Where To Start?

If this goes all over the place, blame it on DFACS*, they made it that way.
Let's go back about 2 months ago when I only had 1 (one) foster child, Baby Weepy.We planned on taking The Boy & The Grandson to ride Thomas the Tank Engine about 2 hours away. I asked for respite care for baby weepy, just 8 or 10 hours. Not over night, not for the weekend, just for the day. I gave them 2 MONTHS notice, so I wouldn't have to worry about not getting anybody to do it, or them saying I hadn't given enough time. I bought the tickets 2 months ago at 22.00 a pop. Not cheap for a 25 minute train ride, 2 hours away. Then came Baby K, I told his SW at placement I would need respite for that time. No problem, she says. Then came Baby Weepy's baby sister. I let the SW know again via Email to please not forget I needed respite for the day. No reply. The day gets closer. All the SW's in our area are off on Friday's because of the budget cuts. Thursday night they called and said, "we can't find anybody, can't you take them with you?" Need I tell you I was upset? On Friday morning Baby K's SW calls to say she found someone to watch him. Ok, one down, 2 to go. Baby Weepy & company's SW never called back. When I called the person about Baby K, I told her my story and she so graciously offered to do the newborn too. But did not have the space for another car seat, which is understandable. So I was left to deal with what to do with Baby Weepy. The knowledge that 2- 3 year olds and 1- 2 year old WILL MELT DOWN on a long trip made me just want to forget the whole thing. Then I was angry. Realizing that they could not care less about me or my family and what we do for these kids. All I was asking for was an 8 hour break. They wouldn't even see to it that we got that. (What do you think they will do/say in November when I WILL be going on a 10 day vacation?) So we were stuck taking him with us.
After I had delt with this all day on Friday:
THEN Friday night we were called by a complete stranger from some shelter where Baby Weepy's Bmom is, wanting us to bring them down for a VISIT. HELLO, she popped positive when she came back from the state she ran to after she had the baby. If she's in a non-lock down shelter waiting to go into state paid for rehab AGAIN, chances are she's used after she came back here. I told the nice person that I didn't think so. What ever visitation that went on would be supervised by dfacs* and transported by same.
OH, to add to all that I was put on 90 days probation at work (something I've never been thrugh) Because I have used all my vacation & sick days on Baby Weepy and all his medical problems. That was all gone by the end of Jan. Now every time they call me to come get him from daycare, which is 3 or 4 times a week, it's with no pay. Plus a very upset supervisor. I understand their position. They hired me to do a job and it's not being done. I relayed this to the SW who said, "let me call them, I can change their minds." ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I can't take another day off for 90 days. I have a kid too, that gets sick or needs to be taken here or there. This is just gotten way out of control. And they don't care. They do not care about me or my family, the stress it puts on us or anything else for that matter. I am nothing but a place to drop kids. The system does not care if it destroys your family, as long as the kids have a place to go. Now, they are upset with me that I want allow them to call my employer.
The fact is, I can't continue on with them not caring about the stress and strain they create by not helping me with respite or just return phone calls. They don't care my job is on the line. Or the fact I have 4 kids under the age of 3.
I'm afraid I had to ask that they move Baby Weepy & sister. I know that's bad. I feel bad about it. But at some point in all this I have to consider my family & my sanity. We have to have a life too. I can't continue this madness. Baby Weepy's health issues would be a huge load if he was the only kid I had. But with 3 more...they get sick too, need dr appts too.
I can't keep everybody happy. What I must do is remember not to neglect MY family, which is what has been happening for months.
They are not happy with me. I guess there goes foster parent of the month* for us. I was looking forward to the plastic trophy.

Changes

are about to come.
Things got ugly.
More later.

Here is where I pose a mind blowing question...

I want even go into how it came to be that I ask you this question. I'll let you use your imagination.
How can you have a 5 month old baby and be 5 months pregnant?
I've been a mama...a nurse... & somebody with a little common sense for a long time and for the life of me I can't figure this one out. Or maybe I just don't want to think about it.
Any insight?

You'll NEVER guess what happened...

Dfacs* made a mistake! Can you believe it?
Actually (they tell me) CPS* made the mistake.
What mistake? Calling Gma and telling her to come pick up Baby Weepy's sister from the hospital. It seems the CPS dept. didn't know there was another child in care & that ICPC* was being done on Gma. Which disqualified her as a placement for new baby.
Gma came all the way from another state, to be told,"oh sorry, our mistake".
I understand her irritation at the system... I deal with it everyday in alot of different ways.
I got a call yesterday asking if I could come to the hospital to pick the baby up.
Picking a newborn baby up from the hospital is never "pretty", for some reason I'm always the bad guy??? I didn't pop + for drugs. I'm not taking your kid away.
I didn't have anything "nice" to say to mom who was still high on crack. So I chose not to say anything to her. Her mother knew all the updates on Baby Weepy, who she all the sudden was worried about after 5 months. I have no pity or politeness for women who choose to do that to innocent babies. You may feel differently, and that's fine. I have a hard time holding my tongue when asked questions, I tend to give truthful answers. So it really was best not to say anything to her at this particular time. We'll see if she really wants her children back or drops off the face of the earth like she did 5 months ago.
If this seems all over the place, it's because I'm running on 3 hours sleep and a dim memory of what it's like to take care of a newborn and get "stuff" done.
If your keeping score, I now have a 3yr old, 2 yr old, 5 month old and a 3 day old.
After this, I'm taking loooong break. I promise.

No, this isn't a riddle, It's what I have to deal with...

Raise your hand if you know the answer.
I got a phone call informing me baby weepy has a sibling. (I had been hoping she was lieing about being pregnant, but I guess not) and would I be able to take the baby if they could not find a suitable relative? (Hello, that's why I have baby weepy) I told them yes, I would. The only relative was gma in another state who was trying to get baby weepy through ISPC* but she had been working on it for 5 months and had gotten no where yet. Had only visited one time. They said, "OK, you'll be hearing from us."
Then I get a call from Gma saying a SW had called her and asked if she could come take this new baby from the hospital, because she tested + for drugs. The SW said come tomorrow, sign papers and take the baby back to the other state.
NOW, I ask YOU. Am I Crazy to think, WHAT is going on? If she is good enough to take this newborn (which she said she'd never do because of her age) right from the hospital in this state & same county & take back to another state, WHY? has baby weepy been in care for 5 months? Why are things not good enough for her to take Baby Weepy? I think it's whatever is convenient for them at the time. This has my brain (or what's left of it) reeling.
I don't get it. Am I missing something. It's not even that CPS* wasn't involved with the new one, because they are. As soon as she tested pos. a SW was called and a case opened.
Just when you think you've seen it all.

He just gets older...he doesn't GROW!

Maybe it's good, maybe it's bad.

I just can't see where the Boy is growing at all.

