I think we’ve come over an important ‘hump’ in our transition period. I feel like we’re out of survival mode and slipping nicely into a routine.

Saturday, when I finally stated to feel better and began cleaning like crazy, I noticed that the boys’ bathroom (used by four little boys who rarely AIM!) smelled DISGUSTING! I mean seriously, WHERE is that SMELL coming from?? I cleaned the bathroom like I normally would (toilet, sink, mirror, bath/shower, floor) and it STILL smelled like PEE!! YUCK!! SOOooo, I took down the shower curtain and threw it in the wash, along with the big rug in front of their sink. Amazing! It smells SO much better in there now!

If I could just get the four year old to pee IN the toilet instead of ON it!

It’s the end of our first ‘month’ and I have TONS of paperwork to fill out for the kids. I didn’t realize how much ‘red tape’ you have to push through each and every month.

I have several people that have offered to ‘get cleared’ to babysit for us, through the foster agency, but I just found out they each have a whole packet of paperwork, clearances, and tests (medical/drug) to pass/complete before anyone can babysit for us. Good grief, we may not have a date night for a very long time. I already can’t remember the last one.

Errands to run, people to pick up, etc, etc.

Happy Monday!

~audrey

I think I’ll call today “sickie Sunday”. See, somehow I came down with the flu on Thanksgiving and spent most of Thanksgiving and ALL of Friday in bed with a fever and terrible body aches. Since then, Owen, Baby Girl, Jesse, and Biggest Brother have all developed fevers and ailments of some kind.

In fact, Josh and I had decided that it would be best if I stayed home with the toddlers and Jesse while he took the other three boys to church. However, an hour into church, Biggest Brother was feeling pretty yucky, so Josh brought him home. He looks and sounds pretty puney, so he’s in bed now….unfortunately, one of the things I was doing while they were at church was stripping the beds and washing all the linens…oops. They aren’t quite done yet, so he’s laying on a mattress cover, a bare pillow, and is covered with a blanket from the living room. Poor guy. I do like taking care of sick kiddos though. They’re extra sweet when they’re not feeling well and just wanting their mommy.

I wonder how ‘mothering’ their real mom is/was. I wonder at times like this, would Biggest Brother have been left to fend for himself, of would she have been by his side, just like I have, checking for a fever, offering fluids and blankets, making sure he’s comfortable and all of his needs are met.

He now not only calls Josh, Dad, but he also calls me, Mom.

Yesterday was great. I was finally feeling better, my energy was back, it was a beautiful day and I was in full-force-attack-mode on my yucky germy house! I got lots of cleaning done and what didn’t get done is getting done this morning while three are still at church. Lots of laundry, toilet scrubbing, floor mopping…ahhhh, it’s been wonderful. I now have a Christmas candle burning and a second pot of coffee brewing. That’s right, this is a two pot kinda day. The first pot was normal, I shared it with Josh (only about a four cup pot). Now, it’s time for business, so I’ve got three or four more cups brewing, filling my house with the fragrance that makes me smile…which I guess is also mixing with the Christmas candle, dryer sheets, and lemon scented pinesol. Oh well, it all smells delicious to me!! haha! This morning’s cleaning is in preparation for Sunday lunch followed by decorating the tree, making Christmas cookies, and watching movies. …

I did a bunch of online research this weekend for Baby Girl’s eczema. She’s covered from head to toe. It’s terrible. Everytime I change her clothes or diaper, she scratches like crazy. When we stay at home, I keep her in footy jammies so she can’t scratch. Over the weekend, I bought All Free and Clear to wash her clothes and linens with, Eucerin for covering her skin three times a day, Aveeno Oatmeal bath to bathe her in every other day, and Cetaphil cleanser as well. I also read in several different places that adding a liberal amount of yogurt to her diet can also yield great benefits for the eczema. Only time will tell.

It looks like Biggest Brother will likely be staying home from school tomorrow and that also means I will probably have to take him to the doctor so I’ll have a note for his school.

