a downer. Is it awkward (what an awkward word to spell) to go into Cronquist Kid Quotes of the Day? Nope, here we go...
At Claire's, Abby and Sophia had $1 to spend. Sophia also brought 3 nickels. She just wasn't getting that she essentially could NOT buy anything over a dollar since the merchandise doesn't go in that small of increments. After about 15 minutes of trying to explain this to her, she is near tears and finally says, "Well, then why did God even make nickels if they aren't worth anything!!!"
***The funniest thing is that we bribe her with pennies all the time and she gets so excited!
This isn't a quote but it made me chuckle this morning. As I was dropping Em off, she was walking towards the Junior High doors and I rolled down my window and in an obnoxiously loud southern accented voice called out, "Bye, Sugar Bun! Have a great day! I love you! Come and give your momma a kiss!"
***I think I laughed a little more about this than she did.
Time to go. I think I hear a puzzle calling my name... Night all.
"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:2- This has always been a very scary verse to me. I try to not judge people but as I was taught tonight, it is a constant battle. I took the girls to Claire's to buy a gift for a birthday party tomorrow. The second we walked in, there was a high schoolish (I like to make up new words) girl in our faces, "HI! WELCOME TO CLAIRE'S! WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR TODAY?" I am a shopper who really hates that. I want to go in and look. If I have questions, I will ask. Say hello and then back down. But oh, no, she was all over us. She followed us and gave me a basket to put my stuff in, even though I didn't want one. I took it with a fake smile, said thanks, and turned away. I will admit that I was not friendly. I was standing with Sophia and Abby at one of the kiosks and am watching her attack Emily to ask what she liked, what she wanted, and give her a basket. In hindsight, I am so proud of my daughter who is so nice and outgoing. She was very genuine in saying thank you and taking the basket that she didn't need. Emily then came over to me and I was snarky and said, "Oh my gosh. Is she not annoying?" I really don't think Emily would have even thought anything of it unless I said something. Fast forward to checking out. She is the one helping us and I notice that she is "a cutter". I felt about 1 inch tall. This poor girl had deep, deep painful looking scars on her arms where she has cut herself probably because she has low self esteem and here I am- a grown woman acting the exact way that I tell my kids not to act. It was such a wake-up call. I could have cried. I wanted to hug that girl and tell her that she is awesome. Good for her for trying to do a good job at work. Good for her for wearing a dress that shows her scars. And good for her for having a smile on her beautiful (no, really, she was VERY pretty!) face even though she has obviously been through a rough time. She may never know, but God used this girl. I, personally, will never forget her.
Well, that was a downer. Is it awkward (what an awkward word to spell) to go into Cronquist Kid Quotes of the Day? Nope, here we go...
At Claire's, Abby and Sophia had $1 to spend. Sophia also brought 3 nickels. She just wasn't getting that she essentially could NOT buy anything over a dollar since the merchandise doesn't go in that small of increments. After about 15 minutes of trying to explain this to her, she is near tears and finally says, "Well, then why did God even make nickels if they aren't worth anything!!!"
***The funniest thing is that we bribe her with pennies all the time and she gets so excited!
This isn't a quote but it made me chuckle this morning. As I was dropping Em off, she was walking towards the Junior High doors and I rolled down my window and in an obnoxiously loud southern accented voice called out, "Bye, Sugar Bun! Have a great day! I love you! Come and give your momma a kiss!"
***I think I laughed a little more about this than she did.
Time to go. I think I hear a puzzle calling my name... Night all.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
I am a good wife. I am a good mother. I am a really crappy housekeeper.
Those that know me well know that while I excel at certain things in my life, keeping my house clean is certainly not one of them. It is not so much that my house is dirty... it is just constantly cluttered. We have way too much STUFF. And when I say stuff, I mostly mean clothes. When we got back home from our Texas/Oklahoma trip this year, I was totally motivated to live life as a "minimalist" thanks to my sister (who I swear has NO clutter due to her weekly Goodwill trips) and my sister-in-law (who is moving to Germany, therefore getting down to the bare minimums). We went through the kid's clothing and passed on 5 garbage bags full. So, you ask, why is it still an issue? Let me tell you, my friend... it is because I have a problem. My name is Carrie and I have a clearance sale addiction. I have actually not bought anything in the last 6 months due to my dedication to living life as a minimalist but I am still dealing with the clothes I bought "for the future". Matthew is pretty well set until he goes to college. It is ridiculous. This is relevant now because in about 3 weeks, we are going to have a home study to decide if our house is fit to do foster care/adoption. At this point, how would we do? Let me answer that for you... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! In the next 3 weeks, I will be sorting, organizing, downsizing, rearranging, and CLEANING. It may sound silly but I am actually excited about it. What would be even more fun is if I had friends to come hang with me- not even to help but just to be there to say, "Why do you need 6 of the same sweaters just in different colors?" (right, Dawn S.?) or "Heck, yeah, you need those awesome Eskimo Joe's cups!" (Kerri!!!!) So any friends that want to come join me, let me know. Just give me a couple days to clean my house first. :)
Cronquist Kid Quotes of the Day (see how I worked out that alliteration even though the words start with a C, K, and Q??? Now THAT is cool, Mandy L.!)
