Kid Talk

Day 2 with all 6 kids went great! I kinda feel bad because having the kids here is pure entertainment for my kids. So it's been really fun these last few days. Today we went to the park for 2 hours, had a picnic for lunch, played tennis, kickball, football, hit the swings and then loaded up for the pool! And I thought I got looks before...today we had ages 10, 7, 6, 5, 3 and 21 months!

Today the kids were talking and the word "mom" came up. The lil guy D said, "are you talking about her (to me) or your real mom?" I responded, "I am the real mom D, but do you mean birth mom or first mom?" Cooper jumped in, "I have two real moms!" It was so neat for my kids to feel comfortable talking about our unique family to these two. And hopefully allow them to see that they aren't alone in their transition...more kids than they could shake a stick at have more than one mama! Then D said, "I have like 17 moms!" He's a hoot!

I can't find my camera (hmmm) so I am sharing some more pics from my parents visit!!! Enjoy!

Day 1

So...I found a new blog.

I linked it to my adoption buddies blog list. Get ready. It should stir you. Especially if you live in Oklahoma. Its The Fostering Hope Project.

I just can't shake this pull at my heart for our foster kids. And this has been pretty steady for about 4 years. I hear stories that more families are pursuing foster care certification, more than ever...and that OK state DHS adoption numbers are at a national high...and then I keep hearing this from friends that are social workers and from those on the inside: our shelters and foster homes are FULL.

Today was our day 1 with foster care support. We've done a few things here and there to support our foster family, but today was the first day we would really be helping with daytime care.

I am not telling this because I am wanting to toot my own horn. But I am telling you this because there is no family less qualified to do this than us. Do we have our hands full? YES! Do we act like complete hooligans and circus talent most moments of the day? YES! Do I talk to Jesus every hour asking for strength and patience? YES! Do my kids disobey? HOLY MOLY YES! But here's the great part. God does this. Not us. And when we realize that, miracles happen. Is this convenient? No. May this be painful? Yes. But what part of life worth living is without those two?

And I can't help but think...how many more families might step forward to be a foster parent if they knew that 5 families in their church would do it with them!?!? This might just be less isolating. A little less daunting. Not so emotionally draining. That is my prayer for our foster family!

Guess what? We had a fabulous day with our new friends. God worked miracles today....drumroll please...The house was clean when Blake got home! Shazaam!!! Thank you Jesus!

Filling My Bucket

Not sure how many have read the book the Five Love Languages, but one thing they talk about is filling others love bucket. I often think about how well I do this for Blake and the kids...as well as others in my life.

This past Wednesday my parents drove from Oklahoma to see us. They asked us months ago to arrange for a sitter to watch the kids so that we could have dinner together. I can't tell you how much fun it was to hang out with the two of them. We were at dinner for over 2 hours just sitting outside in the beautiful spring weather eating drinking and catching up. Man, I can't wait live next to these two!

Then Thursday morning they got up at 5 to get Dunkin Donuts for the kids and be at their bedside BEFORE they woke up!! Thursday was Owen's Gotcha Day and donuts is our tradition! To say they were all on cloud 9 would be an understatement. It took quite sometime for them to stop screaming.

We have just hung out and played and eaten yummy food and enjoyed being together. Today we brought them to Stone Mountain Park and hiked and at putt putt and ride the train. It's been an incredible dose of love for my bucket.

Gosh. I pray I can make my kids feel loved the way I feel it from my parents. And I hope my parents feel as loved as I do. Enjoy the pics...oh, and as an update to the last post, the girls and I baked some goodies for the receptionists at the doctors office and wrote out the same note for them. They loved the surprise and I hope they understood my heart in the note.

Dear Receptionists,

I want to thank you for your smiles as I checked into your office this morning. You have no idea how I anticipated your reaction to me and my children. Thank you for telling me how beautiful my daughters are. What you don't know is that this week has been full of unsolicited disrespectful parenting advice from black women in random stores. Oh how we needed your warm reception of us. Thank you for telling me you love their hair and that I do a good job taking care of their curls. What you don't know is that this does just as much for my girls to be accepted by other African Americans as it does for their white mama. You could've just as easily just stared at us and talked about us when we left...but you didn't. You had the heart to talk to me about this rather taboo topic... white parents raising black children. I need you to know how you fed my soul today.

In this sinful world where young black boys are being murdered and their killers claim self defense and walk, and where black people are rude to me because they disapprove...I cannot help but constantly plead that Jesus carry us through. I live for Jesus alone. I don't have to worry about others approval...but I sure do want it for my kids. Sweet receptionists, I need you to know that your smiles, gentle hearts and encouraging words gave me great hope that we in fact are moving forward.

Hair we go loopty loo!

If you cannot tell I am OBSESSED with these curls. Well the boys' curls too, but they don't let me take pictures of them ;) This was my first attempt at yarn extensions. They are holding great in Sadie's hair. They improved Emery's hold too, but she just doesn't hold a style as well as Sadie. I think it's that she doesn't keep her sleep cap on plus spends more time on her head! She also seems to be more sensitive to the pull of a style. I don't twist tightly, in fact its kinda hard to get a twist as tight as a cornrow, but she still got bumps at her hairline after 2 days.

Please excuse Emery's messy face. Evidently she ate the playdough I thought she was playing with! Doesn't it look cute though? Her first single ponytail! She looks so much older too. And as if I needed one more reminder that my baby is not a baby anymore...she slept in a big girl bed two nights ago. We decided to move her back to the crib because there is just no way she is big enough for a bed....right? I mean yes, all 3 of her older sibs moved by now. But she just looks so tiny! Ugh...

We did it!

I am so proud of us for accomplishing this goal we've had for a long time!

It was much harder than we anticipated. The total elevation change on the coarse was 1407 ft. That's way more hills than this Oklahoma girl cares for!

Love you Laura and so thankful you made such huge effort to be here with me! And my sweet husband packed up all 4 babes to come cheer us on at the finish line.

So here are some pics from our first half marathon...we had fun people watching :)

Foster Care Support

Tomorrow we have our home study. Even though we should be old pros at this, I am still finding myself a little nutso on cleaning high and lo.

Our foster family got a placement about two weeks ago. We got to meet the kids the next day at the park, and celebrate a birthday with them the following week.

Wanna know how cool God is? When asking the foster mama if I could bring them some food she informed me that the little fella had type 1 diabetes. Shut.the.front.door!

We both got a little teary as I told her that I too had type 1, since I was 9. Oh it was so cool to get to talk about and answer questions and encourage both her and him. And how wonderful for her to know that she can leave him with us without having to worry about his diabetes care. We both giggled that we've never been so glad I had diabetes!!!

Back home in Oklahoma the shelters in both of the major cities remain crowded. Kids are having to sleep in the DHS offices. But I have so much hope that change is coming for these kiddos. Churches are beginning to understand the pivotal role they could have here, in caring for children.

So as Blake and I read the discipline guidelines for foster care and see that biting is not appropriate (what the?) we realize how desperate help is needed. Help with anything.