Thanksgiving break has been a really great time for all of us to transition from ‘new kids’ to ‘part of the family’. Biggest Brother has improved in every area that once concernced me. He’s doing wonderfully and seems to thrive more and more with each additional day of structure and consistency.

God is so good.

I’m hoping I got some great pictures at the Christmas tree farm! More on that later.

~audrey

To be quite honest, I don’t have anything profound for this Thanksgiving Day post.

I’m exhausted, Jesse and Owen have a stomach bug, and baby girl is being VERY ugly this morning.

I could write for days about the millions of things I’m thankful for, but really the only thing that really matters is Jesus. I’m thankful for Jesus. I’m thankful for forgiveness, eternal life with Him, new mercies every day, grace, abounding love, my identity in Christ, and His sacrifice on the cross.

I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for a godly husband who loves me for me. I’m thankful for incredible, godly, supportive, encouraging, loving parents (mine and his!!). I’m thankful for sweet, loving children who already desire to know God at an early age; they love one another and enjoy serving others. I’m thankful for a roof over my head and clothes on my back. I’m thankful for two vehicles and the freedom to come and go as we please. I’m thankful that I live in a country where, at least for now, I am free to worship the ONE TRUE GOD however and whenever I please.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to invest in the lives of three little children that I would never have met in any other circumstance and I’m thankful that they are softening up to us more and more each day.

I’m thankful that in a house full of six children, I get about eight hours of sleep at night.

I’m thankful that our table has never been empty and our pantry never bare.

I’m thankful for friends/sisters in Christ who make me laugh and lift me up on those days when “I’VE HAD ENOUGH!!” :)

Cheesey as it may sound, I’m thankful for Christmas music, Christmas decorations, tradition, the smell of mulling spices, holiday dish towels, scented pinecones, candles, and HGTV. The little things in my everyday life often bring me the most joy.

I’m thankful for sweet, slobbery toddler kisses, “I love you”s from my beautiful boys, delicious hugs from sweet-smelling kids after bath time, the way my hubby looks me in the eyes, tells me he loves me, and kisses me good-bye each morning.

I seriously COULD go on forever, but I have to get my casserole in the oven!

Happy Thanksgiving Ya’ll!

~audrey

I guess it should say “A Changed Woman”, but that just doesn’t sound as catchy. :)

The last two weeks have surely changed me already. I see my children through a different light now. I value and appreciatate my “normal” family structure more than ever before. I squeeze my kids a little tighter now with each hug. I give extra kisses every chance I get. I read extra stories at bedtime when asked. I’m a little more patient and a lot less critical.

Everyday I force myself to imagine what it must be like to be in our foster children’s shoes. Ripped from your parents, your home, your school, the friends you’ve known all your life; and three months before Christmas. I try to put myself in their parents’ shoes as well. Sure, they made some bad decisions that resulted in them losing their children temporarily, but surely they must anguish over how their children are being cared for. Whether their children are feeling loved and protected. Those things help me through the rough spots, when the foster children are mistreating my children in my house. That is hard to handle, but kids will be kids. These children have experienced a serious, traumatic event, or number of events. They’re going to act out at some point. I can’t even imagine how intolerable my children’s behavior would be if someone stole them from me and placed them with strangers.

Anyways, all that said, I am looking at the whole situation differently now; hopefully for the better. I want them to be able to look back on their stay at our house as one of the best times of their childhood. A place where they felt safe. A place where they knew no matter what they did, they would still be loved. A place where we defend and forgive one another and don’t let the sun go down on our anger. A place where the presence of the Lord is felt in every room.

This is it. The last day of school for the week. Thanksgiving break. Yikes. I’m praying for good weather. I’m trying to think of good creative things to do with the kids: baking, crafts, ornament making, finger painting, scavenger hunting, game playing. It will be a good week. A mere taste of CHRISTMAS BREAK! Do you have any creative suggestions? Do share!

Thank you Father for family!

~audrey