Play Equipment

I just had Brent order a whole mess of play equipment for outside. I found a great "climber" that I am super excited about. I also had him order two playhouses, two sandboxes, and 4 of those bouncy ball things with the handle that you ride on. I got one of the plastic "Flinstone style" foot powered cars painted today. I will head out tomorrow evening for more paint to touch it up and do the others. I love the kids' excitement over that stuff! I also love stuff that keeps them busy, includes imaginative play, makes them tired, and has "sensory" play included in it.

Now for anyone who thinks that might have been slightly "excessive" (I have had plenty of family members think I go a tad overboard lol), then please remember that I have TWELVE children. The best way for me to stay sane, them to improve with their special needs, and them to get along is to have enough stuff to play with that fighting isn't necessary and everyone has plenty to do. I will let you all know shortly how the stuff fairs! There is no one better to test it out than us! Brent and I aren't good at putting stuff together (pre-occupation with my kids is my hold up) and our kids are great and giving it a good work out. :)

If you live nearby and want to try it out then come play in a few weeks!

Once again, I guess this will file nicely in the "only at my house" section. We are kind of "unique" like that!

God blessed with Julianne's Stitches Removal

We went in to get the stitches removed this morning. We had to be there at 6:30am. We got there and sat waiting to be called back. My mother met us there and stayed for a little while before she had to go to work. We went back and they went through the "Is she allergic" lists. The anesthesiologist gave us the liquid medicine for her to drink. She got really huggy and kissy like she did last time. I was imagining having to hand her over to them, which is the worst part.

They came back to check on us soon. I asked them to find Dr. Beaver and ask her if she'd just clip them while Julianne was loopy. She came and was glad to do so thankfully. I got to kiss her little cheek while they clipped her stitches. We waited another 20 minutes max and let her sip an apple juice. We were out of there and in our car by 10 minutes after 8! Such a blessing!!! They didn't have to take her or put her to sleep after all!

Spoiled

I heard Dayton talking to Jose tonight. They were in the sensory room with Julianne. Jose said something about Julianne having it good with them all spoiling her. Dayton said "Jose, being spoiled can be boring". I asked what he meant and if he remembers being "spoiled". He said that he can remember having Denzell push the button for him on the 4wheeler he had when he was 2 years old. We laughed for a minute about how Denzell did spoil him just like they are doing Julianne now.

Jose said that he doesn't know if he was spoiled when he was little or not. He said he just "doesn't remember". I told him that I'm not sure about when he was that age, but that I wish I had gotten to spoil him too. He gave me a big hug. These are the moments that I hate because there is nothing that I can do to turn back the clock and have those early years with them. Jose didn't come to our family until he was 7 1/2 years old. I often think of what an ornery and cute little guy he must have been, what fun they would have had together when they were tiny, and all the years that I didn't get to be with him. I'm so glad that I'm his mommy now though!

Dayton the proceeded to tell me that he doesn't spoil Julianne "as much as he did before". I laughed at him and said that it would be impossible to keep her THAT spoiled. He went on to say that he can't help it because she is so tiny and cute. (I have to agree) He said that he thinks that if we could cover her cute little face then it would help him not to spoil her. roflol

These kids are hysterical! They wouldn't stop spoiling her no matter what! She has them wrapped tight!

Julianne Stitches Removal in the Morning

Julianne is having a small deal in the morning. She has to be put to sleep to take out her stitches from the surgery two weeks ago. I am dreading them taking her from me again. I realize that I truly am such a wimp. I am praying that it is quick and painless as they say. We have to be there at 6:30am (by the way I don't really LIKE people until after 9am). That means I will be up before 5am. They say we should be headed back out of the hospital by 8:30am. I pray it is really that quick.

If you read this before then, please pray. I am thankful that this is a small procedure and she will only need a little "crazy mask" to put her to sleep. I am a little fearful of her response when we get to the hospital again. I also am afraid that she will anticipate what happened before and be scared right off this time. My prayer is that God just makes it "easy peasy".

I'll let you know!

Weekend is Over, Adoption News Please

I know most people dread the end of weekend. I usually do too. When we are in "adoption mode" I can't wait for the weekend to end! The fact is that there is never any new info on the weekends. You can't get matched! You can't get news of a possible match! You can't find out anything. They don't even update photolistings on weekends!

I know that this has to sound obsessive to most. I was talking to a lady today who I know through our agency and through a mutual friend. She has been putting in homestudies and hasn't been matched yet. I think she may have thought I was crazy when I said that it gets in my mind and I can't get it out until I know I've done everything that I need to do. She has never been matched though or realized the joys of the child arriving.