It was hot outside yesterday as he "helped" me plant my garden. So I go inside and grab the first pair of shorts I can find. Size 24 months...fits him fine! He's almost 3 1/2.

Here's a comparison from last Easter to this Easter.

The first one is last year. The last one this year. Can you tell the difference? A little less baby face maybe?
(he would like you to click on the last picture, so you can see his turtle pants...he's very proud of them)

David's Day

Has it really been 1 year since our adoption was finalized? It seems a little "off" since he's been with us for almost 3 years...the wheels of dfacs* turns very slowly.

But we celebrate the fact that they haven't been able to tell us what to do...in regard to David for one whole year! Waahoo!

I'm Not even going to pretend to name this post...

Do you have "team meetings" for your foster children?
It's where everyone involved with the case meet and in theory talk about where the case is going and what the bfamily needs to do to get their children back, ie-- stop doing drugs.
Usually in attendance is: the case worker, the casa, the foster parent, the bparent/family and a "family advocate" (still not real sure where they fit in). I've worked with this family advocate before and she is all about reunification and she's great with the families.
I usually just sit there and let the others do their thing. They tell the bparent what needs to be done, what they've done so far and based on their history with dfacs* if it will be a concurrent or reunification case.
This is where it gets interesting...I always try to go to these meetings because this is where you learn what is REALLY going on.
When it's my turn to talk, I tell them I had her first child in care 4 yrs ago. At which point she interjects "yea, I know I was in prison then, but I didn't know your name. You gots my boy now?" I say "ummmm, NO. We were not the couple IN THE COURT ROOM WITH YOU when he was adopted 3 years ago." I go on to tell them how well Baby K is doing and what a good baby he is. AT this point she feels free to tell us how hard she tried with Baby K...only doing drugs occasionally, and only one time did she forget where she left him. She tried really hard...in the 3 months she had him. (He's 4 months old now)
I tell her to just work her case plan and I was sure she would be taking her baby home soon. blah, blah, blah, I'm sure is what she heard.
BECAUSE here is where she lets the room know, if all she has is 6 months to work a case plan (because of her history with & loss of a child for the same reasons 4 yrs ago) she didn't know how she could do it all ---ALL being get a job, keep it, find a decent place to live and a car--
BECAUSE she's 3 months pregnant. She goes on to say she doesn't know why or how this always happens to her. She just picks the worst guys. ( I guess she's never heard of birth control, in whatever form) or heck stay away from guys for more than 3 weeks after giving birth.
I'm just a prude like that, I guess.
Unfortunately,all these meetings go about the same. Same story, same outcome. I know this story plays out all over the United States every day. What's going on? Why are these women making a choice to not parent their children? and yes, I believe it is a choice. When you do something 2,3,4 or more times, it's a choice.
I swear I'll never understand the way they think.
Am I being too critical? No, really you can be honest.

Easter.......without the bunny

The Cross did not happen to Jesus:
He came on purpose for it.
--Oswald Chambers

Thank You Father

X-14 just a BATHROOM CLEANER??

Have you ever seen X-14 Mold & Mildew cleaner? I've always thought it was only a bathroom cleaner, so I've never used it. (my bathroom never had mold or mildew) Until now.

Mom Central ( I love these people) http://www.momcentral.com/ and http://www.x14brand.com/

gave me the chance to give X-14 a try. Since I only had 3 things that drove me crazy with mildew on them, I thought I'd give it a try on them. I had tried everything on the outdoor toys the kids used and nothing took off the mold/mildew/red clay stains. I literally sprayed the X-14 on the sandbox, the cozy coupe and the huge slide/climber waited 30 minutes and hosed them off. It really did all come off with no scrubbing. I love it...because it really does work the way it says.

*Note the before and after pictures of the sandbox top. Amazing!*

Baby Einstein--Party of 3

Mom Central & Baby Einstein have given us the opportunity to preview their new DVD & CD,World Music --Swing, Sway, Play To A New Beat! A really cool set that introduces your little one to the sounds and sights from all over the world. A drum from Africa, a Celtic harp from Ireland and other instruments from other countries. As you can see everyone loved it...from the 4 month old to the 3 year. You would have seen mommy in the picture too, but someone had to take the picture. It was one of the most entertaining DVD & CD to date. We gave it an A+

PHEWwwwwww

What a long day!
Baby Weepy's surgery went perfectly. They drained off alot of fluid & infection. Literally 3 hours after the surgery,he was a different child. He was happy, smiling, babbling up a storm. Playing like he has never played. He was trying to do flips in the floor! He said at least 4 new words he'd never said before. I expected changes, but not so quick! The Dr said it relieved so much pressure off his little head he had to feel better. He said it would be hard for him to feel any worse.
It's amazing to think a 15 minute surgery could make such a HUGE difference in a little life.
He said it was so bad there was no telling how long it had been in there.
I'm so happy this is over...now to work on those teeth!

.....and scrape me off again!

Baby Weepy became sicker over the weekend. His ear pointed straight foreward from all the fluid buildup and continued to have high fevers. Lucky me, I knew this was a little something called mastoiditis. I wont bore you with the details. Let's just say he's a sick boy. I had been told last Thursday the Dr's surgery schedule was booked almost to the end of the month.
I took him in this morning to let the dr tell me what I already knew, but he needed to be aware the kid was going down hill fast. Before I even seen the Dr, the tech came and said, "oh, I had a note to call you today and tell you his surgery has been scheduled for this Wed.!!" That's right, day after tomorrow!
I hate getting up at the crack of dawn for a surgery I know will not happen for 2 or 3 more hours, but I'll have to grin and bear it. Because that's pretty great news! He really couldn't have lasted very much longer. His ears are FULL of infection.
Thank God it happened so fast and without me having to beg & plead.
Two things going perfectly...I don't know if I can handle it.

Somebody scrape me off the floor...

They did something right!
I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.
My fear was that they would take their sweet time getting the surgery paperwork signed, since it has to be signed by the director. ( It's taken weeks before with other kids and The Boys never happened, we paid for it after the adoption)
This is the email I got a mere one day after the consult:

Hi, Ms. D
Ms SW wasn't here this afternoon when the doctor's office fax arrived. Ms. Director signed the consent for surgery, and I returned the consents via fax to Dr. A's office at 3:20 pm today. Please let me know if there are any problems with this and I can resend it. Also please let us know when little BabY Weepy's procedure is scheduled.
Thanks!! Ms supervisor

Is it too late for an April fools joke? Can this be real? My fear is that someone will jump out at the surgery and yell, " You didn't really think we were going to make this EASY, did you?"
How sad when you expect it to be messed up and complicated, but are scared when things go too easy.
Thank God they did what they were supposed to...for his sake.

