Thankful

I get all excited thinking about getting my Christmas decorations out. Then I'm sitting here at almost 10 at night looking at every room a mess & wonder why I got the decorations out. Fall decor covers the kitchen island. Plastic bins laying about. Mantel all bare. Christmas tree is done. Not a put together room anywhere. Ugh. BG sat in her high chair eating a cookie while we decorated the tree. My standards for baby food have far slipped since Madeline was a baby. BG polished off the last of my watered down coke as we rode the last 30 minutes to Gram & Gramps for Thanksgiving. She shrieked if Camille even put her hand on the cup. She got to enjoy cheetos on the final descent back home. She was a total orange mess. Kept her quiet. Do what you gotta do. We took two vehicles to Arkansas since the snowboard bums along with Madeline the ski bunny felt the need to drive to Taos. Singlehanded, drove 5 kids to Arkansas. Todd then took off on Thanksgiving day with Lucas & Madeline in tow. What should have been a twelve hour drive turned into a 15 hour day. They got a flat in Angel Fire. So close to Taos but yet so far. Luckily it was still light out. Unluckily the jack broke. God was watching over them as good Samaritans stopped. The Mrs. stayed with the Stan clan while the Mr. went and got what Todd described as a NASCAR size jack. Got them safely on the road. I'm so thankful for the new friends. I imagine we will see them again. Got the supreme pleasure of going to the Nutcracker today to watch my friend Helen's son perform the part of Fritz. It was a great production. Todd made it back in time to keep BG. Love it when he's been gone because he comes home being so happy to help. Hence the Christmas decorations getting out.  Church got us off to a great worship and with the reminder of keeping us grounded in Jesus during this time of tinsel and excitement. We are starting advent with our eyes on the cross. Thankful for the time with my family, blessed by good Samaritans, and excited about the advent season. 

Shoe Shopping

I knew it was a mistake.  I'm not a first year mom.  Taking 5 kids into the shoe store is not a good idea.  But desperate times call for desperate matters.  Madeline needed shoes for Regional Choir concert for Saturday.  Hopefully, I'll remember to pick up her dress today.  The hem had to be let out 2 1/2 inches from last year.  By the way she was ranked 11 out of 180.  Not so shabby.  So, into the shoe store we go.  Camille is wearing sparkling, silver stilletos.  Lucas is racing BG around in the shopping cart, trying to bump into the runway model Camille and the easy victim N.  Madeline is oblivious to everything except finding shoes.  I spot the boots from the ad flyer that I had caught my eye and grab them. I think I tried one on.  Mad gets her shoes and we are out of there.  N won't hold my hand and gives me the evil eye.  Camille races ahead with glee since she doesn't have to hold my hand and she loves rubbing that factor in.  Mad scoops up BG from the cart and we make it to the van.  All in all, no permanent damage to the store or the kids.  We did it!

My Sweet Boy

It's a strange and sad time for me, mixed with blessing to get a glimpse into the world that Lucas lives in.  Having been diagnosed with dyslexia in first grade, it wasn't until the last few weeks that I am just now grasping how this affects his world.  Through a blessing, I was sitting in the cps office and picked up an outdated free issue of North Texas Child.  An article described a new lens called the Chromagen lens for people with dyslexia.  Thus began our new journey.  From the article we found a doctor near us that has given us huge insight and help in getting special glasses for Lucas.  From the article a discussion began between Lucas & I that tells me how things wiggle, move, jump in and out.  He's since described how doing Fast Math for school on the computer is so challenging for him as the math facts flash onto the screen and how they move around for him.  Tonight as we are watching tv, he says that sometimes the scene moves.  My sweet boy.  My smart boy.  To be able to talk about this and to possibly have a fix for this with his new glasses tomorrow.  I am so hopeful and so is he.  Sitting in the cps office, the beginning of a new hope for Lucas.  I am so thankful.

