My Day

My day started early today. I had to get up extra early so I could put my hair up in a bun so I looked squared away in my uniform.
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Then I get Anthony up. He has to be up extra early because it takes him a long time to get ready. Sarah gets up after him and takes a shower, puts on makeup and all the teenager stuff. They are ready to go at the same time.
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Loaded all the kids in the car and dropped three of them off at three different schools, passing two accidents.
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Rushed home and got things around for the babysitter and fed the babies breakfast. My babysitter showed up at 8 and I showed her where everything was and take off for drill.
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I worked until a little before 2 pm. I was also told today that they want me to go to a 6 week MOS training school. Uh, not going to happen. When my unit changed they took away my job. I have to have a MOS for a job at my unit or change units. I told him that I would have a problem doing that. I also stated that my husband wouldn't like it. He said that his wife didn't like it when he left for training. I asked him if his wife lived with him and he looked at me strangely and said of course. I explained to him that my husband did not live with me. I think that it is time that I get out of the military due to lack of a family care plan.
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Got home at 2 and relieved the babysitter. Spent a few minutes with the babies and then loaded them up to get kids. Picked up Anthony and Larissa.
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Came home and spent some time with the kids. Larissa noticed that her Baby Alive has a hole on her bottom and she asked me if she could pee. Drat, I had been avoiding that question. I had to be honest and tell her that if she fed her water she would pee. Do you realize that they only give those peeing dolls one diaper? .......and it quickly fills up and starts dripping everywhere?
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I also helped Anthony with homework. He seems to have a problem with tallying. OK, he can't do them at all. He seems to have no clue what he is doing even after I explained them to him several times. Math is his problem subject.
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While cleaning out his backpack this afternoon I found this written on the back of his math sheet.
It says "I am just sitting bord hear". Hmmmm, maybe if he payed a little more attention in math it would help. He does enjoy art. Now, unless you think that his frown is a sign of some great depression, we aware that it only exists in math.
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On the back of his paper where he was practicing letters he was in a better mood. I would have thought he would be bored then because he writes very nicely.

At 5:30 I started dinner and had the kids fed by 6:30. They played for a little while and I put the little ones down at 7pm. As I was walking down the stairs I had thoughts of perhaps doing some studying until I remembered that I had to pick up the prescriptions that I couldn't fill yesterday.

I ran to KMart and got the prescriptions and a bag of newborn diapers for the naked Baby Alive.

I came home just in time to put Anthony and Larissa to bed.

Now I think I may have one of those cupcakes and study.

There in a nutshell is my very unexciting day.

Cupcakes

I enjoy cupcakes, I don't make them very often. Why? Because of the time it takes to frost each individual little cupcake. Making a sheet cake and frosting the entire thing in one swoop is much more preferable to me.
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For some reason I was really wanting cupcakes today. So I started a load of laundry, dishes, fed the babies and put them down for a nap, swept the floor, picked up some toys and then made cupcakes. I even made it into the shower while they were baking. (I realized last week that I was forgetting to shower on some days!).
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I posted on my Facebook that I had cupcakes and got to see my son since he came by for some.
Facebook actually helps me keep touch with my grown kids. I have been known to message my daughter upstairs rather then yell up for her when I needed her. I guess technology can be a good thing.
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This evening we ventured out to get medication refills. This is how you can stuff three little ones in a shopping cart.
Not much room for groceries.......that is what a second cart and the teenager are for.
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Naturally they have to order two of the meds so I get to go back tomorrow.
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I can't believe that it is only Tuesday. John had to leave on Sunday night because of a work obligation so I didn't have my usual Monday help. That meant more coordination and stress for me. Thankfully, Jason took Larissa to dance while I was in class.
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I have a lot of assignments, projects, tests, papers, presentations coming up in the next two weeks. Next Thursday I have to give my 45 minute presentation.......which I have not started on yet. I need to do a power point and 15 page paper on my topic....family involvement with children with intellectual disabilities. But, before that date I have a quiz and project in another class due.
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I was going to go to the library tomorrow and Friday......not going to happen. I didn't realize that October would be here on Friday and my unit has drill this weekend.....2 1/2 hours away. I called and asked if I could train locally. I will drill on Wednesday and Friday. I picked those days because I have child care covered for those days. John is coming home on Thursday night (to make up for Monday) and I found a babysitter.
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Finding a babysitter for foster children is not an easy task. They have to be 18 years old and able to pass a sled check. My neighbors granddaughter only has a part time job and so is happy to babysit on occasion. Of course, I am paying premium, $10/hr. Funny I receive $332/month to care for my foster children and then pay a babysitter $10/hr. Thankfully I don't need one often.
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The foster babies are doing great. Dimples now has two baby teeth. She is drooling like crazy and chews on everything. Kiwi is talking more clearly and with more words every day. It is amazing how quickly they grow when they are babies. They have a court date the end of October. It will be a toss up as to whether they go home or not. This case has a few twists and turns making it hard to gauge what the judge will do. It is out of our hands.
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Well, I need to go do some reading.....and maybe have just one cupcake.

