Tomboys

What happens when little girls wearing skirts want to be like their brothers and play on the woodpile?
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They wind up with little legs covered in red bumps and microscopic splinters that Mommy has to find a way to remove! I have to say, though, that, despite her tears, she did very well, sitting very still while I worked.

A Smile a Day...

I am thrilled to report we just completed our last post-placement visit with our social worker. Now we just get to await news of our finalization. This is a wonderful feeling that N is closer to becoming our son legally as well as physically. In celebration, I thought I would share little N's latest accomplishment:

N, 3 months

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Since he has gotten over the RSV, he is just full of smiles and giggles. I didn't think he could be any cuter, but man, oh man, was I wrong! You should see him smile!

Childhood Innocence

Have you ever just listened to your children? Have you ever sat around just watching them in their play? S and I love to do both. Our 2 and 4 yo say and do so many things that can only be described as sweet and innocent. Those same things, however, can be so humbling to a parent. It often leaves me wishing I still had some of that innocence.
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For example, JR is learning so much lately, and not just that, but he is really putting concepts together in his little head. Recently, we have been learning about how God owns all things, and allows us to take care of things for Him. So the other day we had driven over to look at a house, and S was on the phone. JR asked who Daddy was talking to, and I replied that he was talking to the lady who owned the house. JR immediately said, "No, Mommy, GOD owns the house, so who is Daddy talking to?" I stood corrected.
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On a more serious note, an area that really hits home for me lately is racial issues. Now that we are officially a transracial family, I am learning by leaps and bounds how society views race. Young children, of course, are totally unaware of racial issues, until a parent teaches them otherwise. Children in a transracial family are often referred to as "colorblind" because they see their siblings all the same, despite the color of their skin. However, I am learning that the kids are, in fact, well aware of color, they just don't view it with the stigmas that adults do. I got to thinking about this the other night when I was informing the kids that they would be having a new babysitter come watch them. JR asked, "What color is she?" Funny thing is, it totally didn't matter what color she was, he was simply curious. He is at the age where he likes to match colors and see who looks like who--JR has skin color like mommy, daddy, and M, A has blue eyes like JR and daddy, and N has brown eyes like mommy. Color is simply a means to help find an identity. Oh, if only the rest of society could have a bit of this innocence as well! What a wonderful place this world would be.
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The reason I started contemplating these things tonight was actually something M did. As you know I am a Type 1 diabetic. I wear an insulin pump rather than taking shots. The pump is small pager-sized computer that holds and meters the insulin out as required throughout the day. It holds a little syringe full of insulin, which is connected to a long tube, which is connected to an infusion "site"--the part that actually sticks into my skin. That is held by tape. I have to change this set up every 3 days or so.

Last night was time to change. M is fascinated by this process and has been for some while. She doesn't grasp the concept of a disease at this point, but has no doubt reached the age where she wants to be like Mommy. In imitation of me, she will often say things, "May I have juice?..my sugar's low!" And if she is nearby when I change out my infusion set, she will often grab the old one and play with it while I finish up (don't worry, there is no needle attached!).

Last night was actually the first time she actually made the site stick to her belly. She was so proud to look just like Mommy. I just found such irony in her innocence. Here I have a disease I would give almost anything to not have. I pray frequently that God's protective hand would stay on my children, and that none of them would develop diabetes and have to go through years of needles, food calculations, finger sticks, and so on. Yet, my little girl, in all her innocence, just wants to be like Mommy, no matter what the cost.

It really humbles me and reinforces the hugeness of the responsibility Christ has given me as a mother. Everything I do will be imitated by our children, as it is only natural for them to want to be like their parents. They become mirror images in their behavior, and it is imperative that we always strive to model a good example, that they may mature according to the instruction of the Lord.