Sick'r 'en a dawg

Baby weepy is sick, sick ,sick. He has massive ear infections that will not go away. He flat lined on his hearing test today. (no sound getting thru to the ear drum) I've been up 2 nights in a row from midnight til 7am cleaning up body fluids best left un-de-scribed and washing bedding & clothes.
High fevers, the whole thing. He had a fever of 102.5 AFTER a Rocephin shot today. and I have to take him back for another tomorrow. He'll get tubes in his ears ASAP or when the county decides to sign off on it.
Baby K continues to be a great baby. Which means I'm sure he'll be leaving soon. I only get to keep the very sick ones it seems. I kid. But he is a doll.
Poor baby weepy has had a hard road, after these 2 surgeries maybe he'll be where is should be physically.

PASSED

I mopped the floors and cleaned off the counters.
We passed.

Yearly Review

Wednesday is our annual recertification/review for our foster care license. Usually I would be cleaning like a mad woman. Cleaning carpets, baseboards & trying to reach the chandelier that's 22 feet up in the entry way. (I haven't reached it in 8 yrs) But this year I just can't work up the "want to". They've treated us so badly over the past couple of years, I just don't care. We have quarterly reviews too, which we just had one a month ago & I didn't care then either. It's not like there's not a SW in my house at least twice a month. If my house didn't meet some unknown standard,it seems they would have said something.
~sigh~ I'll probably be cleaning like a mad woman Tuesday night.
noooo, maybe I'll just mop and clean off the counters and call it a night.

Baby K

Baby K is proving to be one of the best babies I have ever seen. At 4 months old he smiles & laughs all the time.
The only time he's really cranky is when he's hungry or overly tired. He's a good sleeper too.
Goes to bed about 10:00pm and if he wakes, it's usually about 3:30 takes his bottle and goes back to sleep until I wake him at 8:00am. He's slept thru the night once since he's been here.
But he has got to have a bladder the size of a basketball! If he pees one time in a diaper, it's like you poured 2 cups of water into the thing.
I'm not sure how he naps during the day. He has been at daycare everyday since we got him for naps. So this weekend should be interesting.
What is really going to be interesting is going to "Chunky Cheese" for my granddaughter's 2nd birthday party with a 3 yr old, a 22 mo old & a 4 mo old. I really dislike the Chunky Mouse anyway...It's always wall to wall rude people. Yuck.
OHH, and Baby Weepy still hasn't gotten rid of the double ear infection he has had for 4 months, so now on top of having surgery to remove his rotten teeth, they want him to have tubes put in his ears too.
Life is always crazy around here.
I can't wait til November gets here so I can go on that "pinky mouse boat". (The Boy's rendition of a Disney* Cruise)

The Locator....

Who watched it and what do you think...from any prospective?

Full Circle

We got a call yesterday for a 4 month old. And like something crazy I took him.
We go pick him up. I ask the inevitable question,"will this be long term?" "Oh, no she says, the grandparents want him, they are having a home study done, and if not them, then the couple who adopted his 5 yr old brother wants him very badly."
That's fine. I filed the info away for later use.
After our busy day, I hadn't had time to read what little case file comes with him. So last night I took the time to read it. Way, wayyyy back in a corner, found accidentally on some old WIC papers was Bmom's name. I said NOOOOOO, surly not. I remembered
the name from one of our very first placements. A little boy who at 18 months had been through hades and back. He came to us with a broken leg & had been left in a crib for very long periods of time. After a time we thought he was severely autistic. We were literally held hostage in our home. We couldn't go anywhere. OHHHHh the scenes that boy would make. Someone almost called the police one time. They would call me everyday from daycare to come get him. He was jumping off bookcases & actually breaking into the locked closets with the markers & bleach! They called him Houdini because he could get out of any door, locked or not. The Sunday school workers for his age, I know were praying we didn't come on the day they had his age group!
So, I save the charts I make on all our children, I check this boy's chart and lo and behold it's the same Bmom's name & for good measure I check the boy's date of birth, yep just turned 5 a few months ago. COINCIDENCE?? I think NOT. I don't even think Dfac*s has put it together.
I'm just thankful our little guy from 4 yrs ago was adopted. I just knew because of his problems he would be deemed unadoptable and sent to an institution. It would be great if these saintly people who adopted his brother could adopt this one too. Beautiful, Beautiful children.
I guess if you do this foster care thing long enough you come full circle many times over.

New Species Discovered

Please see the photos above.

We were called into a little boy's room late one night. He said there was "something" in his room.

This is the only thing out of the ordinary we could find.

It is shown with what we believe is the only thing "it" consumes...chocky milk in a sippy cup and a "bobby" it seems to only need when sleeping.

I have shown many different angles for identifying purposes.

If you know what this thing is, please let me know. It's a pest and keeps breaking into The Boy's bedroom every few nights.

It's A Pretty Purple & matches my bathroom!

Mom Central & Johnson's have asked me to try the new Listerine Total Care.
I really like it and not just because it matches my bathroom either!
But because you get all this:

Take advantage of 6 benefits in one mouthwash:
Helps Prevent Cavities
Restores Minerals to Enamel
Strengthens Teeth
Kills Bad Breath Germs
Freshens Breath
Fights Unsightly Plaque Above the Gum Line

**AND it doesn't burn your taste buds and mouth to a crisp**
I'll actually use it because of this. I didn't care for using mouth wash before, because I actually wanted to taste my coffee in the morning and not go to bed at night feeling like my mouth was going to explode.
And it doesn't hurt that it looks nice in the bathroom.
If you want to see all the really cool new stuff Listerine has or more about the Listerine Total Care go to www.listerine.com

Gone

Little RADish girl is gone.
They called at noon to say at the 72 hour court hearing today that GREATgrandma will get custody. Seems she has 11 & 4 yr old siblings that already live with Ggrandma. So they either had to take the 2 away or give Littlegirl to Ggma. With the "new" give services while in the home effort, it was almost a given she would go with a relative if one was out there. The poor lady looked about 75 and could barely walk. I don't know how she's going to do it. She said the little girl stayed with her most of the time anyway?? Maybe it explains alot of her behaviors, VERY unsocialized. I guess they stay home alot. I understand why they want/need to do more services in home. But is it always best for the kids. Nothing is ever going to be 100% right...but geeezzz a 75 yr old having to raise that many kids, that young?
I'll just mark it up to learning more of what I can deal with and what I will not. My heart and mind goes out to all of you dealing day in and day out with children with RAD. Bless YOU.