Nite

Let it Rain

We had 5 weeks of dry, hot weather. No rain at all. I can tell you why....our irrigation system went out 5 weeks ago. I didn't deal with it then because we have no idea where the valves are for the zones. Oh, we know where 2 of the 6 are located, naturally those are working fine.
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After realizing that the grass and azaleas were dying I broke down and called someone. That's right, on Saturday, just in time for the rain to come. Five of the six zones are fixed (small electrical problem), my pocketbook is thinner and the rain has come. Your welcome.


Even all our little critters are happy about it. We have a bunch of these fellows around our house in spite of the fact that my cat enjoys catching them.

The weeping mulberries look like they are about ready to walk off and are starting to show that fall really is here. I really should trim them.

Does anyone have a clue as to what this is? All of a sudden they are growing all over the place. I am sure that the birds are bringing them in. I just am not sure if it is a good, neutral or bad thing. The berries are a pretty purple.

These are Mexican Petunias. I saw them at the Columbia Zoo and liked them enough to plant a few several years ago. They have really spread and seem to do well even when the rain stops. They do wilt after about 5 weeks but spring right back up when the rain returns.

I have no clue! Do you ever see things around your house and just wonder.........it is a very dirty sock.

Proof that fall is here.

A project that hasn't even made it to my project list yet. The pump needs replacing. That is my job.

Another project that needs to go on John's list. Looks like the power washer needs to come out.

Every time I walk around the yard I see lots of projects. But, I also see lots of beautiful, hardy plants. You have to be pretty hardy to survive in my yard. The strong survive because I just don't have time for too much yard work. I do enjoy doing yard work.....when it is not 100 degrees outside.

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Today has been a good day. I attended Anthony's IEP meeting and I think that we are all on the same page. He has the services he needs and his new meds seem to be helping. Last week was a much better week then the week before.

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I also called our adoption coordinator at DSS. We have decided to adopt from the foster system again. We decided not to go international for a few reasons. A big one being the expense. We have no interest in fundraising and asking for money and we don't have $25,000 plus sitting around to complete one right now. When we adopted Joselin we paid for it and didn't do any fundraising. A second reason is the requirement to spend weeks overseas. We have no one who could take our kids. When we went to Guatemala there was only a three day requirement and we all went. So, the kids would have to go with us, adding to the expense. A third reason is the support. When you adopt from the foster care system you do get a level of support. There are medical funds that can be used if needed. The children receive Medicaid (that really doesn't matter too much for us since we have Tricare). Also, you may get just a little more background information, at the very least you will know their true age.
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So, I called this morning and apparently it was expected. She knew who I was and was expecting a call from me. The paperwork will be coming in the mail soon. Thankfully we don't have to start from scratch since we just did a homestudy for foster care.

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Every state is different. Here you can just get a foster license and if you chose to adopt a child in your home who has TPR then they come out and do an adoption homestudy at no cost to you. Just a little more information is involved and we had to take an adoption class when we adopted Anthony and Larissa. You can go another route and do the adoption homestudy first and then foster. We will foster until an adoption opportunity comes along, but will stop after that.

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We will do the paperwork and then wait...................

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Well, I'm off to pick kids up from school and then head to class myself. Have a great day.

Unfinished Project

I was supposed to turn this into a playhouse earlier this summer.

However, as the temperatures hit the 100's I couldn't find the energy to get out there and work on it.

Heck, even the kids weren't interested in playing outside unless water was involved.

I envision a porch on this side.

That window will become a door and the huge door opening will become a window.

I have the plans in my brain. It drives my poor husband crazy. As a matter of fact as I was standing there looking at my project this evening I came up with a little extra I want to add so I need a little more wood.