Our Little Birthday Boy

I can't believe A is a year old! One year ago this week, we were waiting impatiently for A's birthmom to agree to visit a doctor. We feared she was having complications, but she was refusing to go. We were praying for peace and strength, and relying on God to take care of our soon-to-be-son. Then we got the call that he was being delivered via an emergency c-section. The story of the call itself is an amazing one that God played a big part of. Then, due to complications, A spent a week in the NICU, connected to all sorts of tubes. I was separated from my family the whole time, as I stayed in a hospital room nearby, entertaining and getting to know his birthmother for a portion of that time. I saw her tears after she signed the adoption consent forms, and witnessed firsthand how a piece of her heart was left behind when she left the hospital, leaving A in my care. The following months were busy with post-placement visits, reports, doctor visits, and the joyous adoption finalization. There were some fears about his development, as he was delayed in many areas. We gradually became more confident she had used meth during her pregnancy, ultimately causing many of his problems. As a result, those months were also a time where I had to learn to love his birthmother for the simple fact that she chose to give him life, even if her time caring for him in utero was not ideal. Around the time of his finalization, she wrote that she had come to know Christ as her personal Saviour; news that we truly rejoiced at. We watched God's healing power as little A grew, eventually catching up developmentally. We have seen God work in so many ways over the past year. The simple fact that A is alive today is due only to God. His birthmother told us that she wanted to have an abortion before God re-directed her to adoption at the last moment.
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Now, here we are, celebrating his first birthday. Those memories seem like yesterday on one hand, and simultaneously seem so distant. Grandma (S's mom) came for a visit to meet N for the first time and see the kids, so we decided to celebrate a couple days early so she could join us. Some friends also joined us, preparing a traditional Persian dinner for us to try. A absolutely loved it!

Daddy did M's hair for the occasion....his first ponytail! I was so proud of him!

I made my second attempt to bake a cake from scratch. My first was for JR's 1st birthday, and it flopped miserably. This one, an almond-raspberry cake with buttercream frosting, was at least edible, and actually pretty good (though I don't consider it worthy of passing on the recipe).

. Since A has RSV right now, we decided to put the candle only in A's piece of cake. Didn't want to risk him coughing, sneezing, or blowing that virus all over everybody else's cake! But, it didn't matter, as JR wound up having to blow out the candle anyway.


A looked around like, "Is this for real?", then dug right in!

. He couldn't eat that cake fast enough!
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He definitely broke the record for being the cleanest baby after a first birthday cake. He liked it so much, he didn't spend any time playing in it, and just shoved the thing in his mouth.

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Then we moved on to presents. We had to show him that he could pull the paper out of the bag, but once he figured it out, he found the present quickly (a little eager assistance from JR helped speed things along too!).

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M had to make sure little N didn't feel left out of the activities.

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We had a great time, and now, I guess technically I no longer have 2 babies, but 1 baby and 1 toddler (plus the 2 older kids).

Babies, babies!

Today has been a baby day!

First off, congrats to my brother and his wife who just delivered #2 this morning. So my whole family is pretty excited.

The other baby part of the day has not been so great. With all the colds going around this house over the last week, it was only natural that little N came down with something. Rather than improving though, over the last 4 days, he has gotten progressively worse. I was concerned by this morning, as I knew it was more than a cold, but didn't know what it was. After a 3 hour trip to the doctor, turns out he AND A have RSV. Thank the Lord, the doc said we were very in tune and caught it earlier than most. Therefore, he expects the virus can be easily treated here at home. But since A has had his cough for about a week now, he has to be treated as well. S and M likely had it, but are old enough that were able to fight it on their own. Nonetheless, it takes quite a bit to worry me with illness, and I have never dealt with a sick baby this young. So if you have a free moment today to say a little prayer for N, we would really appreciate it. He is on treatment now, so hopefully God's healing hand will touch him soon. Poor little guy is so heartbreakingly miserable!

Grocery Day Adventures

N, 2 months

One day a month, I drive about an hour to the nearest commissary, shop for all my non-perishables and whatever organic frozen goods I can find, and then I only have to buy my produce once a week. Today was that day. I should mention I have never done this trip with 4 little children in tow. 3, but not 4. So, since I require 2 grocery carts anyway--I mean I buy 20 boxes of cereal alone--I came up with this great plan for how to deal with the children. 30 minutes prior to leaving, my plan failed when my help called in sick.

But, I am a military mom, and flexibility is my middle name. So, I packed the diaper bag, prepared the bottles, and loaded all the kids. Everyone seemed to be over the colds except A, so I managed to get him to take an early nap to help him be happy for the trip. Sound good? Riiiigghht!