Dumb & Dumber

HI!
Hello, did you call me? yep, that's me...dumb and getting dumber by the minute.
Last night the phone rang....at 11:00pm
YOU know where this is going, don't you?
Why does noone do crazy things between the hours of 9-5?
Soooooo.......
She's just shy of 3 yrs old. Twice as big as The Boy. Can't talk, isn't potty trained, climbs out of a crib, wont stay in a bed. Will NOT listen when you try to talk to her. She jerks away and runs off. Has the attention span of a gnat. Throws whatever she has in her hand in the floor. Starting calling us mommy & daddy before the S.W left last night/this morning. Supposedly never been in care before but acts like any RAD kid I've seen that's been in care for years.
Today while out trying to get her some clothes & shoes (she came with neither) we were in a consignment shop that knows me well. They were having their lunch on the counter and she just reaches up and takes what she wants! I almost died. I quickly explained to her we don't touch other people's food and that was rude. She skipped off to wreck havoc elsewhere. We were at Sam's Club buying diapers for her when she was just saying mommy, mommy over and over. (I had stopped correcting her & telling her to call me D) I said "yes little girl, what do you want? She reached over and kissed my cheek?? We are complete strangers to her. Alot of RAD behavior is pretty clear but I'm not sure how to deal with it. Since we usually deal with babies I'm not up on behavior motification or how I should react to some of what she does.
Any ideas?

**I've told her about a million times we are not mommy & daddy and to call us by our names. It's as though I've not said a word to her**

Our Week In review...

A Week ago we woke up to this! Today is was 80 degrees and the kids were in shorts.

The 2nd photo should be titled "Wishful Thinking" on Baby Weepy's behalf. He was afraid of the snow. He wouldn't step on it. He just kept pulling his feet up.The Boy was eating it! Of course it was all but gone the next day. But it was fun while it lasted.Which in my opinion, one day is plenty. Notice the mileage we're getting out of the Boy's Bear hat. I think for 3 winters straight he has been able to fit Bear Hat. Daddy says he hopes he never out grows it.

The first photo is my weeping Mulberry tree. I love it. It is gorgeous in the spring and summer. It looks like an umbrella.

Conversations with a S*W

Me-Hi Ms. Rude.
I'm calling to tell you B.W needs to go to the Pediodontist. It's over an hour from our house and I've used all my vacation time this yr and most of my sick time on B.W's needs. I need you or someone to transport to the Consult & possible surgery. I don't have anymore time off and I know I've got to stay home with him at least 2 days after the surgery. I need help in doing all this.
Ms. Rude- I don't see how I can help, it's far for me too. You'll have to take him to the consult and I can pick him up and take him to daycare. Then I'll be there for the surgery and bring him home.( they have to be there for all surgery's, so this is no concession).
Me- Even if I take him to the consult I will have used more than 1/2 day of time I do not have on the books to take him. Not to mention, I do have another child I have to make arrangements for while I take him. I don't see how I can take another day off, when I'm going to have to take 2 days off while he recoups at home. Two days without pay, by the way. I can't take 3 days off without pay.
Ms. Rude- Well you'll have to do something, I'll wait for your call to tell me what you've worked out. Talk to you later.
Need I tell you, I DON'T THINK SO. I've taken off enough time. They do not care what inconvenience they cause ME. She's just going to have to do it. I do believe she gets paid for these things....I do not. And the fact I've already used all my vacation and sick time for him, does not matter one bit. That is my problem.
Somebody please tell me why I do this.

Discover something great & educational

Discover card has hit upon a great idea!
Have you ever sent a kid away to college only to have them come back owing more on credit cards than student loans? I have...it's no fun.
I thought I had taught them how to handle money. Boy, was I wrong. When away from mom and dad they go crazy. There are credit card companies on the campus from day one practically throwing credit cards at them. They don't have a clue. One clue is if you don't have a job, you can't pay back all that money you're spending.
Discover has designed a debit card for teens, tailored for parents meaning it has built in controls for parents. AND if it's a debit card, they can't spend more than they have!
I think if this is started with teens early on, it will teach them money management. Things bought with credit cards are NOT FREE, it must be paid back. I really like this concept. I hope it catches on.
If you want to see what it's all about, go visit them at www.currentbydiscover.com

Guess Who's going to be a Mommy AGAIN?

Good Grief, NOOOOOO, not me. I'm not crazy. OK, maybe a little.
However, my oldest daughter IS. She is the holder of my 2 Meme babys. (& I guess I should give credit to my long suffering son-in-law every once in a while)
I should have known something was up when she called to invite me to go out and have dinner with her. She is my child that always cared what Mommy thought or would say. So she was nervous. I'm not really sure what she thought I would say or do. Like...tell her,"NO, you absolutely can not have another baby. Now, GO put it right back where you got it from...right now, little girl! You already have two of those at home. You do not need another one, you'll just wad it up and leave it in the closet like all the rest of them. Go on, put it back."
She said she was nervous to tell me because "I'm the mean one". I am NOT MEAN. Just because I tell you what I think, does not make me mean! Was she too nervous to tell her dad? NO! Because I guess he's the "nice" one. She had called him with the news before I made it home from dinner.Which, I might add, I made her pay for...because I'm mean like that.
They've only been trying since January, which means, well it means we (she) are a fertile bunch. She's due in early November. Not being mean or anything...but this better not interfere with my cruise in November. I bet she did this on purpose. ~for those who don't know me, PLEASE read sarcasm here~
I can not be a Meme to 3! I am much too young. For heaven's sake I have a 3 year old!

I'm amoung friends....RIGHT?

I think I can tell you this. I'm not normally a potty talking kind of girl. But this was so funny I just had to tell someone....that being you. I'm sure you wont think less of me. I hope.
The Boy is making progress in his potty training. We don't use candy because the Boy has an aversion to EATING anything, even candy. so what we use is Wow Wow Wubbzy stickers.
He has filled his little chart with stickers a few times over and we've started on the back of the charts. He likes his stickers.
Tonight, I'm using the potty. The Boy comes in and starts to clap. He says "you a good girl, mommy, YOU get to pick out a sticker." So I had to pick out a sticker for "The Chart". HEY, don't judge. If it works, I'll pee and pick out a hundred stickers!
Let me tell you, if you didn't already know (which I DID NOT) boys are different than girls. At least when it comes to potty training. This is hard work with this Boy.
We signed him up for pre-school starting in Sept at our local Church. Now the clock is really ticking on the potty training thing.

The Greatest Show On Earth

Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey knows our economy is bad. But don't we all need a break from real life for just a few hours? They are running a promotion to help us bring some great memories to our kids at a pretty good price. 44.00 isn't bad for a family of 4, for some great fun & lasting memories. Be sure to use the promo code: MOM to get the discount. Below are just some of the places they will be. Go to their website to see if they will be in your area for this great deal!

A link to http://www.ringling.com/
The discount code for Ringling Bros. Circus. Code: MOM

*Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels**. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Other Restrictions May Apply.

