Saving Time (I know I'm Loopy!)

This thought went through my head the other day and I mentioned it to Brent.  I really wanted to ask if anyone else has such thoughts, but I never had time when I remembered it.  (That is really a lot of issues.  lol)

Ok, so we had people coming over.  I had food in the oven, food about to go in the oven, and other food that needed to be gotten out of the refrigerator.  I still hadn't gotten dressed, done my makeup, and brushed my teeth.  I had been cooking and getting everyone else ready and I really needed to PEE.  (Come on Moms you know you've been there - that moment when you feel it would be a great accomplishment to find time to pee and aren't sure it will ever happen) 

I finally asked Brent to make sure that no one bothered the stuff on the stove or the food on the counter.  I knew that I had just a few minutes before the timers went off to tell me to get stuff out of multiple ovens.  I hurried off knowing that I had to do a lot of things in a short time.

As I went my mind started moving with the "quickest" route to do all those things.  Here were my thoughts: 
1. No need to change clothes first bc I'd have to pull down my pants again to pee.
2. Quickest route should start in the bathroom.
3. Peeing should be first (not bc I really had to go which would have made the most sense!), bc after I peed I would already have the water on (which obviously saves the microseconds involved in turning it on a second time)  and I would save one time of drying my hands since there was no need to dry them between washing them and brushing my teeth. 
4. Taking my pants off in the bathroom while they were down would save important seconds in taking them off again to change clothes.

I did all this stuff and got dressed in just minutes (including makeup).  As I was later preparing the rest of the food and getting stuff out, I began to think about the oddities of it all.  I do this all the time.  I am always thinking of ways to save SECONDS! 

So I began to wonder if it was a mom thing (definitely not a dad thing bc my husband is awesome but he would never save SECONDS and even minutes isn't his thing) or if it is just me. 

Does anyone want to confess that they too think of ways to save SECONDS and plan everything for the quickest possible way?  Is it just because I have 13 kids, homeschool, and am trying at all times to do things better as we prepare for more children? 

I don't know what it is and I probably won't change it even though I know it is odd and have acknowledged that I'm only saving SECONDS.  I still figure that if I do that with all of the things I can (you know those things that don't involve the kids of course lol), then I am saving minutes when you add it all up for the week.  Maybe it is hours in a month!  Who knows in the course of a year maybe I am saving an entire day or two's worth of time! 

I also know that while I may not change my odd way of doing things, I will LAUGH about it and laughing is very important too.  :)

Great Wolf Lodge Trip (Pictures)

Before Christmas we took all the kids to Great Wolf Lodge.  They had been asking to go to an indoor waterpark every since we went to a different one in 2008.  Several of the kids weren't here then and I really wanted to them to get to experience it.  We are also aware that once our 5 Bulgarian Blessings arrive home it will be a LONG time before we are able to attempt anything major like that.  We found a great deal during their "Homeschool Days" and told the kids it could be an early Christmas present.

I have to admit that I was a little worried.  Water is a scary thing when you have such a  large family.  Also we have 5 on the autism spectrum and for some reason those in particular seem to be drawn to water.  We had to get two suites in order for them to allow us to stay because of our family size.  That meant that we weren't even all together when we were in our rooms.  I planned, packed (oh what a job!), and made sure the kids realized the rules and precautions. 

The whole trip went WONDERFULLY!  I was so pleasantly surprised.  God really worked it all out.  The scariest part was probably Julianne and Cody using the steps in my suite as "physical therapy".  :)  (I have to say that they sure have conquered that goal and I can move on!) 

The water was a big hit.  They loved the wave pool that was so calm until the wolf howled!  There was a water roller coaster that I went on with Dayton and Jose that made me scream and I'm pretty sure did a sinus rinse on me.  It was a lot of fun, but it was wild!  The youngest 5 loved the smaller water slides too. 

One of the highlights for me and the younger kids was that the Lobby was all decorated for Christmas.  At night all the younger kids go down in their pajamas and listen to a story that comes alive with all the characters.  Then they sing a song about "snow" and fake snow starts to fall in the lobby.  After things calm down from that the mascot comes out and a bedtime story is read.  Our second night there was cool, because a reindeer came out to story time instead though.  It was so very much fun and so magical for the kids.

There were other great things to enjoy as well.  The pizza was so great on night one that we couldn't wait until night two so we could order it again.  The suites had nice sitting areas and we were able to watch movies that you could order (my room was the party room and I let them stay up and watch movies until about 1 am, but it was vacation!)  On our 2nd day there we decided to really make it special.  We took a break from the water park for lunch and let them all eat JUNK.  Oh yes, we are NUTS!  We went to the shop that had all the sweets and got cookies, chocolate dipped pretzels, fudge, smores, and hot cocoas!  They all sat and ate it in bathing suits in a place decorated for Christmas!  Julianne especially is a big fan of chocolate and Zeeky is also known as the "Cookie Monster" around here, so they were in heaven!  Later in the day, we went and did crafts in a special room there for craft time.  A few of the older boys went to the arcade instead. 