First, I get caught in a road construction in rush hour traffic. No problem, I packed plenty of snacks for the kids. Then, the construction sends me on a detour, right into the absolute worst part of a large city. So, by now, my blood pressure is increasing a little. Then, it happens.

I hear the horrendous "choke, gag, cough, cry" and know that I will turn my head to find vomit in the back of my van. Sure enough, M lost her breakfast. But, even in crisis like this, God provides. I immediately see a semi-safe looking gas station, pull in, and run around to tend to my screaming child. She caught most of it in her lap, which protected my freshly cleaned van upholstery. There "happened" to be 2 large bibs from a previous day sitting in front of her, so I grabbed those and started cleaning up. JR, meanwhile, is complaining of the obnoxious stench now permeating the back seat of the van. Then I remembered having given my portable wipes to JR the day before. They were sitting nearby, so I grabbed them and finished the clean up. M was pretty nasty, though. Thank God, I had had the foresight a while back to pack spare clothing in the van. So I grabbed her spare outfit and changed her, calmed her down, buckled her up, gave her a bag to hold (just in case), and off we went.

Now, any normal mother in her right mind would probably have turned around and gone home by now, but I am far too stubborn for that! I finally get back onto the freeway. About 10 minutes before arriving at the commissary, I hear the "gag, cough, choke, cry" once again. I yell at her to grab her bag! Once again, I pull into the nearest gas station, and clean her up. Wouldn't you know that my spare outfit I had already put on her was a windbreaker, meaning, very easy to just wipe off! (Thank you God, once again).
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We finally arrived at our destination, and I am happy to report, we had a very successful grocery shopping trip, and returned home without further incident. I was reminded once again, however, that even at a time that could easily be frustrating and stressful beyond belief, God provides! I mean, there were no potty accidents or broken bones, right?! And, more importantly, I had all the supplies I needed, when I needed them.

Growing Up

Our kids are growing up all too quickly. As if I needed the reminder, JR walked up to me this afternoon and said, "Look, Mom, I'm getting hairs in my nose like Daddy! Can you see them?"

Long Night

I wrote about my schedule a while back. After a bit of tweaking, I am doing really well with it. I am accomplishing so much, and it is working out beautifully! My day typcially starts at 6 am (yes you read that right! I am actually up around 6) to feed N. By 7, I am dressed, tidied up my room, made the bed, generally gotten everything ready for the day, and even had some computer time in. On a great morning, I will even get a load of laundry going and have the kids' breakfast ready for them to get up. At 7, I go help all the littles get dressed and going. By 7:30 we are eating breakfast. Sound like smooth mornings? They are... I am loving the way every morning starts out with no rush or stress (even Sundays!)

Not this morning! Last night began on schedule for the most part. S happened to be gone last night, so it was just me. Just in case we were infected with the big "Conficker C" worm that's all over the news, I stayed up a little late backing up files and photos from the hard drive. By the time I got to bed around 10:30, M, who has a cold and doesn't feel well, was crying in her room. Hoping to make the night easier and prevent waking the other kids, I invited her to sleep with me. She was restless from discomfort at first, but I finally drifted off shortly after 11. Then she vomited. All over my bed (her side, fortunately). I learned an important lesson from this event--sick little girls should have their hair pulled back or you will have to wash it! Having long hair myself, you'd think I would know that already. So I cleaned everybody up (or so I thought) and we got back to bed after 12. Around 3, N woke up for his feeding. My up and down disturbed M's sleep, so of course she became restless again. When I got back to bed, I decided to turn off my 6am alarm. I didn't consider the fact that my kids really don't sleep in, despite what their night is like. So, of course, M was awake around 6:15, asking if she could go play. Fortunately, she is obedient, and on instruction, laid down and was surprisingly still until 7 when I could wait no longer to feed N, and the other kids were ready to get up. That is when I discovered that I had vomit on my PJ's still.

On one hand I am thankful I got the extra hour sleep. On the other hand, it was interesting having the comparison with my mornings over the last week. Between the slight rush to get back on schedule for the day, and the fact I am an easily irritated walking zombie, I think I will try to get up at 6 again tomorrow. I definitely prefer the peace and serenity of my morning hour now. One day I hope to be able to commit to my quiet times with the Lord during that hour, rather than later in the day like it currently is. But at this point, I am a bit sluggish during that hour to be ready to commit to it. One step at a time.