*Offer #2: A select amount of Front Row and VIP seats have been reserved for you to buy before they go on sale to the public - just enter the code "MOM" when purchasing those seats.
Dates and cities where families can use the national MOM discount code this spring are as follows:
Newark/East Rutherford/Uniondale/NYCRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOMMarch 5 - April 13Offer not valid on performances from April 10 - 13 at Madison Square Garden
Washington D.C./ Fairfax, VA/ Baltimore, MDRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The TopMarch 18-April 19
PhiladelphiaRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM May 13-May 25
PhoenixRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOMJune 24-June 28
HoustonRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The TopJuly 15-July 26
Anaheim/LA/OntarioRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOMJuly 8-August 2
San Francisco Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOMAugust 12-August 23
Dallas/Ft WorthRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The TopJuly 29-August 16
SacramentoRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOMAugust 27-August 30
Kansas CityRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The TopSeptember 16-September 20

Quick update

****Baby Weepy is 21 months old and NO! he will not be joining our family. The Boy is our last. Unless God has a HUGE sence of humor! We will keep BW safe til his forever family comes to get him. (however long that may be)***

Since you asked...
The husband, he is doing great. He is 2 weeks post op and walking well, has very little pain (all things considered) He even made dinner one night this week! He goes in tomorrow for a post op appt to have his staples taken out. I think the Dr will be pleased with his progress.
Thank you for your prayers. It really did mean alot to us.
As for Baby Weepy, he's still here. Remember I said his teeth were rotted to the gums? I didn't think a dentist would do oral surgery on a baby so young...I was wrong. the dentist today referred us to a periodontist. To have all the rotted teeth extracted. That means putting him under and cutting open the gums and taking the teeth out. Geeezzz, the boy has been thru so much already, this is going to set him back sooo far. Eating with a mouth full of sutures wont' be fun. If not down right impossible. I'm sure he'll loose the weight he's gained while here. Not to mention the pain, ect, ect. I don't look foreword to this. But it must be done. No one has bothered to show for any of his court dates. And no one bothers to work a case plan, so he has no visitation with any family. (good for us, not so much for him) Which leads me to think TPR.

"No More Tears" is 50 Years Old!

Mom Central and Johnson's have ask me to try 2 of their new products to celebrate Johnson's 5oth anniversary.
I love Johnson's baby shampoo! Isn't it what we've come to know as that "baby smell"?
That special smell is right up there with opening a can of play dough or a new box of crayons.
I was able to try Johnson's Head To Toe Foaming Wash and Johnson's Baby Bubble Bath & Wash. Of course, it has that great baby smell and the quality we've come to expect for Johnson's after 50 years. The Boy especially likes the Head to Toe Foaming Wash. There's just something about washing with foam!
See! Look at that face. It says I love Foam Wash.
To see some really cute videos go take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/baby
Too Cute.

What to say, what to say

I'm sure alot of you read "adoption under one roof". Some of the articles "I get" as an adoptive parent and some leave me going "huh?". The Boy, he is not our first go 'round, in this adoption thing. So it's not like we're 3 yrs in to this adoption life, so to speak. We've done it from the ground up for 20 yrs. So we've been through all the stages this life brings you. We've done both private and through foster care. We've seen many sides to the table.
I can't tell you how many people think and have even said to me,"all these kids/babies in foster care, you must be able to pass a few tests and walk out with a kid". Not in so many words, but pretty close.
They have NO idea just how broken the system is. Sure there are lots of kids out there needing homes, but the need for a home and even people who want them, just doesn't happen. And I have a hard time explaining to people, just because this kid is going to adoption and YOU want them, doesn't not mean a thing.
Anyway I said all that to tell you this...
Here is an article on Adoption under one roof, you might find interesting, if you've ever had to deal with foster adoption I'm sure you can relate.
I think people who want to adopt from foster care should have to talk to as many foster parents as they can possibly find, to understand what they are about to undertake. It's not for the weak.........not saying she is, just interesting

http://ouradopt.com/adoption-blog/feb-2009/guestblogger/guest-blog-frustrations-while-attempting-adopt-foster-care

Things not to forget

Last night while sitting on the couch watching Wow Wow Wubbzy.
The Boy being age 3 years, 2 months & 17 days climbed up onto the couch,
put his head on my arm and said,"I love you, mommy. I so happy."
All totally unprovoked. What a good Boy I have.

What must it feel like

What does it feel like when no one cares
if you're hungry, did you eat everything at daycare?
if you're hurt or hurting
if you're sick or well, (your nose hurts, it's raw from being wiped)
if you have clothing or a clean diaper
if you're cold
if you have a crib or bed to sleep in, do you have enough covers
if you're still too clumsy to walk correctly
if you still can't talk
Who worries and says "What's wrong with my baby, somethings not right,something has to be done!"
These are only basic things.
What does it feel like when drugs & alcohol take over your life so completely that you don't care about any of those things for your very own flesh & blood? A mother's reason for living? Your pride & joy? Surely you must have cared at some point? Was he ever your pride? your pure joy, just to look at him? Would you have ever thought twice to smack down anyone who dared hurt him? Even if it was you? Did you ever have grand dreams for him? for you?
He needs to know what it feels like to be loved and nurtured and to simply know that someone cares.
Yes, I care. But what I do will only last a little while.
But why don't you?
He needs a mother, a child always needs it's mother and a father too. If you really cared about him, you would give him that, one way or another.
But I see
you don't care.
So I hurt for him now
he'll be hurt enough later on
If you only knew...........

You know you're loved when

you get this many comments on 1 post.
20,528 Comments
Permanent link to this post.
Which means she probably has many more READERS.
I'm just not that interesting. geeeezzzz.

We have some Wow! Wow! Love around here

Mom Central asked me to review Wow! Wow! Wubbzy's new DVD, "A little help from my friends". We have been huge Wow,Wow! (as the Boy calls him/her) around here for some time.
I wasn't so sure what he liked about the square-ish hero Wubbzy and their odd shaped friends until I watched it with him. (Wubbzy's funny) But the reason I like Wubbzy, is this little tale of Tails.(hehe, get it, if you watch Wubbzy you do) My boy knows his manners. He says, please, thank you & I'm sorry. I thought we would work on Excuse Me later on. To excuse oneself is a "reach" when you're 3 years old. So we didn't really work on excuse me. One day while I was busy, the Boy said, "Excuse me Mommy, I need some juice". I almost fell over! I said,"Who taught you the words excuse me?" Thinking maybe Daddy had been teaching him a few things. He said "Wow, Wow said it was good manners to say excuse me." Need I tell you, I have LOVED Wow, Wow ever since?
In this new DVD, Wow!Wow! Wubbzy teaches the importance of positive values like confidence, cooperation, teamwork and above all, the meaning of friendship. We love this new DVD as much as the others.
If you want to find out more about Wubbzy or just visit a cool website that the kids will love go to: http://wubbzy.com

How can you sleep with this

I'm laying in bed hoping for just 5 more minutes of peace before having to start my day. In comes the Boy:
Boy: mommy, you wake?
mommy: NO
Boy: come down, I watch Wonder Pets.
mommy: Boy, give mommy just 5 more minutes, & I'll come down and turn the TV on for you.
Boy: Mommy, get up it's a bright shiny day!
All I could do was hug him to death and wonder where this boy comes up with these things.
I think he knows being cute will get mommy up every time.