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The days have only been in the 90's, pretty cool so I need to get going before I complain it is too cold.

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Hey, at least it is a start.

Stare if you must.......

I had a 22 month old with me today who liked to stare back.
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We hit up the local restaurant tonight. Just the husband, me and 5 kids. Yea, four of those kids are 7 and under and just a tad darker skin tone.
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We are pros....scope out the place (one of our favorite local restaurants) to make sure there is a big enough table before we take the kids out of car seats. Run in and grab the big table while picking up two high chairs along the way. Make sure that we don't lose a kid along the way and don't hit anyone over the head with the diaper bag.
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It is not until we are seated that I take the time to look around. It is a small town and I have been known to not say hi to folks from church just because I typically don't look around, so I try to be cognizant of familiar faces.
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It is during that brief moment that I notice all the stares. I have gotten so used to them that I don't really notice anymore. It was more noticeable today because Kiwi noticed and waved at a few folks. Friendly kid.
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I know that people are curious. It really doesn't bother me because I know that I would be curious myself! I would want to ask if they adopted or fostered. But, like most of the people I run into I am afraid to offend anyone. Well, maybe they didn't adopt or foster.....huge oooops.
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Some days I do have people who stop and ask. I am not offended when they do. Thankfully, I haven't had too many negative comments said to me, I have had some negative stares though. You can actually tell the difference between a curious stare and a negative stare. Those.....well I ignore. I am not going to get into a debate in front of the kids. They don't need to hear that and I don't have time to educate someone who doesn't want to be educated.
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So, the title of my blog is not a negative one, just an acknowledgement that people are curious and they do stare. Just be warned, some days a little one may be staring right back at you.

Did you Know.....

that when you put your Hershey's Kisses next to your keyboard that is right above your computer, that they will melt?

I Love My Husband

I love my husband, he puts up with me. He encourages me when I have crazy ideas....like going back to school. He didn't faint today when I said I wanted to do another adoption. Of course, he was half asleep when I said that which might account for his sedate reaction.
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I am not an eloquent writer where I can write these fantastic lofty ideals of why I love children and feel a calling to adopt. I can only say that I feel very strongly about adoption.....about offering an orphan a home and family. '
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I also know that it is not easy. I still worry about Joselin. She is doing good right now and she is in a program where she can get her high school diploma in two years. They offered her a graduation plan that wasn't offered here. She is also living out in the boonies without internet and a house phone. Without the temptations she does well, unfortunately you have to be able to make safe decisions one day. Joselin has not ever moved from her past, she never accepted that she was adopted. When we decided to adopt Joselin, we thought that she had just turned 8, she had just turned 11. Honestly, I don't think that I would have taken an 11 year old out of her culture. That is what lies do. Unfortunately it is everywhere. I pray that Joselin reaches the point of acceptance but I have come to accept that she may not. At least we are working hard to give her the tools to have a successful life. We hold out hope and her family is here if she ever wants to be a part of it.
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When we adopted from foster care it was much simpler. We knew the kids, they had been in our home for almost three years. We felt safer going that route. At least they couldn't tell us any lies, we knew what we were taking on.
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After the lies of our Guatemalan adoption I said that I would not adopt internationally again. So why am I looking outward again? There is this little girl on Reese's Rainbow who I want to go and bring home. Reece's Rainbow was created to help find homes for children with Down's Syndrome. I love Leesia in Orphanage 5. I don't know why I feel such feelings for her. I hope that she finds a home soon.
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I find it amazing that in some countries children with any type of disability are rejected. They are sent to mental institutions when they are 5 years old. They are discarded as though they have no worth. It is terrible.
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I wonder how a country can treat their children that way. However it wasn't that long ago that the United States was doing the same thing. I have actually been paying attention in school. I didn't realize that before the 70's kids with intellectual disabilities were not allowed to go to school. A lot of them were put into institutions.
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In 1972 Geraldo did an expose on the Willowbrook State School. The conditions were terrible. Actually they look a lot like the conditions you see in some of the Eastern European countries today. The 70's weren't that long ago. We have come a long way in how we treat our citizens with disabilities. Hopefully one day other countries will follow suit.
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In the mean time, Leesia sits there pulling at my heart.
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I really do love my husband, he puts up with me.