The story of the Proverbial Woman (Proverbs 31) is truly my goal on days like this. "She gets up while it is still dark;" (v. 15), "she can laugh at the days to come;" (v. 25), "she speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction on her tongue;" (v. 26), and "she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness;" (v. 27).

So, lack of sleep or not, I guess it's time to start our day! And a few extra loads of laundry today.

Touch A Truck

This past weekend, we took the kids to a "Touch A Truck" event. It was a very interesting event where kids got the opportunity to touch, climb on, and ask questions about lots of different types of trucks, machinery, and equipment that they couldn't normally. M had a cold, so she wasn't feeling very well, and of course the babies were too small to care, so I tended the 3 little ones while S and JR had fun with the "big boy toys."

They got to walk inside a partially inflated hot air balloon. The basket was attached and laying just outside.

A moving truck...something we are all too familiar with as a military family!

Parenting Politeness

JR, 4

Have you ever listened to very polite children and wondered how their parents taught them to speak like that? For example, imagine the following conversation I recently overheard taking place over a lunch:

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random chatter

Child A: "May I please have some more to drink?"

random chatter

Child B: "We forgot napkins!"

Mom: "Would you mind getting some please?"

Child B: "Yes, ma'm"

Child A (upon receiving a napkin): "Thank you"

Child B: "You're welcome"

random chatter

Child A: "Thank you for this yummy lunch, mom!"

Mom: "You're welcome."

random chatter

Child A: "Child B, would you please (whatever)"

Child B: "Just a moment, please, let me finish (whatever)"

etc.

Could you imagine? OK, so now I have to brag. That conversation took place over lunch today. Child A was my 2 year old daughter, M, and Child B was 4 year old JR. I have to admit, even I was surprised. But, I cannot take all the credit for it. S and I have been trying to teach polite speak for a while now, but were struggling with it. My kids were certainly polite by society standards, but we wanted to take them above that to actually using specific terminology such as "ma'm," "sir," and "May I be excused?." But it has been difficult to set the example with some of these terms. For example, I can't really ask to be excused from the table when I am the one excusing everyone (although I have tried that, but JR always told me "NO!"). About a week ago, I implemented another tip I learned from a recent book I read.

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Here's the deal: you have a small jar labeled with each child's name. You explain to the children that they will receive a treat in their jar each time they are caught doing a particular thing. In our case, we have chosen to use M&M's since they rarely get candy, and they get one M&M each time they say "Yes/No Ma'm/Sir," "No, thank you," "Yes, please," "May I please...," "You're welcome," for complimenting someone else, or for going out of their way to be polite or helpful (ie. picking up a toy that is in the way, even if they didn't play with it). They only get the M&M if they do the things without being reminded. So, if one child says, "Thank you" for something, he will get an M&M, but if the other child then says it, he will not since he was reminded by the first child. This causes them to try to be quick about being polite. Then, as M&M's are collected, they can also be taken away if the child does something in particular. For example, a behavior that they may know not to do, but continue, yet, perhaps it isn't worthy of true punishment. With our children, they lose one for impolite behavior toward each other. For younger children, this can be a simple and painless, yet devastating and memorable consequence. Then, once a day, they get to eat all the M&M's collected in the jar. As the children's politeness becomes more habitual, you simply wean them off the treat.

M, 2

So, yes, the above conversation was technically due only to some good, old-fashioned bribery. But, hey, nothing else was working, so I figured, why not? And, no doubt, it seems to be working with only simple training sessions on my part. In just the last week that I have implemented this "system," I have noticed a tremendous improvement in the kids' politeness. Through the natural course of this little "game," they are training themselves to become more conscious and aware of their speech and terminology. Besides, a little candy-coated chocolate is good for the soul, right?! ;)

A Day with Thomas

Like many boys, I'm sure, JR has had an interest in trains (among other things) lately. He asks lots of questions, talks about how he wants to ride one, and so forth. Because we love to allow our children to experience new things, particularly if it is something they are interested in, we researched every way we could think of to allow JR some exposure to trains. To no avail. Then we heard about a museum of sorts, not too far away, that gave train rides. So, we told the kids the night before what our plans were. Probably not a great idea right before bed! They were so excited, they couldn't wait until the next day.