Update...

Things went well yesterday. A bone graft we didn't count on = alot more pain for him.
He was in alot of pain yesterday when I left him. But that's to be expected.
Today we visited in the afternoon and he seemed a little more comfortable. He was able to carry on bits and pieces of a conversation. He sat in a chair for over an hour, which left him pretty drained and in alot of pain. He still has a long way to go. Thank you to everyone for your kind words and prayers.

If I'm gone for a little while...

You'll know why. I've not left you!
My wonderful husband has to have a Spinal Fusion on 4 different levels tomorrow 2/2 @ 7:00am. He will be in the hospital for 4 days and out of work for 6 weeks.
It's going to be a little overwhelming taking care of the boys and trying to visit him in the hospital an hour away, then taking care of 3 "boys" when he gets home.
We would be most grateful for your prayers. For as little pain as possible, a perfect as possible outcome to this surgery, and a quick healing...and for my sanity.
I"ll try to update you when I have a free minute or two.

We Have A Winner...

Thanks to the handy dandy number generator it is:

Alaina said...
My baby is ADORABLE! He is 5 months and so sweet - he smiles all the time and loves to laugh!

Please email me your address Alaina.

There's NO way I could choose who had the cutest child....Because as we all know, EVERY mother has the most beautiful baby in the world. (My 3 oldest are really too old for the DVD)
Thanks for playing along everybody!

BLOGGY GIVEAWAY~ Baby Einstein set

*** IT'S OVER, AND IT WAS FUN***

Today's the DAY! I love the Bloggy Giveaway.

As for me and my blog....We are doing a wonderful Baby Einstein Baby MoZart DVD (ages 3 months +, but my 3 yr old loved it too) Also a CD of Baby Einstein Lullaby Classics, A soothing collection of music for bedtime. But it's nice for the car too.

Don't forget go on over to http://www.donttryit.com/bloggy_giveaways/

to see what else these wonderful bloggers have to give away!

To Win leave a comment on how cute your baby is! Don't forget to put your EMAIL ADDRESS in also.

It's That Time Again...

Bloggy Giveaway Time or it will be soon anyway.
Be sure to go check out all the giveaways this quarter. Last time I won 3 or 4 things.
Of course it's always fun to be apart of the giveaway too.
Click on the cute pink button to get all the details!

Messed Up & No Way Out

If there is a more messed up case than Baby Weepy's (other than Nita's) I don't want to know about it. There are more holes, loop holes, lies, battles, no one cares- everyone cares-I can't do anything about it-let them do it-I don't have time-money-resources. I'm in jail-your in jail-you're going to jail-I just got out, no job, no house, no car & no care, in this boy's case than I've seen in a longggg time....And NO way out for the most important person in the battle...Baby Weepy. Every relative will do just enough to keep this poor kid in care til he's 3 or 4 yrs old.
Why, in all that is Holy do the people involved not just sign over custody, so he will have a decent home? The old, "I'm not going to take care of him, but I'm not going to let anybody else who wants to do it, do it, either" mentality drives me crazy. What is going on in these people's head? Nothing? Do they not understand the damage they're doing to their children?
****************
sorry, insert sound of scooting my soap box back under my bed. I notice it's getting a little worn. It's not so solid anymore, it seems a little shakie, a little rickety, the paint's wore off.
Maybe it's time to get it fixed...or give it to someone else who could better use it than I.

It's so COLD...

The water is coming out of the faucet as ice water. REALLY!
That ain't right, people.

More Japan

Here's more of my bounty from the Asian super market. It's crazy to drive more than an hour for these things, but it's fun. And reminds me of a place I love. And as a bonus advantage. It gives me a glimpse into being a minority. Nothing like being in a place with hundreds of people and your the only white one. Yes, we get more than our share of second looks.

The little boy & girl plastic containers are big, bigger than a gallon jug. Their little hats screw off, and when your done you can use them as a bank, they have a slot cut in the top of the hat. They have different flavors of "jelly" in them shaped like stars. Japanese people love "jellies". It's not jelly as we know it. I can't even explain what it's like. But kids love it.

I dislike artificial sweeteners...ALOT

When I was asked to try TRUVIA, a calorie free sweetener, I wasn't so sure.
I refuse to eat or drink anything with artificial sweeteners in it. It's just gross! The after taste is enough to kill you, or me anyway. So much so, it's a running joke to my sick children to try to get me to "accidentally" drink dad's diet drink, just to see the look on my face! (sick kids) So when my box came, I knew the true test would be to make myself a cup of green tea and put a pack in. If I screwed up my face like I was going to throw up, it would be like all the others. No way would I spend my money on it. I was prepared not to like it.
But I am telling you. HONEST, cross my heart. This has NO after taste! It tastes like sugar. But with NO calories. But I'm sure it has alot to do with the fact it's not a man made chemical. It comes from the Stevia plant. I really do like Truvia. I'll be using it in my coffee & tea to cut a few hundred calories out of my diet. If you want to find out alot more about Truvia, go to: http://truvia.com
This is what to box has to say about it:

Water. Sunshine. Nutrients from the earth. That's what goes into the stevia plant. Then nature works her magic and creates a wonderfully sweet taste.
Next, we steep the leaves, much like making tea, that begins the process of capturing rebiana, the best tasting part of the stevia plant. Ultimately, this little leaf gives back a recipe for sweetness that's both delicious and zero-calorie guilt free.
Try a spoonful of this sparkly-goodness in your coffee. Truvia™ natural sweetener is a sweet little something that satisfies your cravings without adding calories.

Things to Know
1- Truvia™ natural sweetener is refreshingly uncomplicated. Sprinkle it on your grapefruit. Spoon it in your coffee. It won't end up on your conscience or your thighs.
2- One packet of Truvia™ natural sweetener provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar.
3- Truvia™ natural sweetener is a great alternative for people with diabetes. It is also kosher certified.

I Love Japan

We spent our New Year's Day shopping in the big city at a HUMONGO asian grocery/everything store. I love going there. They have any and every kind of produce you might want and most anything Japanese you may need. And I must have my REAL Japanese green tea from here. so we took a little trip.

I love aprons. I don't know why, I don't use them. I just like the thought of using them. So in the humongous store I found the cutest Japanese apron I had to have. I mean, it did say "The wonderful life". and they wouldn't lie about that. And besides that it said it had Quality and value that shine. That stuff is hard to come by!

Is that apron not the cutest thing? If you can't read it, it says MIAO Cat. It took me awhile to realize it was saying "MEOW CAT." I guess cats meow different in Japan. I've lived there...actually they do. The apron even has the little criss cross ties across the shoulders, like a typical Japanese apron. I love it. I'll never wear it.