Just think as a mother, don't you always want to make sure that you take care of everything that you need to for your kids? You want to make sure that they are fed, medications given, nice clothes, hair fixed, books read, hugs given, and everything else that makes motherhood so special. I can't do any of that for the child/children that God has put on my heart yet! On top of that, I am at the mercy of social workers that I've never spoken with as to when I can. I mean in reality God is the one in control, but there are humans who may or may not be taking care of my kids in the meanwhile.

Now imagine that your child was stuck in another state. Another state, but you weren't sure which one! Then you have no way of checking on them. You don't know if they are ok or when they will arrive. Then imagine that you had a glimmer of hope on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Saturday and Sunday there is no way that you are going to find out any of the info that you need. If a holiday or vacation for the worker falls on a weekday then you may as well hang it up too.

Wouldn't you be ready for Monday to come? Sure you would! Monday morning at 8 am you would get a little hope and by 11am you would be realizing that all of the US was now at 8am or later. Social workers may not arrive until whatever "their 9am" is, so the wait is on. roflol

OK, I am a little nutty! The fact is though that God has my kids out there and I am going to email, put together beds, search photolistings, fill out paperwork, and jump through hoops until they get here (whoever they are). At least I can admit all the "crazies" about me! You know that you aren't completely "crazy free" either. ( I mean I don't care about werewolves, vampires, cars, vacations, or anything else normal people go crazy for, so I have to be different with my craziness! I am nuts over my kids, the ones here and the ones God has put in my heart that will be here in His time!)

My Poodle (I don't own one really lol)

We have two Old English Sheepdogs. Taffy joined us first and is 2 1/2 years old. Candy joined us Christmas before last and is almost 2 years old. Now if you can't imagine in your mind what an Old English Sheepdog really is, then think of the Shaggy Dog movies or the Dog on the Peter Pan movie. We have TWO of those!

Candy is so sweet and good natured about most grooming sessions. She will let 3 or 4 kids brush her out and sit patiently if she gets a knot that needs removed. She is incredibly smart. She can unlock gates so keyed padlocks are necessary. She is more of a "girly" dog than Taffy. lol

Taffy is more of a doer than a thinker. She loves to play defense in the backyard football games. She has been known to take Andrew by the hand if he is told to run back and forth when we are outside and he gets into mischief. She is NOT a dog that likes to be brushed.

So today I decided that grooming was a must. The vet's office bathed her while she was boarded but said they couldn't shave her down. Needless to say, bathing her made the mats a lot worse. Out came the dog clippers and the scissors. Denzell helped me out with holding her and occupying her. The other kids were all inside. She got about half done when the rain got to what seemed a little too close and the asthma got me a little too badly. I will have to finish her tomorrow, hopefully. She doesn't love to cooperate. I'm hoping that she has some sense of pride and realizes that she looks like a badly groomed poodle. As for me, several puffs of albuterol later and my asthma has still not recovered from these weather fronts.

I guess I'll file this under stuff the only happens here. I doubt anyone else has two Old English Sheepdogs, one of which looks like a poodle currently. :)

Annoyed

I am blogging and thinking way too much! I think this antibiotic for the sinus infection must be too strong. I have a rash and my head feels yucky, which is the same as last time on this one. Unfortunately, this is the only antibiotic works for me now. Thankfully it does work though, so I won't complain too much. :)

I am actually annoyed right now watching Animal Planet. I am an animal lover most certainly. It just amazes me that "Last Chance Highway" and "Pit Boss" among other shows on here have such a passion for saving animals. At the same time, so many kids in our country get no "Last Chance" or true rescue.

Did you know that 4,000 children every year "age out" of foster care? Did you know that lots of children have no legal parents? Does anyone care? I mean I don't see any show giving the realities of that! No one wants to think about it. Maybe that is because then they would be up at 2:00am thinking about it. lol I think really it is because they are afraid that if they thought about it, then maybe God will call them to do something about it. Maybe it is because it is a lot easier to judge other countries "orphan" problem than to think about our own countries "orphan" problem? Maybe it is because of some of the issues that can come with children who have suffered trauma (I mean I am open about that)?

I really don't know the reason, but it bugs the heck out of me! (Please don't misunderstand bc I do want people to rescue dogs, etc) I just wish that more people would care about the waiting children. Maybe my new answer for people who ask me "Surely you are done, right?" or "You really don't NEED more kids, you have 12?" is going to be "Ok, so you start adopting the waiting children and get everyone you know to do the same, who can then get everyone they know to do the same, and there won't be any left for me". lol

If every Christian adopted 1 child, then there would be no orphans in the whole WORLD without a family.

OK, I am going to take same Benadryl Sinus for the other treatment for this infection and go to bed. Maybe I won't THINK or BLOG so much tomorrow.