Insanity

I was thinking today that I must be insane.
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That is the only explanation I can give for my life.
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I am going to school, taking care of the kids and house, meeting foster care obligations, dealing with school issues, mental health issues....all with my husband living in another town. Yet, my biggest complaint in life is having to take all the kids out of their car seats to go into the school and get Larissa, then turning around and putting all of them back into car seats.
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Seems like I could get a better complaint in life. Oh, I do pray for my husband to get a closer job so he can come home. But, I can't complain about that since he is working and he is close enough to come home every weekend.
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I am thinking of ways to get around this car seat issue since it annoys me so much. I wasn't too concerned when the babies were going home last Friday....then the first week of October.....now maybe after the first of the year. Well, for that long of a time period I need to find a solution.
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My problem is that Anthony and Larissa get out at the same time....in two different schools. I am currently picking her up early to get to Anthony's school on time. If I let Larissa take the school transportation then she would be picked up at 6:15 am and brought home at 5 pm .....crazy! I will take the kids out of their car seats gladly to avoid that commute for her.
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I remembered at dinner time that I forgot to get Anthony's prescription refill. Thankfully the office is open until 7 pm so I was able to call them. They are writing me up a refill. I asked for a few Valiums but they just laughed at me.
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I have a midterm and have finally answered all the questions on the 5 page review sheets. Now I just need a good hour of studying the stuff for my test tomorrow.
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The house has gotten a little cluttered while I have been distracted and Larissa decided to help out tonight after the babies were in bed.
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Didn't she do a great job picking up?

On that note....all the kids are asleep so I'd better go study. Nite

Tired

Today I am tired. However, as much as I would love to go crawl into my bed I must study. I have a midterm test on Thursday and haven't even made it through the study guide yet. Kids have a way of being distractors.
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The foster kids had visitation today. That means that you dress them up all nice and send them off and wait to see what rebound effects you have when they come back home. In the past I have had really negative behaviors after a visit. With these kids I don't. I would say that it is their age except that Larissa had terrible problems after visitations when she was only 5 months old.
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Something else I always wait for is criticism from the biological parents. Many times they like to complain about something, clothing, hair, anything. I have had to take kids that I knew weren't sick to the doctors because the parents say that they are sick and I was not taking appropriate care of them.
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You have to explain every scratch and/or bruise. You are terrified of letting your foster kids do kid things. Every time my kids hurt themselves (no matter how minor) I always take a picture and send it to the SW with an explanation of how it happened.
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Kiwi has healing marks from her MRSA and Dimples has a tiny scratch on her chin where she got tired of crawling and went face first into a toy. However, parents didn't say a word. No complaints about hair or anything.
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I must say that I can understand this to a certain degree. They have lost control of their kids and need to maintain some any way they can. Also, the reputation of foster parents isn't too good. Apparently we do this for money. Oh, I haven't seen any subsidy payment yet, I should get something the middle of next month.
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So, the visit went well. Oh, and the October court date may not happen....and we all know that November and December court dates are hard to come by. So their is a change that my short term placement MAY be here until January. Good thing I went ahead and bought that second crib. Of course, who knows, the October date may happen.
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I wonder if I am scaring anyone away from being a foster parent!?
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I timed a doctor appointment for Anthony while the kids were at visitation. Worked out great. I got his letter for ADHD for his IEP on the 27th. He had a terrible week last week and I wonder if his ADHD meds need adjusting. Problem we are having is he lost weight so she can't increase his dosage. So she put him on intuniv. Anyone hear of it? Dang, I just realized that I forgot to get refills of his meds, geez another call to make and trip to pick it up. Funny what perpetual tiredness will do for you.
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So, another great day comes to an end. All the little ones are in bed and the house is quiet. My crops will be ready in 30 minutes then I will head to bed to study. I wonder how long I will last before I fall asleep.

Nite all.

Happy Moment, Sad Moment

Our baby, who I think I will call Dimples, is growing up. She came into our home 20 days ago doing the belly low crawl. Then she moved up to getting on her knees and falling forward on her belly. Today she crawled, scooted over to me and promptly sat down. It was her first time to get herself into a sitting position!
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She looked at me and smiled, showing me her dimples. She was so excited. I was excited with her. She spent the next hour crawling and sitting up, mastering her new found ability.
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It was a happy moment, it was a sad moment.
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It was a moment I got to celebrate with her, it was a moment her momma missed.
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Thus is the life of foster parenting; embrace, love, protect, encourage, and teach them while you have them and then let them go when the courts say so. It is not an easy calling to have.