We ate Vietnamese noodles at a restaurant called "What the PHO?" instead of the required black eyed peas & collard greens. We did get around to eating them on the 3rd. I'm sure luck and fortune will not hold this against us. I needed green tea!

I miss Japan. I want to go back...to live. If my husband could get a job there, I would move tomorrow. REALLY.

more of my Japanese store adventures to come.

I am only human

I have The Boy who is 3 yrs old, BABY WEEPY who is 19 months old and my MeMe girl who is 20 months old for 4 days. Baby Weepy cries constantly, and MeMe's girl is a tiny bully, who gets great delight in making Baby Weepy cry. And trust me that only takes a wrong look in his direction. I don't know how women who have "stair step" babies do it. There is a reason my girls are 4 yrs apart. I know my limitations.
Thank God for daycare tomorrow for Baby Weepy and MeMe's girl's mama will be home Tues!
By the way, I don't think I could work in a daycare. Just a thought.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY

(These are fireworks, people. It's as close as I could get.)

May your new year bring everything you hope for!

Sad News

It would appear that Baby Weepy has a brother or sister due in about 6 weeks.
Dear Lord, will these people never learn? get their act together? come to their senses? Learn better or simply say, "Hey, time to be an adult and take care of my kids". These are not young people, they are wayyy old enough to know better. Does the madness ever stop? But H*l* would freeze over before she would give this new baby up for adoption. God forbid, she let someone raise the baby that wanted it more than anything. I'll never understand this. Makes no sense to me. What do you think?

To the Management of Toy Makers in China...

May I compliment you on your workers tenacity in putting the toys in their boxes.
(Do you really think humans can take those things out?!)
What ever you pay your workers...they are worth every cent. They do their jobs very well.
It takes at least 30 minutes to take out all the wires and screws, staples and tape. As a bonus with every 30 minutes it takes to get the toys out, we get a 45 minute toddler meltdown. Because we can't get it out fast enough. So if we buy 6 of your toys, we have all day entertainment.
I think from now on I'm going to base what toy I buy for my child on how long I may think it will take to get it out of the box.
If you think this is an anti-theft devise, I do believe you are wrong. I think more people are apt to walk out of the store with it, then stand there and try to take it out of the box...the store would close long before they got it out. And for the nice people who don't steal, you could cut our price in half by saving all that plastic & ties & screws. I know you would save our sanity.
See ya same time next year.

Merry Christmas to all my bloggy buddies

From the handsomest Boy in the world!..and his parents.

Because Mommy wants you to wear Reindeer Ears

THAT'S WHY!

If I can't make him do down right silly, ridicules things and take pictures of it, and put them in his high school year book. Then where is the joy of being a parent?

I think I'm going to make him and my MeMe babies wear them while opening their presents too. I'm soooo mean.

Grateful

We all have a woman and her decision to be grateful to. No matter how we feel about how or why she came to her decision.
Our children have too. Or I should speak for myself & my children. I hope they can or will feel this way.
CLICK ON THIS LINK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhqJYOYcnAU
HAVE kleenex READY. You have been warned.

Because I want to see pictures instead of text...

Christmas Safety

It's that time of the year. On the nightly news, you hear of the terrible loss due to fires. A Christmas tree too close to the fireplace or a heater. It's always so terribly sad when someone has a house fire anytime, but at Christmas it's always more tragic. Especially if it could have been prevented. Go check out
www.BeFireSmart.com for some great tips on fire safety this time of year. As a bonus they are giving away a trip for 4 to Disney World! You can't go wrong. Go.

Knowing OR Not Knowing?

As foster parents, we get angry when we don't know what the kids who are placed with us have gone through. Sometimes I think if I knew, I could help them.
After a meeting today. I got what I wanted. What happened. How it happened. What he went through. Endured. Survived. Why he crawls into the corner of the crib in terror. Why he sits in a highchair and is happy to watch others play. Why he eats til you no longer put food on the tray.
I don't want to know anymore. I'm beginning to think we or I anyway, do not need to hear everything. There are some things I'm finding, I don't want to know.
It sickens me to realize the damage one human being can inflict on another. It makes me want to throw up when that human is inflicting that damage on their own children.
If your not going to take care of your children. Give them up for adoption, so someone else who wants a child more than anything, Will take care of them.

How Can I

Raise your hand if you know the answer & not everybody at one time...
How can I take care of this new baby
WithOut:
Knowing how old he is.
Taking him to the Dr, which is required,without having Med*caid (& you've not applied for it)
Having daycare for him (because you want return my calls about CAPs)
*No clothing
*No diapers
No idea why he's in care (they are not at liberty to tell me) hahahehehohoho, PLEASE!
No paperwork saying he's been placed in my home.
But I betcha when when the court says he has to have visitation with whoever, I better get my butt in gear and have him there when & where & for how long THEY say to. And they better be able to get in touch with me when they want.
*Yes, he has clothes & diapers,(good thing I was too lazy to put The Boy's last year's winter clothes away) but not when he got here.
I guess I'll just sit here til someone from there decides they need something from me.
By the way, I have no idea why any of this surprises me or grates on my last nerve. They do it every time. I think I always think they'll do it the right way "this time".
**added: A few of you have asked how The boy is taking this. He is his usual self. the world revolves around him. Thus the Baby does not exist. He does his thing and the Baby does his.Which is cry. The Boy said,"Baby makes alot of Loud noise!" Yep, he sure does.

A New Baby...

We finally got a placement call for a baby. They are not sure if he is 18 months old or 2 1/2. Yea, I know big difference. Either way he is developmentally delayed. He CRYS all the time. His teeth are rotted to the gum line! How on earth that happened I don't know. they must have stuck a bottle with kool aid or juice in his mouth 24 hours a day. I've never seen a baby so young with teeth that rotted. Good Grief, he just got them all in, how did they rot so fast?
Of course they know nothing about him. No shot record, no medical care, and evidently no date of birth. He doesn't want to get down to play, he just wants to sit in a highchair and stare off into space. And will not touch milk. He has been given juice his whole life. He does eat pretty good though. He only weighs about 20 lbs. I don't see anyway that he could be 2 1/2. Of course they want him taken to the Dr right away, but can't seem to get their act together to put him on M/D. No Dr will see without M/D. It's a catch 22. Do your job, or the kid doesn't get the care they need so badly.
We shall see what they do for this little guy. Should be interesting. I'll keep you posted. and maybe a few pictures of him ( no face shots of course) He looks alot like The Boy.