Me: So, have you guys gotten in trouble at school yet?
Abby: The only time I got in trouble was when Mrs. Subbert asked me to be quiet in the hall. But I totally don't get that b/c it's not like they have a big flashing sign that says, "Quiet Zone"!!!
***I can only imagine (disturbingly) what she will be like as a teenager.
Matthew: So, Mom, I was thinking that for my birthday I want to have some friends over to spend the night.
Me: Sweet.
Matthew: But I just don't know how we will do this b/c one of the friends I want to invite lives way out in the country.
Me: Okay... and???
Matthew: So he probably can't come, right?
Me: You know the cool thing about living in the year 2011?
Matthew: What?
Me: We have CARS. So we can DRIVE to get your friend.
Matthew: Really? Sweet!!!
*** The sad thing is he was probably stressing out about this all day.
Matthew: Hey, I was thinking what we could do for Halloween that would be awesome!
Me: Yeah? What's that?
Matthew We could put a knife in the yard with ketchup all over it and leave a note next to it that says, "You're next".
Me: Dude. That's creepy.
Matthew: (insert evil grin) I know.
***I am scared.
Then there was also the debate with Emily about whether watching "Lord of the Rings" or eating a carrot fresh out of the garden was cooler, but I will refrain from posting that 5 minute dialogue. You're welcome.
Cronquist Kid Quotes of the Day (see how I worked out that alliteration even though the words start with a C, K, and Q??? Now THAT is cool, Mandy L.!)
Me: So, have you guys gotten in trouble at school yet?
Abby: The only time I got in trouble was when Mrs. Subbert asked me to be quiet in the hall. But I totally don't get that b/c it's not like they have a big flashing sign that says, "Quiet Zone"!!!
***I can only imagine (disturbingly) what she will be like as a teenager.
Matthew: So, Mom, I was thinking that for my birthday I want to have some friends over to spend the night.
Me: Sweet.
Matthew: But I just don't know how we will do this b/c one of the friends I want to invite lives way out in the country.
Me: Okay... and???
Matthew: So he probably can't come, right?
Me: You know the cool thing about living in the year 2011?
Matthew: What?
Me: We have CARS. So we can DRIVE to get your friend.
Matthew: Really? Sweet!!!
*** The sad thing is he was probably stressing out about this all day.
Matthew: Hey, I was thinking what we could do for Halloween that would be awesome!
Me: Yeah? What's that?
Matthew We could put a knife in the yard with ketchup all over it and leave a note next to it that says, "You're next".
Me: Dude. That's creepy.
Matthew: (insert evil grin) I know.
***I am scared.
Then there was also the debate with Emily about whether watching "Lord of the Rings" or eating a carrot fresh out of the garden was cooler, but I will refrain from posting that 5 minute dialogue. You're welcome.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Yay! I have one "follower".
Seriously? This blog thing is not going to work out if I only have one follower (THANK YOU, JULIE K.!!!). It makes me feel like I am back in high school with my one friend. Oh, wait, I didn't have a friend. Have I mentioned I hated high school? Please sign up (it's free!) and be my follower if you love me or like me or have seen me at Burg Foods. It gives me self-esteem which means you can sleep knowing you made someone's life better. :)
My funny (or maybe disturbing) incident of the day...
I got home at 3:45. We drew on balloons. We let the balloons go. We came inside. We laughed. We played. I started getting dinner ready at about 5:15. Sophia comes up to me and says, "Oh! Mom! When did you get home?" Is she really that oblivious? Sadly, the answer is yes.
More important for today... Tim called me today to inform me he had just had a call that we are officially IN the class starting Monday in Williamsburg. All I am saying is that this is a God thing... a class in Williamsburg (pop. 3,068- of which we are 6) but not one in Iowa City (pop. 67,862) is just plain silly. The fact that we got into the class after being told it was a "long shot" AND a call today stating the fact that we got into the class this quickly was "unheard of. No, really, I have never heard of anyone getting into a class this quickly!" The fact that Tony Malloy was ALSO willing to take a bribe of pickles to be the stand in coach??? Totally God!
