Crash course in parenting - Life as a foster mom

That is what this is starting to feel like. It is getting crazy around here. Sleep is becoming a big problem. The little boys have always shared a room, and for the most part it has been fine. If they talked at night, a firm warning was usually enough to make them go to sleep and be quiet. Then Miss M moved in. At first, she was the problem. She would talk and giggle, then the boys would join in. Firm warnings worked, then when they didn,t we would move M to the pack n play in our bedroom, then when we were ready for bed we would move her back into her crib. Well, now Y is the problem. M and C are literally exhausted, C is sick, and Y kept everyone up until almost 10 p.m. last night. We had moved him into our room at about 8:15, then we went to bed at 9. He was still not asleep and neither was M. The C monster had been lying on the couch since 6 in a tired stupor running a low fever so he was tired. Anyway, once we moved Y back to his room the talking started again. As did the i...

Relinquishment was supposed to happen yesterday. It didn't. Are you surprised? Nope? Good, because neither am I. So I guess they are just going to go forward with the termination trial. Which is currently scheduled for the end of July, but I guess we'll see if it gets moved again. I'm not sure how contact will work...if we would still be able to let her see the kids if they terminate on her, or really even if we would WANT her to see them. If she doesn't want to relinquish then I think that says something about how she feels about us as parents. She decided 2 months ago to relinquish, so I am not sure why she hasn't done it yet. There have definitely been opportunities though, she just hasn't for whatever reason. I am sure it's hard to do that. But given the alternative, it seems like it would be the lesser of two evils. We had some friends over on Saturday. They have a 6 month old daughter, and as C was peering at her in her little carrier he asked...

Happy birthday to the littlest man in the house! Our only child that has been with us for all three of his birthdays (if you don't count the actual BIRTH day). He ate three cupcakes, one for each year. Mmmhhhmmm. Did I regret it later? Oh yes I did. Sugar high and then crash! :) Today in the mail he got his caterpillar kit from my parents (check it out) . He is excited and I am pretty darn excited too. All 5 caterpillars survived being shipped on a 100 degree day, so that must mean they are pretty hardy. Also, this is very random, but while looking at the catalogue they sent us I learned what a praying mantis egg sack looks like, and I recognized them because I see them in my garden all the time! I love those little guys. Maybe next year I'll buy the praying mantis kit for myself. I'm only 1/2 joking. This year we are scaling back his birthday party, because he is an introvert and I think so many people just overwhelms him. And he should be able to have fun at h...

Conversation with C before bed tonight: "I love you Mommy." "I love you too." "Mommy, did God make me?" "Yes, He made you very special." "But why did he make me black? I wanted to be white like you." "Well honey, God made you just the way He wanted you and I think you are beautiful when you are black." *big sigh* I know that race will be something that will always be around. Everyone will always know that our kids are adopted, without even knowing us. Our kids will always have parents with different skin, different hair, different facial features. I had hoped it would be a little longer before this came up. My husband says that when Y talks he sounds just like me. This makes sense since we have raised him since he could talk...but I talk like a white person does. And now so does he. I hope that doesn't turn out to be a bad thing.

Looks like D's godmother will not be considered for placement. However, we gave her our phone number and she is going to get a background check and she will be able to hang out with D and maybe even have him spend the night and stuff. I think it will be good in the long run. Hopefully D isn't too disappointed when he finds out, which will probably not be until Saturday when he gets back from camp!

I'm sick. I haven't felt this bad in a while. I've been sick since Friday and my throat doesn't hurt so bad anymore but everything else is just crappy. And the antibiotics seem to also be making me sick. If you know what I mean. Aaannndd I started my period, which also literally makes me sick, so I'm like doubly sick. My period can't just come monthly like normal people, it likes to come when I'm sick or when I have a big race or some other life event. I very smartly have not worked out in 3 days and also have called in both days to the farm this week. Which means I'm getting a lot of my desk work done which I guess is a good thing. But what I really want to do is lay on the couch and watch Monk. Anyway. My sister and her family are in town from Japan so me and the 3 littles are going to go meet them at the zoo today. Which is pretty darn exciting. I mean, I'd be more excited about it if I wasn't having to run to the bathroom ever 30 minut...

D wants to "Make history". I think he has the goods to make history, in a good way. I told him so. I also told him that if he wants to make history, it will be a lot of work! He's one of those (normal) people that wants to do awesome things but not really work hard for them. Him: Well, what about all those people who made history and didn't really have to do anything for it? Like, it just fell into their lap? Me: ....Who would those people be? Him: I can't think of any right now. (A few moments later) Barak Obama! Me: (incredulous) What? Like the president? Him: Yeah! He didn't really do anything. Me: Whaaaa? What are you talking about?? Didn't he, like, graduate from law school? What is that, 7 years of college? Hours and days perfecting speeches, shaking hands, his whole LIFE he has been working up to the presidency. Him: Yeah I KNOW. I did a PAPER on him in SCHOOL. GOSH. (sinking into sullen silence) Me: .....????????????????? Teenager...

So, I decided to get on the ball a little bit with the little kids. This past week I made chore charts for C and Y. They have five "chores" on them, with brushing teeth being 2 of the chores. Make bed and pick up toys are on both of their lists, then Y has "give water to the dogs" and C has "Set the table" on his list. I got free clip art off the internet for each chore, so they can easily see what their chores are even though they can't read yet. And each time they do a chore they get to put a sticker on their chart. I have to say, getting to put a stick on the chart is a pretty good motivator! Then at the end of the week they will each get $1.00, with 25 cents to go in savings, 25 cents to go in giving, and 50 cents to spend. Not that you can buy much for 50 cents, I'll admit. :) But anyway, then on Sundays hopefully we will remember to bring their giving to church so they can give it there. I just want to get them started on the right foo...

Well, D's GAL has put in a request to ask the judge to compel the CW to do a home study on the godmother that now after 2 years wants D. I'm not sure what GAL is doing, maybe she really does think it's in his best interest, or maybe she is just trying to do what he wants since he is old enough to kind of say what he wants...or what he thinks he wants, anyway. Word from the CW is that she in no way supports him going to his godmother. GAL lady kept saying stuff like "In a divorce case, children 13 and older are given a choice on which parent they want to live with." Well, hmmm, last time I checked this wasn't a divorce case. We haven't been co-parenting with this lady for the last 2 years and just decided to break up with her. I'm just saying, it's not really a logical argument. But, it is what it is, and we trust God to put D wherever He thinks is best. I'm not sure if the judge has made a ruling on her request yet. All the home study m...