Christmas Traditions

**My girls do so love our Christmas Traditions. But not as much as I loved creating them for Them. We had none in my family. When poverty is your world, survival is your reward.
My girls would have better. And boy did I create some good stuff. Some by accident, like Santa coming while we were at Christmas eve services to leave P.J's on the girl's bed. When the oldest was 4 I accidently left her Christmas Pj's on the bed before we left for church. When we came back she went in her room and said,"Look mommy, Santa left me pajamas." So EVERY year for 23 years Santa has left a pair of Christmas Pj's on each girl's bed for them to find when we get home from church. To this very day, after Christmas eve service, a 26 yr old little girl, a 22 yr old little girl & a 19 yr old little girl, runs up the stairs as soon as we get home to see what Pj's Santa has left for them. (This year our son & 2 MeMe babies will do the same) They never knew how they got there til just a couple of years ago. You see, Mommy always forgot her Bible EVERY year and had to run back in the house to get it. That is when mommy put 3 pairs of Pj's on each bed. A simple thing, but HUGE in a child's heart. Tradition. We have a few. Stockings that mommy & daddy make sure is personalized to each girl's personality. And 3 Advent calenders with chocolate inside** But I read this story and thought what a wonderful tradition and thought you would like to read it, if you haven't heard it already.
#Come back and share your Christmas traditions. I'd love to hear them! #

The Story that Inspired The White Envelope Project.
This story was originally published in the December 14, 1982 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. It was the first place winner out of thousands of entries in the magazine’s “My Most Moving Holiday Tradition” contest in which readers were asked to share their favorite holiday tradition and the story behind it. Woman’s Day continues to support this tradition and The White Envelope Project today.
“For the Man Who Hated Christmas”by Nancy W. Gavin
It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas--oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it--overspending... the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma---the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears.
It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.
Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.” Mike loved kids - all kids - and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition--one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there.You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.
Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down the envelope.
Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us.

The Birthday Boy

3 Years old! How did that happen?

It's hard to believe he's been with us for 2 1/2 years.

Time flies. Although some days it crawls.

Days crawl by.

Years fly by.

So says the mother of a toddler & the mother of a 26 year old.

I remember clearly the day his oldest sister turned 3. We lived in Japan.

She was deliriously happy with a knock off Cabbage Patch doll. Just as he was

deliriously happy with a "real" Pirate Ship. When he opened it he said,"I sooo happy".

The two events seem like they were a couple of years apart, not 23 YEARS apart!

Time Is Not Fair.

Review and a promise

Please go visit my Baby Einstein, review on my new site
http://causeyoucarewhatithink.blogspot.com/

and the promise; Pictures of the Boy's 3rd Birthday happenings!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We're talking Turkey here!

Surprise!

Got an emergency call on 2 kids tonight. 6 yr old boy & 2 1/2 yr old girl.
More details tomorrow, cause you know they didn't have ANY AT 7:00 tonight.

UPDATE:
wOW! Why do I forget why I say no school age kids? I did write it down in a post to remind myself. MySelf is not so bright sometimes.
I dodged a bullet on this one. Seems the FP home was shut down kind of suddenly. I told them up front when the worker brought them over that I do not do school age kids. She said she understood, but you're never sure if they REALLY understand and you have a child for a year before you can get them moved. But she called today to say they found a foster placement for both of them. I'll take them into the SW tomorrow morning. YEAAAAA.
And this time I mean it....NO more school age kids...I mean it!

MEET MY NEW BEST FRIEND

I'm not sure about you. But I've always thought Clorox 2 was a bleach. So I never really thought much about it...until I got some.
(keep reading, there's free stuff at the end :) )
Clorox 2 now has a New ultra stain fighting formula that is even more concentrated. It's Clorox 2 Stain Fighter & Color Booster
Living where the RED CLAY grows, is hard on kid's clothes and yours too if you garden or just walk outside. I've never found anything that would get the red clay completely out of the knees on a pair of pants and forget white socks. The clothes I tryed it on was from the summer so it was safe to say it was pretty ground in and had already been washed several times. But the tenacious red clay stayed, as it always does. Until I tryed the Corox 2. I pretreated the stains and threw them in with some more clothes, not really expecting too much. I didn't dare look until after they came out of the dryer. But when they did, WOW! I couldn't believe it really took the stains out and the rest of the load looked pretty good too.
I was sold. If all it did was take out red clay stains I'd be a happy camper, but it also took out some old coffee stains on a tshirt. So I was happy.
Go visit my new BFF at http://www.daretobecolorful.com/
Tell me what stain you would like to try it on and how it got there. Or are you more interested in the color booster part of it?
I've got coupons for a FREE 33 oz bottle for 2 of you with the best story and 1 will go to a random commenter. Comments close on 12/3/08.

Do You See What I See?

This is the Fall table the Boy and I set up in our entry hall.
He decided it wasn't really complete. So after I thought we were done, he went to his cow barn to add a little something. I guess he didn't think it looked just right. So he come and got me and said, Look Mommy, I get more". Everyone's a critic...I thought it looked fine.
Can you see the Boy's addition on the right?
you can click on the photo to make it larger.

GO VISITING...

My beautiful, lovely oldest daughter has started a blog of her very own.
She's witty and funny. Not to mention the "possessor" of my two beautiful "MeMe babies". I am not a grandmother. I am much too young for that.
But please, go visit her. Tell her, "your mama sent me"! She'll get a kick out of that.

http://blakeandcaitlynsmama.blogspot.com/

Things NOT to do...

NOTE TO SELF:
DO NOT, DO NOT get a "new" haircut on the same day you have Christmas pictures taken.
You will not be happy.
Please, Self, remember this. It's important!

Mommy, Can you take a Picture of ......

Take a Picture Me sleeping Mommy!

Take a picture of my knee!

See My Teeeefff mommy?

Can you see me, Mommy?

Take a picture of my hand!

Take a picture of my EYEEEEE!

Take a picture of my nose!

The Boy comes into the room with the camera and out of the blue starts telling me what to take pictures of. After I would take each picture he had to see them in the view finder! Where this boy comes up with this stuff is beyond me. He is FUNNY!

There's about a million more, but I'll spare you.

Still no foster care calls. I wonder what's going on.

What do you get when you put a girl, a paint brush & a pumpkin together?

NOTHING good can come of it! Except good blogging pictures. :)

WARNING: CUTEST PIRATE AHEAD!

SEE! I told you.

A good time was had by all...except maybe daddy. Who was carrying a baby or two by the end of the night. Good thing our night only lasted about an hour. He forgot to say "tree o' tweet" a few times but he always said, "thank you".

I am a bad mommy. I misjudged the size of the costume a little. I bought a 12-18 months. Because he's soooo little. It fit... except for the 2 or 3 inches a the bottom of his pants! Not too bad. He didn't notice.

He didn't want to wear the big Captain Hook hat that came with it. So we opted for the old pirate's of the Caribbean kerchief from mcD's, that was at the bottom of a toy box. It matched perfectly, it stayed on & most of all he liked it.

**Just back from *wallymart & the halloween candy is sitting nicely beside the Christmas candy. AND they were playing Christmas music! No wonder it feels like time flys like a rocket.

And YEs, Min, I wiped off the buggie handles before I used it. ***