Full House

We had a full house this weekend. Sarah had a friend spent the night on Friday so we grabbed a twin mattress of a spare bed and plopped it on the floor. Last night she had two friends spend the night so we grabbed another twin mattress off another extra bed and plopped that on the floor as well.

Any bets on how long those mattresses will stay on the floor?

They are from beds we have set up for foster kids. Naturally they sent us two little ones who need cribs. I had one crib already set up and just this last week I went ahead and bought another one. Now that I have two cribs I wonder if I will ever use both of them once these kids leave.

I was actually happy that we had to put those mattresses on the floor. I can't remember the last time Sarah had someone spend the night. Last night we dropped them off at the local movie theater. It was nice to have that feeling of normal for her.

This year she is having a good year after all the issues with bullying. Sad to say, there is mainly one thing different, Joselin isn't here. It keeps nagging on me that she was sabotaging Sarah in some way. Well, whatever the reason, I was happy to have a full house this weekend.

We also hit up the Greek Festival in Columbia this weekend. Big mistake. Not because of the kids but because of the crowds. There are no pictures because there is not much excitement in looking at the back of someones head. There wasn't room to move around. It was held at a local Greek church and the space was not big enough for the amount of people who came. Finally we just bought some food and took it to the car and left. No where to sit or even set a plate on. We won't be back next year.

Shopping, crowds and sleepovers, that pretty much describes our weekend. We didn't go to church because of Kiwi's MRSA, we didn't want to put her in a nursery.

Now I am off to do my reading for class tomorrow night. Mondays come fast.

Shopping

John had the pleasure of experiencing a shopping trip with the youngest 4 today. We had the baby and Larissa in the sit and stand and Kiwi in the actual shopping cart at Kohl's. Anthony actually got to push the shopping cart around a few times which he enjoyed and did well at.
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Our goal was a suit for John and a dress for myself. They had a great sale this weekend. We were shocked that John was able to find what he wanted in the size he wanted, that is unusual for him because he is a popular size. I even found myself a skirt and shirt but spent more on myself then I usually do. I even splurged and bought a purse to match.
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Uh, anyone hear of a muffin top. Hahahaha, I know what one is now and I have one, yuck. Hard to get rid of but hopefully with a little spandex I can minimize it. Amazing how much they charge for that little bit of spandex too.
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John did comment that we were getting more stares then usual. I don't know why, four kids 7 and under, but I guess we are a little old for such young ones. They all call us mom and dad so it is apparent that we aren't the grandparents.
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After the excitement of our shopping trip we had no interest in taking the kids out of the car until we got home so we ran through the drive through of Chik fil A. For some reason we were exhausted after that trip and both really wanted naps, we put the little ones down instead.
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I think that John has a little better understanding of why I will not take all the kids to Walmarts by myself!

Well, took my online quiz and started studying for my midterm on Thursday, now I really need to go to bed. Nite all.

My Baby is 5

Larissa is now 5. However, she will always be the baby of the family, like it or not.
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She was happy, the day was a success.
Checking the cake out.

I love the look on Sarah's face. She gets pleasure from seeing others happy.

Shh, don't tell her, a Craigslist buy in perfect condition. She has been wanting one but I thought that maybe she was too old for one. The weight limit is 80 lbs and the price was good so........

Blowing out the candles.

Trying to pull out the doll so we can eat.

You can see the layers in this picture. Yes, I used chocolate between layers. We are a chocolate family after all.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend. We are shopping today for John a suit, we have a wedding to go to in October and he can't quite fit into his old ones.

Making Cake - Done

Well, what do you think?

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First you put the 9" cake down, then the 8" on top, then the large bowl on that and then finally the small bowl. Don't forget to cut the center hole out of each layer.

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Stick a Barbie type doll in the center. This one has saran wrap around it up to the waist. In the past, I have taken the clothing off and given the Barbie a frosting top too.

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Decorate however you like. No two cakes are alike. This one has Larissa's name written on it in celebration of her new attempts to write her name (everywhere).

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Frosting is a great thing, it hides many imperfections.

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Sorry I did get any pictures of the layers, the babies were waking up and I needed to get it in the fridge.

