Renaissance Festival 2019

Well, pictures will be out of order because my phone did that and won’t let me move them around. After a few years of missing the festival we made a strong effort to go this year. ALL the kids in the house went. Foster child did jump but can’t share those pictures. We don’t exclude our foster kids from our activities.

We do enjoy dressing up and creating costumes! We had dragon trainers, woodland elves, fairy, leprechaun and unicorn. This was the first year Benjamin got to jump, he loved it. I could go all day and just sit and watch people.

Anyone go? We loved the one in Texas we used to go to and on the same day my brother went to it. So funny to see we both posted pictures at renaissance festivals so far away and unplanned.

Miguel

I am not sure who follows me on Instagram, but I am sure if you do that you are curious about the sudden increase in Miguel pictures. Without too much detail Joselin was struggling so I offered to take Miguel while she got on her feet. She asked me to take him for the weekend and then for two months. So he will be with us until the new year. He sure is a chunky boy!

Food

To anyone with corn allergies, I am sorry that finding food is so hard! Corn is in everything convenient. We don’t know what is causing Larissa’s rashes but we are keeping a log of things that cause her to get a rash. She will get a rash very quickly after eating something that disagrees with her body. Yesterday was rough, she cried quite a bit because she loves sauces and popcorn. 

I have discussed several thoughts with friends as to why now. Could be several factors, hormones changing or she just got her middle school shot a few months ago. I talked with her doctor office today and they haven’t sent her referral yet. I suspect it is going to take a while to get tested. On December 2nd she goes to see a new neurologist and I am concerned about new medications and allergies. We will have that appointment before testing.

Today was a better day. All day was corn and lactose free. I have bought corn free oils and such. She did not have any rashes today.

Contemplating Thanksgiving and looking for recipes.

Allergies

Larissa has been dealing with allergies lately. First she developed milk intolerance and then two weeks ago she started to break out in an itchy rash all over her body. At first we thought it was something environmental as she is allergic to grass but it quickly became apparent that it was something she was eating. We noticed she broke out right after eating popcorn. The next day it was either the chili or the cornbread. The rashes are getting more severe and she has them every day.

With our insurance you have to have a referral to get tested for allergies. We have been to the doctor and are waiting on a referral. We really need to find what is causing this. I do see one common food of corn. Oh my, that one is hard. It requires a totally different food approach as corn is in about everything here!

We are trying to limit corn but it is hard, a huge learning curve. She breaks out with popcorn, chili or cornbread, gummies, sauces, ramen, pizza, egg roll. She can eat eggs, meats, grapes and bananas. She hasn’t eaten everything I prepare, no pancakes, canned vegetables and such. We have only been inventorying food for a few days. Trying chicken, asparagus and baked potatoes tomorrow. Probably try the gluten free cereal for breakfast. She has been afraid to try bread. We are struggling. Not sure how to cook. Bought some sunflower oil and gluten free foods today. Frustrated that we don’t know what to cut. Every day she breaks out in rashes after eating, sometimes more than once.

This has really had an impact on Larissa. She is crying over food and is afraid to eat. She doesn’t need to lose weight but at this rate she will. We are cutting out processed food. Looking for more natural foods, apples without the shine. I hate that I can’t feed my child foods that don’t hurt her.

Anyone with food allergies? Corn allergies? I sure hope it isn’t corn! Please share

Kathy's Visit

Kathy Cassel came for a visit. I helped her with some painting and she helped me with a book idea.

We took some pictures of Larissa for Kathy's new book that is being published about Kia, a freerunner.

It was nice to have Kathy visit. Having someone to talk with that understands what your dealing with is so nice. I think we talked more than anything else. Guess I will have to head south for the next visit.

The Phone

It is a cracked and broken phone but it works fine.

It was given to Emma by a boy at school so he could talk to her.

She didn’t tell me about it, her siblings did when it fell out of her backpack.

Soon she will have a clear backpack because it concerns me when a boy gives a girl a phone so they can contact them. With Joselin there was sneaking out at night because of contact with a phone I didn’t know about.

I returned the phone to the school. They are investigating.

Might be innocent or might not. We had a family talk about sex trafficking, girls meeting boys and actually meeting men and disappearing, girls doing favors for their “boyfriends” who have groomed them, how a boy if he respects you won’t sneak you phones, won’t ask you to sneak out, if you respect yourself you won’t sneak out. A lot of discussion brought about because of a single phone.

I have now had this happen with two daughters. Anyone have this issue! Anyone want to move to a deserted island? It begins and I am not ready.

Ack!

OK, so when you take  placement from another foster home you would hope that they would tell you any big issues. I am not worried about small issues but big issues are kind of important. Why would they not tell us?

Our foster son was placed with anger issues, they told me about them. We are used to dealing with that so we accepted the foster placement. After placement we were told it was an adoptive placement. Then we get his sister out of a group home and she tells all. Most concerning is that he heard voices telling him to kill his foster mom. Ohhh, news to me. Oh, and they have schizophrenia in the family. I ask the social worker. She says she put the hearing of voices into the request for a move, didn't they tell me that? Uh, no. Honestly I would have said no, which I am sure is why they kept that bit out. Then I tell her about the mental illness. She didn't know but checked into it. It is true.

The child hasn't been hearing voices but does see people. Most recently he saw someone at the bus stop.

Now, I know schizophrenia doesn't typically show until teens, early adult. Medications help. I also read that a big issue is if they stop taking the medications. There is no way of knowing if he will develop schizophrenia. He may not. He may. I will be a lot older when they happens, like mid-60's if that happens.

I know that with kids there is no guarantee. You may have a healthy kid one day and a sick or injured one the next day. They are still your kid, you still take care of them, for life if needed. However, I will be honest and say that this scares me. If adoptions had called me and given me all of the information I would have said no to the placement. Now I have a kid who does well in our family but there is a part of me who is scared to make that commitment. His anger issues have gone away and he works hard at school. He is typically annoying for a boy his age which is in the normal range. Still, I am concerned.

Anyone with experience with schizophrenia? Anyone have issues with DSS not disclosing everything?