This weekend, they got their first close-up with a real train. In actuality, it is a restored vintage train, and for a nominal fee, you can ride it several miles up the mountain, and then back down. History and distance were not a concern of the kids' of course, rather, they just thought they were getting to ride a "real" train!

At the station, waiting for the "Allllll Aboard!" from the conductor.

M in the entryway to the passenger car.

JR wanted to start his ride in the old-fashioned open-air car. It got pretty chilly once we started moving though, so we had to herd everyone into the closed and heated passenger car.

JR with one of the volunteer crew in their vintage dress.

A family photo in the passenger car. N can't be seen, but he is sleeping soundly in my wrap.


Daddy and the kids in front of the locomotive. The original steam engine could not be restored to a functioning level, so they had to use a diesel-electric locomotive. JR didn't know the difference, so he was just thrilled to see a real one!

In addition to the restored train we rode, there were several other cars on display that were either in the process of being restored, or for some reason, could not be restored. These included the original steam engine, a caboose, and a post office car.

The original steam engine from the side.


The original engine's frontal view.

So now the kids have another experience to check off their list (assuming they actually remember the experience!) and, if nothing else, we had another cool homeschool field trip. Ever since, JR and M have been playing pretend "train," complete with whistles, bumpy rides, who-sits-where, and who-is-conductor.

Kiddo Updates

I recently realized that it is March, N is 6 weeks old, and I haven't given any updates on him. He is doing beautifully, growing like a weed, and is just the happiest baby. N is so far proving to be our easiest baby yet. Since the miracle with his hips, he has had absolutely no health issues worth speaking of. He is on a really good schedule, eating every 3 hours, laying awake for a while, and then napping. We are still working on night times, but we have now had 3 with only 1 feeding during the night. Hopefully that will go soon as well. He is also very strong, already supporting his head quite a bit, and starting to sit up fairly straight with support. Developmentally, he seems right on target, and possibly slightly ahead. I mentioned he is growing like a weed.....he was 5 lbs 5 oz when I got him at 4 days old; as of yesterday's well-baby check, he is 9.5 lbs! I did not know that kind of growth was possible! The pediatrician explained his theory that N may have experienced "intra-uterine growth restriction," meaning that for some reason, his growth in-utero may have been stunted. We just don't know enough about the pregnancy to know if or how early he was, or if there was any reason for this growth restriction. In any case, now he is eating more than normal apparently, and his body is catching up. Here is a photo I took just tonight.

And yes, he has gotten bigger, fatter, darker, and his hair is getting curly.

Since I'm doing updates, here a few photos of the other kids.

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We couldn't ask for a more patient dog than Will! All our babies have loved him!

No, A did not outgrow his pack'n'play. M had a toy one for her baby dolls that he likes to push around as he walks along behind it. On this particular day, he got it jammed into a corner, and decided to climb in. Bet he wouldn't be that happy in a full-size one!

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Aaahhh, and this would be my little farm-girl wanna-be. She loves to wear her boots almost as much as she loves to wear her dresses. As long as we aren't going out in public, I figure it isn't worth battling over!

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M walked in yesterday looking like this, and said, "Look Mommy, I Mary and this is Baby Jesus!" Ooooh, she may be cute, but do not be fooled....

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This is poor Will after Daddy allowed M to use some scissors and left her unsupervised for a moment. He has these little clipped areas all over the front half of his body!

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And I couldn't resist capturing this sweet father-son moment.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure:

You Just Never Know!

I have had this crazy notion for a while now. I just wanted to know if I could make hot dog buns from scratch. Don't ask why, because I really don't know why. I don't even eat hot dogs that often, though I do happen to like them in general. Nonetheless, while I was shopping at my local organic food store recently, I saw they had a pack of organic beef dogs that actually looked like they might taste pretty decent. So I bought a pack, and decided to finally see if I could do it. This was the result:

If I may say so, they were quite good! Of course, homemade bread is always better fresh. It has toughened up a bit over the last day or two. But, I have to admit, I am rather impressed that I was able to do it. Don't know that I will do it again anytime soon (since we don't buy hot dogs very often), but for some goofy reason, I find satisfaction in knowing that I can if I want to.