Making Cake Part 1

I got the little ones down for a nap and realized that I needed to make Larissa's birthday cake for tomorrow. I use four different pans, two cake mixes. What I am making is a dress that flows outward as it goes down. This little bowl goes on the top. I bought this when I made my first Barbie cake for Tasha 16 years ago.

I guess this isn't really a Barbie cake, it should be called a Princess cake. Sometimes I take their clothing off and decorate the top, lately I have just gotten lazy and saran wrap the doll.
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I wasted 15 minutes looking for the doll. I thought I had hid it in my closet but couldn't find it. After searching in vain for awhile I remembered that I decided not to hide it in there because Larissa has learned that it is my hiding spot, I found it under my bathroom sink.
I put the largest layer on the bottom and cut out a small section so the doll can fit in.

Now I get to wait. I could only make one box because I had 5 eggs and needed six. Thankfully Jason is going to buy me some eggs. I hope the get the cake parts put together this afternoon and get it into the outside fridge. I will decorate it after Larissa is in bed.

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So, you will have to come back later to see the finished product.

School Troubles

I finally was able to reach Anthony's teacher this morning. The school phones have been out. He got two yellow marks this week so I wanted to check his progress.
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Well, he is slowly starting to have behavior problems. All along she has been having problems with him whenever he decides to be in a bad mood, then he is angry the entire day. He has started being disruptive in class. She asks him to be quiet and he starts to make strange noises. She says that he used to stop for her and now he doesn't.
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I asked her about how he is doing socially. She says that frequently he plays by himself. She has seen kids offer to play with him and he won't. He has problems with peers. He doesn't read them right. He thinks they are being mean if they accidentally bump into him but then when he is being bullied he doesn't recognize it. I know that he has been diagnosed bipolar but in so many ways I see high functioning aspergers.
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He has so many problems socially and his pragmatic speech scored at a 2 out of a possible 100 in his last speech evaluation. I am looking for another specialist to see him. It is hard to find good ones for 7 year olds. It is especially hard because when he is good he is really good, but when he is having an off day he is really off. I don't know when he will have a good day or have an off day.
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Well, just got a call from his teacher. He is not having a good day. Disruptive in testing and art.
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Wish me luck in finding someone who can help, I need it!

This 'n That

This week has gone fast, tomorrow I have class again. I have been more aware that time is flying and have been trying to keep up with my reading. I actually have a midterm test next week and then a 15 page paper with a powerpoint and 45 minute presentation two weeks after that. Uh, I really haven't done much for that yet but print up a few articles. I just realized that I need to get back with the district office with some paperwork. I started a process to observe classes then stopped right in the middle of it. I think that Larissa's IEP threw me off this week.
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Larissa really enjoyed her program today. She didn't seem to have any problems with keeping up with that all day program. However, she did go to bed earlier tonight.
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I am trying to get adjusted to the new schedule. In the morning I have to tote the little ones out to the car and strap them in, drop the kids off at three different schools and then come home and take both the kids out of their car seats and back into the house. At 1:45ish I take the kids back out to their car seats and go to Larissa's school. I then take them out of their car seats and go into the school to pick up Larissa. I take all the kids back out to the car and strap the kids in again and then head over to Anthony's school for pick up. Then when we get home I get to take the kids back out of their car seats.
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Does taking two little ones in and out of car seats count as exercise? I do have an issue with where Kiwi sits, it is hard for me to reach. I have Anthony and Larissa in the back row (Sarah too if John is home), then Kiwi and the baby in the middle row with one seat locked up so the kids in the back can get out for drop off. Kiwi sits in the middle row in the middle. It is hard to get to with the seat locked up. Larissa sits right behind where that seat is locked up so I can help her with her seat belt. Thankfully Anthony can do his own seat belt! I have to laugh, my biggest complaint about all these kids is having to tote them in and out of car seats. I have to be thankful that I have a car that fits all those car seats!
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Addictions....
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I have to admit that I have an addiction, I read numerous blogs. I have several that I follow on a daily basis. It is amazing how I can get emotional about someone else's life. One of the blogs I check in every day hoping to see the words "I got a call". They have been trying to adopt domestically for over two years. Two years of rejection is hard, it is even hard to watch someone go through. Well, this week they got that call. They received a baby boy. I was so happy for them I found myself tearing up.
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I have never had to deal with infertility issues. I have never lived with that pain and so can't say I know what they are going through. However, I am a very empathetic person and do understand the feeling of loss and see their pain. I think that adoption is a great option. From experience, I can say that I know that it is possible to love an adopted child as much as a biological child.
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I used to have another addiction, Farmville. I have realized that my farm has been severely neglected. Now I have a homestead on Frontierland. I imagine that will get neglected too. I just don't have time for those games anymore. However, I do find myself playing solitaire sometimes.
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So, fess up, what is your addiction?
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I am off to study.

