Sweet Pea had her award's night for Cubbies at the end of April. We are so proud of her. Big Brother had his a week later but we didn't take any pictures that I can post here.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Pinterest Pin: Perfect or Problematic?
I love Pinterest. But I'm always wondering if a pin will really work the way it is talked up. I thought I would share what works for us and what is a total flop.
The Pin: Moon Sand. (Sorry there is no blog to link this back to)
Mix 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil.
What's Good?:
- The smell....OH MY. It made my home smell so amazing.
- The feel...it was SO soft and felt wonderful in your hands.
- The cost...extremely low.
- The kids absolutely loved this. It kept them very entertained. One of my kids loves to dig his hands into things like this. I had to pull him away from it after an hour and a half.
- It is so much FUN for them. It was easy to shape and mold and build with.
- It can be stored and reused later.
What's Bad?:- MESSY. This is extremely messy. It is best done outdoors and in old clothing.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Can I See the One?
I walked away from the school knowing that I should have offered the fellow PreK mom babysitting. For a block I kept thinking I should turn around---but I didn't. Then I spent the rest of my walking kicking myself and confessing to God. I should have offered.....why???...no other reason then the Holy Spirit was prompting me too.
Obedience to the one is something God has been teaching me lately. This is something Katie Davis writes in her book, Kisses from Katie. She talks about the feeling that serving in Uganda was like trying to refill an ocean with a water dropper. God didn't call her to change Uganda. Instead He called her to serve the one right in front in her. By changing that one's life, Uganda would change.
I have been praying that God would open my eyes to the needs right in front of me and that I would be faithful to fill it. However, I feel like I keep missing that one. It's so much easier to look at the bigger picture, or to be so focus at the life in front of me that I miss those in front of me.
I need to be faithful to the elderly woman who is lonely and just needs to chat for a while, even though I really just want to go home. I need to be faithful to the mom who is overwhelmed and needs the door held open for her, even though I have four kids of my own to wrangle. I need to be faithful to the neighbor who rarely talks to us due to three little bi-racial kids running in our yard, but now is willing to have a conversation. I need to be faithful to the child who needs 5 minutes of Mommy time, even though my list of chores to do is huge.
It's easier to look for ways to save the world. It's easier to sit in the statics and shake my head at The Church for their lack of action to what God has clearly called them to in the Bible. It's easier to say I've done enough, look at the three children in my home that I'm caring for.
However, God has asked me to let him worry about that. He is the world savior. He is the head of the church. And He has placed these children into my home. He has called me to neither heroics or cowardice. Instead He has called me to faithfulness. Faithful to the one He places in front of me each day.
Obedience to the one is something God has been teaching me lately. This is something Katie Davis writes in her book, Kisses from Katie. She talks about the feeling that serving in Uganda was like trying to refill an ocean with a water dropper. God didn't call her to change Uganda. Instead He called her to serve the one right in front in her. By changing that one's life, Uganda would change.
I have been praying that God would open my eyes to the needs right in front of me and that I would be faithful to fill it. However, I feel like I keep missing that one. It's so much easier to look at the bigger picture, or to be so focus at the life in front of me that I miss those in front of me.
I need to be faithful to the elderly woman who is lonely and just needs to chat for a while, even though I really just want to go home. I need to be faithful to the mom who is overwhelmed and needs the door held open for her, even though I have four kids of my own to wrangle. I need to be faithful to the neighbor who rarely talks to us due to three little bi-racial kids running in our yard, but now is willing to have a conversation. I need to be faithful to the child who needs 5 minutes of Mommy time, even though my list of chores to do is huge.
It's easier to look for ways to save the world. It's easier to sit in the statics and shake my head at The Church for their lack of action to what God has clearly called them to in the Bible. It's easier to say I've done enough, look at the three children in my home that I'm caring for.
However, God has asked me to let him worry about that. He is the world savior. He is the head of the church. And He has placed these children into my home. He has called me to neither heroics or cowardice. Instead He has called me to faithfulness. Faithful to the one He places in front of me each day.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mother's Day
Today is Mother's Day. A day where mom's around this country will be honored. I, however, would rather just skip it.