Very excited to see what is in store for our family!
My funny (or maybe disturbing) incident of the day...
I got home at 3:45. We drew on balloons. We let the balloons go. We came inside. We laughed. We played. I started getting dinner ready at about 5:15. Sophia comes up to me and says, "Oh! Mom! When did you get home?" Is she really that oblivious? Sadly, the answer is yes.
More important for today... Tim called me today to inform me he had just had a call that we are officially IN the class starting Monday in Williamsburg. All I am saying is that this is a God thing... a class in Williamsburg (pop. 3,068- of which we are 6) but not one in Iowa City (pop. 67,862) is just plain silly. The fact that we got into the class after being told it was a "long shot" AND a call today stating the fact that we got into the class this quickly was "unheard of. No, really, I have never heard of anyone getting into a class this quickly!" The fact that Tony Malloy was ALSO willing to take a bribe of pickles to be the stand in coach??? Totally God!
Very excited to see what is in store for our family!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The whirlwind that is my life.
Today, I needed to call KidsNet (read DHS) about the informational meeting on Thursday in Cedar Rapids regarding fostering. I called and found out you have to sign up for the classes (who would have thought that a state agency was so organized???) and that this specific class was full. ***This is going to seem random but bear with me... when I was VERY pregnant with Emily and had been told for 3 weeks that I was 4 cm dilated and wouldn't make it to my next appointment, I went into the hospital with contractions. They sent me home and told me I would be back the next day. I bawled and bawled because I was so ready to have my baby!*** That is how I felt today when I was told I would have to wait until the October class! But what could I do? I couldn't yell at the lady because then she would just put a note in her file... "Psycho Lady! Do not allow to become a foster parent!!!". I am frantically searching other sites as I am talking to her and realize there is a class TONIGHT in Ottumwa, a town about and hour and a half away that I have only been through twice before in my life- once on Friday on the way to the cabin and yesterday on the way home. Odd. At this time, it is 4:00. The meeting is at 6:00. More importantly, Tim and I are coaching Abby and Sophia's soccer team that just happened to have a game at 6:00. I did what any sane person would do... I called one of my best friends, Kelly Jones, and promised her a jar of homemade dill pickles if she would coach for us with Emily helping out. Oh, yeah, and she also needed to give the kids a ride to the game. (Definitely worth another jar of pickles!) Because she is awesome, she said yes! I called Tim to make sure he would be home within oh, about the next 5 minutes. I quickly printed off the information that we needed and with instructions to Emily (our FABULOUS babysitter) off we went. We even had time to stop by Wendy's for dinner which included five 99 cent items plus a $2.19 medium lemonade for Tim (he said it was good but can any lemonade really be worth $2.19???). The meeting was rather uneventful except I was concerned that the teacher would have a heart attack at the beginning when she couldn't catch her breath. All I could think was, "My CPR needs to be renewed! Can I still perform CPR???" Fortunately, she did NOT have a heart attack. After the meeting, we hung out and talked briefly with another couple that was in a similar predicament with older kids and not wanting to take any child older than their youngest. They were also not from the area and while the teacher was looking up classes close to them, we have her look up classes close to us. Lo and behold, there is a class starting in Williamsburg next week! She said it will be pushing it to get the paperwork through by then but she is going to e-mail the DHS worker that we really want to get into this class. After the other couple left, I asked the teacher about this little one that I have my heart set on and she said that the DHS worker that this child has would be up front with me- whether it is even a possibility or not. I told Tim on the way there that I think I am setting myself up for a broken heart because I want this specific child so bad. I am praying that this is what God has in store for us and that if it is not, I am patient and understanding- two qualities that I struggle with!
In response to the coaching, Kelly says I owe her FIVE jars of pickles and Emily said she is worth DOUBLE what she was supposed to get for babysitting. This is what I have to say to that... Kelly, I would have given you 5 jars of pickles had you not taught my kids what the phrase "road rage" means. Love you, my Pocket Kelly! Emily, the counters are still messy (your chore), Sophia was not showered (part of babysitting tonight), and you "forgot" some homework- you may not get paid at all. Or maybe you will get a medium lemonade from Wendy's as payment. Love you, Em!!!
In response to the coaching, Kelly says I owe her FIVE jars of pickles and Emily said she is worth DOUBLE what she was supposed to get for babysitting. This is what I have to say to that... Kelly, I would have given you 5 jars of pickles had you not taught my kids what the phrase "road rage" means. Love you, my Pocket Kelly! Emily, the counters are still messy (your chore), Sophia was not showered (part of babysitting tonight), and you "forgot" some homework- you may not get paid at all. Or maybe you will get a medium lemonade from Wendy's as payment. Love you, Em!!!