In the last 2 weeks, I have implemented a great schedule, gotten my kids started on a terrific chore system, learned to bake all sorts of new things from scratch, and generally have a clean house and happy family. I had this smug satisfaction creeping up on me this week. I mean, it is all too easy to let these kinds of things go to my head! I mean, hey, I was in control! I guess someone decided I needed a bit of humble pie. Yesterday, JR came downstairs after his afternoon nap. I helped him get a little snack, and left to finish whatever I was working on. I heard some strange noises coming out of the kitchen, so I returned to check on things. This is what I found:

JR had finished the snack I gave him, grabbed the jar of peanut butter, gotten onto the counter and made himself comfortable (not something that my kids generally do unless we are actively creating something in the kitchen, and ONLY with permission), gotten a spoon out of the drawer, and was chowing down on peanut butter! I honestly didn't know whether to scold or laugh, so I just shook my head and grabbed my camera. I do love my children and the surprises they throw my way!

Kids and chores

A, age 10 months

Do you ever find yourself trying to bribe your kids to do their chores? Do you have to nag in order to get the chores done correctly? Do your kids enjoy doing chores? Do you have young children who need lots of assistance with chores? Do you tend to try to distract young children so they aren't "in the way" at chore time?

"Chores" is a label that can be given to any number of tasks. Anything from laundry, bathrooms, and washing dishes, to brushing teeth, dressing, and cleaning the car can be classified as a chore. As many of you know, I recently read a book called "Managers of Their Homes" and began a daily schedule that has proven very successful. I also started a new chore system thanks to the book "Managers of their Chores." It is AWESOME. In fact, it has solved so many issues around here, I think I love it more than the schedule by itself. It uses an author-invented idea called a "ChorePack," that has been tested and approved by large families around the nation. Basically, you divide chores up into different parts of the day, and assign them to a member of the family (for simplicity, I will focus on children here). You then assemble a set of chore cards, specifically tailored for that child and time of day. Then, at the given chore time, you give the assembled chore pack to the child to wear as they complete their chores. When they are finished, they return the pack to you for inspection.

This system truly works wonders. I cannot testify to older children, although I have heard good things. However, in my family of younger children, who have a desire to help, but are still too young to do much, this has been a wonderful addition to our routine. I used to wake in the morning and spend 20 minutes helping/reminding the kids to dress, tidy their room (they played every morning before coming to breakfast), and despite the reminders, I gave up on requiring bed-making. I was also finding things my 4 year old would forget to do EVERY morning. As we went through the day, I would nag a bit to ensure toys were periodically picked up and tried to keep things tidy around the house--not always an easy task. No more.

Now, before I go to bed at night, I put the children's morning ChorePacks in their room in a designated spot. When they awake the next morning, rather than play, they eagerly put on their pack and set to the assigned tasks. Their tasks include things like dressing, putting away PJ's, brushing teeth and hair, tidying room, making beds, etc. Some tasks are assigned to both children, while others are given to only one child or the other. When necessary, M will come to me for help in dressing and switching to the next task, but JR works completely independently. He feels like such a big boy, I don't have to nag him at all, and he doesn't forget anything. When he is finished, he brings me his ChorePack and I go inspect his work. Their room is not messy in the morning because their tasks keep them busy. Having started our day off on the right foot, we can then start our schedule for the day. After lunch, I pass out their lunchtime ChorePacks, and they spend about 10-20 minutes performing those tasks. In the mean time, I am able to tend to the babies, clean the kitchen up, and do other odds and ends. When finished, I inspect their work. As the day progresses, we have a very small ChorePack for before dinner, a small one for after dinner, and a bedtime one. The hardest part is just remembering to hand them out at the given time. Our schedule helps here.