I have to say that it is now probably our favorite place we've gone (well besides that in Georgia we get to see awesome friends!).  We made great memories.  Everything we needed was under one roof.  There was great excitement for everyone!

Christmas Was Great, but . . .

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  I love everything about it really.  It makes me very happy to see my kids all excited.  I love the decorations, food, fun, traditions, and movies cuddled up in a room full of my kids.  We start decorating on October 19th every year.  We try not to stress about the holidays and enjoy each moment with the kids.  We also try to make sure that they know WHY we celebrate.  IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS! 

This year was tough.  I think I managed to make it special for the kids.  It was really important to do so, especially since it was Cody's first Christmas home.  This time last year was tough, bc I wanted him here so badly.  I did however know that he was safe, fed, and loved with his foster parents.  He wasn't HERE, but he was ok.  That wasn't the case this year.  This year I had no idea how my 5 that weren't here were doing.  It was so hard to imagine what their holiday season could be like. 

I did try to remember that it was their LAST Christmas there.  NEXT Christmas they will be home with us.  All 18 kids gathered around for a movie, cookies, and hot cocoa sounds more than wonderful to me.  :)

Hang on kids.  We are coming for you!  Thank God that Jesus came and was born in order to pay the cost of my adoption.

Here is this year's Christmas picture.  :)   Next year's picture will have 5 more kiddos in it.  I can't wait to see it and most of all to hold them.  

Its Been a Long Time Since I Updated

Sorry I haven't done a very good job of updating.  We've had so much going on.  Cody is home and doing well.  Homeschooling is going great.  We started going to a church within walking distance of our home and love it.  We've been to a couple zoos, Zoo Lights, Great Wolf Lodge, and who knows what all else I'm forgetting at the moment.  The main thing that has been stressing me is the international adoption stuff lately.  Things there are finally back on the move. 

Here is a link to the blog where I updated about all of that just a few minutes ago:
http://godsrainbowsinourlives.blogspot.com/

I think you will be surprised with "who" is coming home.  :)  Go take a peek.  I will try and do some posts soon about all of the things that I haven't updated about.  Tonight I just wanted to let you in on our little secret and why I've been so quiet.  :)

Story of Cody's First Night Home

Cody came in as if he'd been here before.  He had such a great transition time that he was very ready.

 I met Brent down at the end of our private drive.  I got Cody out of his carseat and sent Brent and the worker ahead to the house.  I helped Cody untie the "Welcome Home" balloons from the stake at the end of the drive.  I tied them to his wrist so that they couldn't float away.  Honestly, this was my plan to get a few moments alone with him before all his brothers and sisters got a hold of him.  :)  I got some good hugs in and then carried him up the drive.  I think I did pretty good at choking back the tears!  I had waited so long to get to hold him again!

Once at the house, he was VERY EXCITED to see everyone.  My mother was here as well and he had seen her on skype so he knew that was "Grandma".  :)  The kids were so excited to finally have him here.  I had gotten them all these cute little balloon pets at the store.  They were filled with helium just enough that they bounced behind the kids as they held the leashes.  Cody got to go pick his and then everyone else went to get theirs.  Cody picked a frog.  The kids had a blast with those. 

Cody soon enough made his way to his room.  His foster parents had sent his stuff ahead.  The last of the boxes arrived just a couple hours before him, so we had quickly got it all put away.  He looked through everything and saw both the old and the new things.   He went to Dayton and asked him to show him how to play a DSi, so Dayton gladly did. 

I had Mexican food prepared along with "Welcome Home Cody Unroe" cake and homemade ice cream.  Cody was much too excited to eat very well, but did eat some.  He ate more after the worker left. 

Once the worker was gone, I got the two little ones into their "Monkey" pajamas that I had bought a few months before for their first night back together.  Cody came into Julianne's room and climbed up on the bed.  She pulled his feet over and put on the bottoms of her feet.  It was so sweet that I proceeded to do more of my crying!  lol  Then they both began to laugh and roll on the bed. 

I hadn't been sure if Julianne would remember him.  She talks some, but not a lot, so there was no way to know what she was thinking before that moment.  Julianne in general takes a good long while to warm up to people.  To see them both happy and TOGETHER was a dream come true to my heart.  God truly blessed us by preserving their bond even after more than 2 years apart!  I've been having a "Praise Fest"!

I know this picture is blurry, but they were laughing and rolling around too much.  I think you get the picture!

We Got Family Pictures Done

The Monday after Cody came home we went and had family pictures done.  Cody was so excited that he would be in the pictures with "everyone".  That made it extra special! 

Julianne was not very cooperative at first.  She takes a while to "warm up" to people.  She decided that I could not put her down or she would look sad.  When we got to the end she decided to be herself and the photographer was able to get some good shots of her. 

Here are some shots!