Monday, September 5, 2011
My first post
I feel like this should be some monumental announcement as it is my first post. Actually, it kind of is. But first, let me update you on our awesome camping weekend...
We rented a cabin at Lake Wapello that was fairly rustic but worked great for us. Indoor plumbing and electricity make a huge difference when camping with a family of six. Emily and Matthew were impressed at how HUGE our cabin was compared to MWBC cabins. Um, yeah, maybe twice as big but without the 5 bunk beds and add on a tiny bathroom and kitchenette. Hey, whatever we can do to get the kids thinking we are awesome is good so we went along with the HUGENESS!
The highlights of the weekend (in more detail than on FB)...
1. Tim is JUST getting back into coffee. He generally drinks it in the winter and forgets about it in the summer. I, personally, LOVE coffee. Not for the caffeine, but strictly for the taste. I. LOVE. COFFEE. If they made coffee flavored burgers, I would eat those for dinner. (Okay, not really, but I am trying to get across my love of coffee!) Anyway, the first morning there as I am getting ready to shower, Tim says, "Want me to make some coffee?" I say, "That would be awesome!" So he is puttering around and I hear, "Ah, CRAP!" I peek my head around the shower curtain that is the door for our bathroom and there he stands... shoulders down, sheepish looking, and with that smirk on his face that I have loved since the day we met. I know immediately and say, "You forgot the coffee, didn't you?" He says, "I forgot the coffee." So what we decided is that I am in charge of packing the coffee from now on; however, Tim does a great job at packing all the needed supplies to MAKE coffee.
2. Emily. My dear sweet Emily. Her first time in OUR boat between trips to camp and trips to friends. She goes to get in, realizes she forgot something, tried to get out and fell into the lake. I think she was more upset about her skinny jeans getting wet than anything. I love my Emu ("Emo" but without the creepiness for those of you that are just tuning into my life) child.
3. Abigail has gotten it into her head somehow that whenever there is a largish bird flying in the air, that something died. So while out on the boat, we often hear, "Oh, look, there is a (hawk, eagle, vulture)!!! Something died!" As we were fishing yesterday, Abby said, "Oh, look, there is an airplane!" Sophia pipes up, "Something must have died!!!" Love that child!
4. My son, who is all boy when it comes to sports but tends to be very cautious, did an AWESOME job of taking fish off the hook this weekend! I have no problem removing sunnies or bass but the catfish scare me a bit and Matthew was so proud to be the one to take them off the hook for me. He is looking out for his Momma!
5. Finally (I know there are 50,000 things I am forgetting at this moment that were post-worthy), this weekend made me realize how blessed we are as a family. While there were a few "you are driving me crazy" moments, there were no big blow outs. Tim and I love each other, we love our kids, our kids love each other, and I like to think they love us too. :) What a fun, exciting, and memorable weekend!!!
So.... onto the HUGE news...
As anyone who knows me well knows... I have always wanted to adopt/foster children. It is something that I have always felt is in my future. Tim, not so much. Since Tim and I have been together, I always said that if this is something we are going to do, God will either change my heart or Tim's heart b/c we come as a package and anything that we do needs to be something that we do together and will be the right thing for our family.
That said, Tim and I are starting the process to become licensed to foster/adopt on Thursday. This is something that we have both prayed for and feel that it is the next step for our family. We feel that we have so much love to offer and that there is so much need for a loving family. We discussed this in a "family meeting" after dinner with Emily, Matthew, Abigail, and Sophia and they are all on board. Actually, we went around the table, letting each child state his/her feelings. Emily feels that this will be a great opportunity for our family. Matthew is excited b/c if it is a boy, he can show him how to play football and if it is a girl, he is used to being the only boy with Dad. Abby is excited to have another kid to love and she is excited to share a bedroom with Sophia. When we asked Sophia, she said, "YES YES YES!!! Can I have another peach?" I said, "No. Wait. Why?" She said, "Um.... well... um... because I love peaches!" Once we got back to the fostering, she was all over it. I am so glad and truly feeling blessed that we have kids that are not only willing, but excited to give a child a loving home.
We know our limits. We have set limits for the children we are willing to take. I have a child in my sight and in my heart that I am already imagining as a member of our family but I am just praying that God will make our path clear and that there are no disappointments along the way. As Tim says, "Let's take the class and then figure out where God wants us to go." Have I mentioned I love this man?