S has commented on how everyone seems happier somehow these days, the house is much cleaner at any given time, I do not feel as overwhelmed or lost, the kids love being useful and having jobs, and things are getting accomplished. We spent the first few days with the idea of "training" the kids to use them, but they caught on very quickly. M was actually the most difficult on day 1, due to her strong-willed nature. But with a little encouragement using "natural consequences" from another book I love (How to Make Children Mind Without Losing Yours), by day 2, she became a full and willing participant. I highly recommend this system for anyone who is even remotely chore-challenged, or if you just want a better way to do things. By using a system, you/the kids are kept busy, but you are all doing things that you enjoy.

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I have to finish with just one example of what we have encountered this week. As I mentioned, on Day 1, M chose to be less-than-cooperative at first. When it came time to make her bed, she adamantly refused. While I don't expect a 2 yr. old to create a masterpiece, I did expect her to do her best to at least pull the covers up over her pillow. Despite the instruction, she still refused. I calmly explained that there would be consequences. Our schedule said that at x:xx time, we had to do (whatever), and if her bed wasn't made, she would not be able to participate. She chose to sit on her bed while the rest of the family went on with our day. About an hour later, she finally allowed me to help her make her bed. Done. At 7:00 a.m. on Day 2, M came running into my room, already wearing her ChorePack. She wanted some help flipping to the next card. I helped her and told her the next assignment was to go make her bed. She exclaimed, "But I already did!" Not believing her, I went to her room, and sure enough! Let me tell you, the quickest way to set a Mom's day right from the beginning is to allow her to walk in to her children's bedroom, and the two of them be standing there dressed, with teeth brushed, hair combed, beds made, floor tidy, and everyone in a good mood! Oh, if only I could capture that type of moment on camera!

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"Make it your amibition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

--1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

A Busy Weekend

Sorry for the delay in posting. It has been a very busy weekend! S was off work Friday, so we decided to drive a bit to some sand dunes we had heard about. There is literally this sand basin, right in the middle of a valley surrounded by mountains. While it is an explainable natural phenomenon, it really looks out of place. The highest dunes are over 600 feet tall.

Looking down at the dunes in the valley.

Will (the dog), me with N in the wrap, and JR after hiking up a small dune.

Hey, S, I dare you to flip off this steep hill! --Wait, I was kidding!!!

Never fear, the kids will come down and rescue you!

Just one problem with that idea....what goes down, must come back up! And that dune was as steep as it looks!

JR, me, M, and Will in a dune valley.

Even A tried to get in on the action, and after eating his fill of dirt, proceeded to try to slide feet first down the hill.

Our ever-faithful guardian supervising us.

On Valentine's morning, I awoke to find a dozen roses and a very touching card.

Aren't they beautiful?!

Then we proceeded to use S's Valentine's gift--a hand-held GPS--to go geocaching. We first heard about this sport a year ago, and it has since rapidly gained in popularity. This game is designed for outdoor enthusiasts, and is used for many reasons. Basically, it is a treasure hunt, where someone hides a "cache" (the treasure). It could be any size, and contain anything from a finder's log (the minimum) to a huge stash of collector's geo-coins, trackable items, dog treats, fast-food toys, etc. Someone (anyone) hides the cache, records its GPS location, logs it onto the geocache website, and waits to see who can find it. It is a way to draw people to an out-of-the-way trail, provide a fun challenge for city-dwellers, or just turn an otherwise average family hike into a cache-hunting race. When you find a cache, you sign the log, take anything you want out of it (as long as you replace it with something else), and move on to the next. There are literally hundreds of thousands of these caches stashed all over the world! There is a good chance you live within a mile of several!

S holding one of his cache finds, while A (in the back carrier sitting on the ground) looks on.

Then we returned home to take a quick rest.

OK, so for some, it was a more lengthy rest!

We then had our first post-placement adoption visit with our social worker. After he left, we loaded up the family, and drove to see some dear friends several hours away. We spent the night, attended their church the next day, enjoyed some good homemade southern food for lunch, visited more friends down the road, and returned home Sunday night.

JR, "Pa-paw", N, M, "Ma-maw", and A.

Our first photo as a family of 6!

We are now home, recuperating as best we can, and still recovering from colds. I am putting the finishing touches on a new family schedule and chore system, and am looking forward to testing it out this week. I'll let you know how it works out!