My kiddos are off for a visit today, an extra long visit. They will spend Mother's Day with their mom. They will give her the flower we pick out and re-potted. They will dote her with home made cards that we worked on yesterday. And they will excitedly hand her the presents they made at school.
Today I am the "other woman". Well, I'm often the other woman, but today I feel it.
I'm by no means opposed to Mother's Day in general. I think it's wonderful to honor moms. But I would rather not go through the motions that take place around this official holiday. Tony and the kids made me breakfast in bed last weekend and that is more then enough "honor" for me. I felt appreciated and special, which is the point of today.
However, I will walk through the church doors with a million happy mother's day. It will be celebrated in one way or another at our church, when we run errands, etc. All of that is wonderful.
But for ME.
TODAY.
I wish it would be just another Sunday.
On the other hand I am thrilled for the kids bio-mom. Not many parents in the system actually get to spend the day with their kiddos on Mother's or Father's day. Looking at it from a mom who is NOT spending time with my kiddos I understand how devastating that would be. She IS their mother, and that will never change. I had my kiddos yesterday, I will have them again tomorrow. I had them for a short time this morning and will have them for a short time tonight. She gets a few hours today to just be mom...only a few. But I'm glad she gets them.
The reality is that one of us will probably not have these kids to celebrate Mother's Day with next year. They will either be "home" or they will be headed for adoption. That in and of its self is heart wrenching. However, today God has given us a Mother's Day to share. While that is not ideal for either of us, we do have this tremendous blessing of both knowing and being Mommy to these three incredible kids.
And today I will hold one beautiful little girl in my arms and rejoice in the gift God has given me to forever and always be her mommy! She is so excited that it is Mother's Day. She truly makes my heart sing.
My kiddos are off for a visit today, an extra long visit. They will spend Mother's Day with their mom. They will give her the flower we pick out and re-potted. They will dote her with home made cards that we worked on yesterday. And they will excitedly hand her the presents they made at school.
Today I am the "other woman". Well, I'm often the other woman, but today I feel it.
However, I will walk through the church doors with a million happy mother's day. It will be celebrated in one way or another at our church, when we run errands, etc. All of that is wonderful.
But for ME.
TODAY.
I wish it would be just another Sunday.
On the other hand I am thrilled for the kids bio-mom. Not many parents in the system actually get to spend the day with their kiddos on Mother's or Father's day. Looking at it from a mom who is NOT spending time with my kiddos I understand how devastating that would be. She IS their mother, and that will never change. I had my kiddos yesterday, I will have them again tomorrow. I had them for a short time this morning and will have them for a short time tonight. She gets a few hours today to just be mom...only a few. But I'm glad she gets them.
The reality is that one of us will probably not have these kids to celebrate Mother's Day with next year. They will either be "home" or they will be headed for adoption. That in and of its self is heart wrenching. However, today God has given us a Mother's Day to share. While that is not ideal for either of us, we do have this tremendous blessing of both knowing and being Mommy to these three incredible kids.
Friday, May 3, 2013
April and May Goals
SELF:
*Complete 4 week of the C to 5K. (3 weeks completed, week 4 started)
*Complete 100% of the "Save My Sanity" 21 step project. (72% complete)
*Complete 75% of Spring Cleaning. (59% complete)
MINISTRY:
FOSTER CARE:
*Finish court reports and turn them in.
KIDS:
*Complete and turn in Little Man's paper work for his ADOFF. (ALMOST....planning to finish TODAY)
TONY & I:
FINANCES:
MAY GOALS:
SELF:
*Complete weeks 4 through 8 of the Couch to 5K program.
*Read 75% of the Out-of Sync Child
*Read 100% of Kisses from Katie
*Complete "Save My Sanity" 21 steps
*Complete Spring Cleaning 21 steps
MINISTRY:
*Begin the process of discussing "emergency" kits.
FOSTER CARE:
*Finish court reports.
*Finish paper work for Little Man.
*Finish and mail paper work for Big Brother.
TONY & I:
*Spend two nights on an in home date.
*Spend one night on an out of home date.
*Write a love note to Tony
*Sit down once a month to re-evaluate schedules and cut what needs to be cut, add what needs to be added.
FINANCES:
*Pay off a set amount of debt.
*Begin X-Box and dryer fund (two things that will most likely break by the end of the year).
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