Supplies

We got WIC!

Funny, when I first started doing foster care I was so embarrassed to use the WIC vouchers at the store. I find that now I don't care what others think. Is it an old age thing where you stop worrying what others think about you so much?
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I was glad to get those vouchers. With the cost of equipment, clothing, shoes, and formula we were way beyond the $300 and change that DSS pays us a month. I won't say how much because my husband reads my blog and I don't want to be responsible for his heart failure.
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Now I just need to determine where to store the stuff! We haven't found a good place for bottles and sippy cups, they sit on the countertop. Little toys, bottles, cups, shoes, diapers, wipes and baby equipment have invaded our home. In a few weeks it could just as quickly all be gone out to the garage to wait on the next child, who may need totally different equipment and supplies.
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I went to Larissa's IEP today. We actually had a good meeting. Larissa will be going to 4K in the morning and special ed in the afternoon. However, I will be picking her up a little early. She will also be attending her speech class in the afternoon with the 4K kids. The biggest deciding factor for me was Larissa, she really enjoys the interactions in the "second class" as she calls it.
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I have concerns about her going all day because of her uncontrolled seizures, she is frequently tired. I hope that the doctors can get it under control soon. She sees her neurologist on Monday, I believe he will be making a change in her meds.
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The psychologist in this meeting is also over Anthony's school. I asked her why I hadn't heard about a meeting for her and she said that they hadn't gotten all the paperwork from Texas. I guess that gives me a new project to work on. I really need to talk with his teacher to see how he is doing. he has gotten yellow two days in a row now. Is it his behavior is changing or is she less lenient now that school has been in for a while.
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Well, guess I'd better go. I think I will go and look for those evaluations that they are missing for Anthony, I keep copies of everything.

Busy Day

Aren't these quilts beautiful? They are made by a group of quilters in our county. They make quilts for foster children and veterans. Last Tuesday our two new foster kids received their quilts at the foster care association meeting.

They asked if families could show up today at the quilters meeting. They really wanted to see the kids who have received their quilts. We took Larissa and our two new foster babies. The local newspaper was there and took pictures of our group (no foster kids pictures).
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Wow, when I look at this picture and realize how tall Larissa is (she is slouching too!). She turns 5 on Friday, I wonder how old she will be when she gets taller then me.

As we were walking away my SW mentioned to me that she wondered if the kids bio parents would see the picture. Honestly, I doubt it. But I told the SW that I really wasn't concerned. If their biomom came up and asked to see the kids I wouldn't be against meeting at the McDonald's playplace. I have no problem with sharing pictures and letting them know how well the children are doing. The bios are a part of the children, someone who the children will always be curious about. I don't ever want them to feel that they can't talk about their biological family with me.
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After the morning meeting we went over to the DSS office where I told them that I must have a copy of the kids medicaid cards or something because I needed to take Kiwi to the doctors. The area where they told me she had ant bites was getting more infected spots. I know that she didn't get more ant bites. I have been asking for doctor and Medicaid information since day one, especially when I saw her 5 little infected spots. The 5 spots have cleared up but now she has more.

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I finally got their medicaid numbers and went in search of their doctor. I went to three different offices before I found their doctor. Their mom has not been willing to give the information. Imagine the reception when you walk into a doctors office and ask if your kids are seen there. I was able to get an appointment for 3:45.

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I left for class at 3:30 so John got to take Kiwi to the doctors. He says that he got a cool reception. The doctor was very short with him, as though he stole her. He asked John how she ended up in our home.

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He is treating her for MRSA but didn't test for it. Nice to know. Wonder if anyone in the house will get it. One of the many perils of foster care.

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After class I went to the library for a little research for a big paper in one of my classes. I stayed up late last night studying as well. I feel more caught up today. Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into!

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Nice end to my day. I walked into the house and it smelled of peanut butter cookies baking in the oven. Also, nice fresh rice krispie treats were sitting on the countertop. Mmmmm....Sarah was in a baking mood.