****I feel I have to share the name of m blog- C-sik. This weekend, Tim and Emily were discussing the perfect name for our family band and it started with "Cronq 6" which turned into "C 6" which turned into "C Sick". When I asked Tim how it should be spelled, his reply was "C-SIK b/c that is DOPE!" LMBO
We rented a cabin at Lake Wapello that was fairly rustic but worked great for us. Indoor plumbing and electricity make a huge difference when camping with a family of six. Emily and Matthew were impressed at how HUGE our cabin was compared to MWBC cabins. Um, yeah, maybe twice as big but without the 5 bunk beds and add on a tiny bathroom and kitchenette. Hey, whatever we can do to get the kids thinking we are awesome is good so we went along with the HUGENESS!
The highlights of the weekend (in more detail than on FB)...
1. Tim is JUST getting back into coffee. He generally drinks it in the winter and forgets about it in the summer. I, personally, LOVE coffee. Not for the caffeine, but strictly for the taste. I. LOVE. COFFEE. If they made coffee flavored burgers, I would eat those for dinner. (Okay, not really, but I am trying to get across my love of coffee!) Anyway, the first morning there as I am getting ready to shower, Tim says, "Want me to make some coffee?" I say, "That would be awesome!" So he is puttering around and I hear, "Ah, CRAP!" I peek my head around the shower curtain that is the door for our bathroom and there he stands... shoulders down, sheepish looking, and with that smirk on his face that I have loved since the day we met. I know immediately and say, "You forgot the coffee, didn't you?" He says, "I forgot the coffee." So what we decided is that I am in charge of packing the coffee from now on; however, Tim does a great job at packing all the needed supplies to MAKE coffee.
2. Emily. My dear sweet Emily. Her first time in OUR boat between trips to camp and trips to friends. She goes to get in, realizes she forgot something, tried to get out and fell into the lake. I think she was more upset about her skinny jeans getting wet than anything. I love my Emu ("Emo" but without the creepiness for those of you that are just tuning into my life) child.
3. Abigail has gotten it into her head somehow that whenever there is a largish bird flying in the air, that something died. So while out on the boat, we often hear, "Oh, look, there is a (hawk, eagle, vulture)!!! Something died!" As we were fishing yesterday, Abby said, "Oh, look, there is an airplane!" Sophia pipes up, "Something must have died!!!" Love that child!
4. My son, who is all boy when it comes to sports but tends to be very cautious, did an AWESOME job of taking fish off the hook this weekend! I have no problem removing sunnies or bass but the catfish scare me a bit and Matthew was so proud to be the one to take them off the hook for me. He is looking out for his Momma!
5. Finally (I know there are 50,000 things I am forgetting at this moment that were post-worthy), this weekend made me realize how blessed we are as a family. While there were a few "you are driving me crazy" moments, there were no big blow outs. Tim and I love each other, we love our kids, our kids love each other, and I like to think they love us too. :) What a fun, exciting, and memorable weekend!!!
So.... onto the HUGE news...
As anyone who knows me well knows... I have always wanted to adopt/foster children. It is something that I have always felt is in my future. Tim, not so much. Since Tim and I have been together, I always said that if this is something we are going to do, God will either change my heart or Tim's heart b/c we come as a package and anything that we do needs to be something that we do together and will be the right thing for our family.
That said, Tim and I are starting the process to become licensed to foster/adopt on Thursday. This is something that we have both prayed for and feel that it is the next step for our family. We feel that we have so much love to offer and that there is so much need for a loving family. We discussed this in a "family meeting" after dinner with Emily, Matthew, Abigail, and Sophia and they are all on board. Actually, we went around the table, letting each child state his/her feelings. Emily feels that this will be a great opportunity for our family. Matthew is excited b/c if it is a boy, he can show him how to play football and if it is a girl, he is used to being the only boy with Dad. Abby is excited to have another kid to love and she is excited to share a bedroom with Sophia. When we asked Sophia, she said, "YES YES YES!!! Can I have another peach?" I said, "No. Wait. Why?" She said, "Um.... well... um... because I love peaches!" Once we got back to the fostering, she was all over it. I am so glad and truly feeling blessed that we have kids that are not only willing, but excited to give a child a loving home.
We know our limits. We have set limits for the children we are willing to take. I have a child in my sight and in my heart that I am already imagining as a member of our family but I am just praying that God will make our path clear and that there are no disappointments along the way. As Tim says, "Let's take the class and then figure out where God wants us to go." Have I mentioned I love this man?
****I feel I have to share the name of m blog- C-sik. This weekend, Tim and Emily were discussing the perfect name for our family band and it started with "Cronq 6" which turned into "C 6" which turned into "C Sick". When I asked Tim how it should be spelled, his reply was "C-SIK b/c that is DOPE!" LMBO
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)