The StanClan is good

I can't believe that almost a month has passed since I wrote.  What a month.  Every day I would think I need to write, to share how God continues to work in our lives on a daily, hourly, every second.  Computer problems, sleep problems, etc., and now I at least have a new computer.  Love the click of the keyboard under my fingers.  Not the same with the iPhone.  BG circles at my feet and is distracted momentarily by a toy.  N scours the ToysRus newspaper ad.  He fits in well around here.  Enjoyed having little ones for Halloween although BG did not cooperate for her kitty costume at all.  Spiderman did great wearing his but he was very choosy about which homes he would go up to.  Made the circle around the block and that was enough.  He came home, ate a couple of pieces of candy and said he was ready for jammies.  Madeline & Brianna took Camille and a friend around the neighborhood. Todd took Lucas and a friend.  All in all a divide and conquer method that seems to work best for us.
We went to foster care training on Saturday.  Irving Bible Church has an awesome foster/adoption ministry called Tapestry and they do a conference every year.  Excellent workshops and a great way for us to get in some hours towards our 30 hours of training a year.  One of the things that stood out to both Todd & I was that one of the speakers mentioned how foster/adoption can often alienate families from friends and extended family.  This is so not the case with us.  God has drawn close friends even closer and brought a friend, Helen, even closer.  I think part of it is that I am more willing to ask for help than when its just the 3 hatched kids.  Ultimately, I praise God for the huge support system we have.  I couldn't have made it thru these last 2 months or even the past year without everyone's help. 
Some days I am exceptionally tired.  I think about how easy it is with just 3 kids, especially 3 who are so self sufficient.  I get frustrated when N is sick and here I am taking care of someone else's sick kid.  Then God sends me sweet reminders.  Camille sitting at the table making a get well card for N.  Laying in bed with Mad after she returns from homegroup to tell me that she asked for prayers that we would be good role models for N.  This weekend when all of a sudden BG has bonded with Buddy.  Warms my heart.  Thank goodness for these reminders.  And that's how we do it.  Friends, family, prayers, some tough times mixed with sweet blessings.The stanclan is good.

A long week

We made it. Made it through a week of 7 doctors appointments, 2 kids with ear infections, 1 with sinus infection, and lastly, but best of all, the cast is off. A lil scary when they get out a rotating blade but N did great. The nurse did ask if we had a dog cause of some dog hair in the cast but no sores & she said I did a great job of keeping him clean. He is very wobbly. Getting stronger with costing. Anxious about hurting his leg. We celebrated with a promised pants party, and some special friends spoiled him with loving presents. While opening them, he sweetly asked why he was getting them. He is such a good boy. Suppose to start school on Tuesday but we will see what happens and how fast he progresses. Today, I'm just nervous about going to church. He is so tiny. No extra stuffing on him to fall back on. This week will be operation "get extra calories" in N. I'm sure I can spare a few.  BG is back to sleeping through the night after a yucky ear infection and nasty diapers. She loves wearing her new shoes and will attempt to take a couple of steps. I'm in no hurry for her to walk! Her appetite is gradually coming back but still does not like any veggies that I have found.  The hatched kids are doing great. Even though Camille has her first sinus infection of the season, we are trying some alternative health approach & seeing if she can get over it without antibiotics. Also found she has s pretty big sensitivity to gluten. Ugh. Not excited about eliminating that.  A long week. A week of going to bed at 8:30. But we weathered the small storm. Now, I think I'll go wash my hair before church. 

Thank u God

The dentist went ok today. N said he wasn't going but we talked him into what a fun experience it would be. Luckily he thought so. Movie while he waited to go back. Tasty fluoride. New toy car.  New toothbrush.  Playroom when he was done. Bad news is he has 10 teeth that will be worked on next time. He takes the prize for the worst teeth. Makes me so sad. BG had her teeth looked at too. Made her spitting mad. She did get a rubber ducky out of it.  Left the office, physically tired. It's a lot of work to get the stroller out then load them both. Knew I needed to stop at the dance store to get my ballerina, Madeline, her tights. I was working thru my best approach. Do I bother with the stroller or just carry them in one at a time. I then decided to lift up a prayer. I asked God to have someone at the store who could stay with kids in suburban while I took 25 seconds to get the tights. Praise God. Pulled up to the store and my friend Lesley C was talking on her phone in the SUV next to mine. With tears running down my cheeks I asked her my favor. She wasn't even going into that store.  She's the room mom in Lucas's class & was getting a cupcake for his teacher's birthday today.  A great reminder that no prayer request is too little. A great blessing for me in that I know God is watching over me. 

The Little Things

It's the little things that remind me of the joys of fostering. Lucas hearing us pull into the driveway and coming out to bring the baby into the house. I'm leaving for homegroup tonight & BG is crawling after me while crying. I yell upstairs to Madeline & she rushes downstairs to pick BG up and all is better. N complains about his leg itching from his cast and Camille sticks her little fingers in there to scratch it. Buddy & N sitting at the kitchen table with their newspapers and ice cream when I get up from my nap. The ladies in the nursery all gathering to welcome BG back again. Knowing that they will be praying over her.  A busy week ahead. Dentist tomorrow. I can see bad spots on N's teeth. BG gets one too. I questioned about bringing in a one year old with 4 teeth but they said it's more about educating the parents. I went & got her a toothbrush and toothpaste last night. I wanted to be sure & tell them we were brushing her teeth. Well, at least Camille did it for her last night. Madeline this afternoon. We are already so educated around here! Court on Tuesday. Prayers for the judge and all people making decisions for these sweet children and their families. Parent visits on Wednesday. Doctor visit Wednesday afternoon for N. Throw in dance, piano, lacrosse, and homework and we have a busy week. Can't forget the 1st birthday coming up on Saturday. God is good.