United Way

Our local United Way was having a September 11th fundraising event. They support our local foster care association so we decided to go.

The kids had fun and plenty of exercise. It is amazing how much work is involved in playing with all those inflatable slides and bouncers.

Larissa spotted the climbing wall and wanted to do it. For some reason Anthony did not want to try it.

Why does she seem so big to me?

She did really well (actually better then we expected). She was not happy because she didn't make it all the way, we were delighted that she even tried.

I did get up early this morning and hit up some garage sales. Naturally I did not find the high chair that I wanted but I did find plenty of other things to buy.....mostly baby stuff.

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I did however, find this attachment for a chair. It had all the straps and we have plenty of extra chairs sitting around so I bought it. I think it will solve my high chair problem......and it only cost $1. Works for me.

Last night I drove to a town about 45 minutes away to buy a Craigslist item. I had been looking for Larissa a specific birthday gift item and couldn't find it locally. I finally had to resort to a used item, the one I bought looks brand new! Another score. She turns 5 on Friday. I think this year I will make her a Barbie cake. So, I need to go buy a Barbie this week and the cake mix.

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Well, the baby is up so I am off to enjoy the rest of my day.

Typical

Budget cuts! I really don't like those words.
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My foster kids will not be going home next Friday. Due to budget cuts they have taken away DSS's court date next Friday. So their court date will be on October 8th. In my kids case I don't think that the extra time will be enough for the SW to build a case. Things are stacked against her, but she is taking the extra time to work on it.
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This is so typical. When we had Anthony and Larissa as our foster children the system was constantly cancelling court dates or extending them. The court system is the main reason why they were our foster children for almost three years. The laws can say all they want about time frames, the court system breaks them all the time.
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I find it interesting that most people want to blame the SW'ers for kids going home to bad situations. I have found that here in my county it is not the case. Many times the SW has gone to court stating the reunification is not in the best interest of the child only to have the judge send them home. The SW works the case but they are not the final decision makers.
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About a year ago, in our county, a judge sent some kids home against the recommendation of the SW. A short time later one of those kids was dead. It happens and I think that too many folks are quick to blame the SW. However, the SW can only be blamed if they did not do their job and investigate their case well.
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So, we will have the little ones a little longer. We will enjoy them and love on them while they are here. Today I spent a long time taking out Kiwi's beads (actually I worked off and on most of the day). I am not sure how long they had been in her hair but I do know that her hair is in terrible shape. I didn't realize it with all the beads. As I was removing the braids there were patches of hair falling out. I put her hair in a simple style to give it time to rest.
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I also need to get the kids in to see a doctor. I still don't have any proof of Medicaid coverage or any medical records. Monday I will head to the health department to see if they happen to have their shot records. The baby is due for 6 month shots and I don't know if she had them or not before coming into care. I really don't like doing the shot thing!
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Larissa went to school today. I told her teacher that I would keep her in school until the IEP on Tuesday. They sent her to the 4K program for part of her day. She really enjoyed it there. Sneaky of them if you ask me!
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Well, I plan on hitting up the garage sales in the morning so I should get off this computer and to bed/read. I really need a high chair and see them all the time when I am not looking for one. Naturally, I expect I won't see a single one now that I am looking. The hunt is half the fun.

The Rock

Sometimes life is scary. Sometimes those waves look mighty big.

A lot of times I have the power to make things seem not so scary.

It gives me great joy to be my kids rock.

I wish that life was so simple, that I was able to always be that rock, that safe place.

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I wish that I knew what decisions to make sometimes, that someone would give me a rule book.

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I am struggling.

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I don't know what direction to go with Larissa.

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When I talked about removing her from the program she is in, her teacher told me she wants to put her in a full day program with half of the day being in 4K. I think that Larissa would enjoy 4K. However, I don't think that she could do a full day right now. Her seizures are not under control. She sleeps, she seizes. I really think that it is affecting her sleep. If she sits still during the day she falls asleep. How can she do a full day that way?

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Why won't they just put her in the half day 4K next to our house? If she went to the full day where she is going right now then the bus wouldn't get her home until around 5 pm! I couldn't pick her up because Anthony goes to the local school and gets out at the same time.

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I will go to the IEP appointment on Tuesday, unless I hear something new, I think I have made my decision.