Hump Day

Monday and Tuesday went so well. So we were bound for fallout, I guess, and it hit today. BOOM!
Too much to even tell. Hitting, screaming, threats (and that wasn't even me!). Whining, bed wetting, technical difficulties and a doctor's appointment to boot! So glad that everyone is in bed finally. Will talk to the counselor and maybe come up with new strategies. (new music selections reflect me trying to renew my sense of purpose, key word trying)

On a more positive note, ran across Elizabeth's referral photos. My she's becoming such a beautiful little girl. We are so blessed.


Referral photo- October 2008, Gotcha Day 9-14-09, On daddy's lap before surgery (love the little hospital gown) December 2009.














Notes on the music: More Like Falling in Love- "Give me rules, I'll break them. Give me lines, I'll cross them." That describes one of our children so perfectly.
Mighty to Save- "Everyone needs compassion, a love that's never failing, let mercy fall on me." I need that mercy. "Savior he can move a mountain, my God is mighty to save." We have mountains, invisible but HUGE.
Healing Begins- "There's freedom waiting in the sound when you let your walls fall down... This is where the healing begins". My prayer is that walls fall down, healing begins and we can move past these behaviors.
God Bless the Broken Road- I know that this is more for couples, but after the battles we have fought for Mr. M and how hard the road has been it is still so applicable. "It's all part of this grander plan that is coming true" God has a wonderful purpose for M's life and we have to fight for him to be set free so that he can move past all the junk.
Love is not a Fight- "Love is not a place to come and go as we please". Adopted children already have suffered rejection once from their biological parents. No matter how hard it gets, I need to be committed.
I could keep going, needless to say each song speaks to some area of our life, specifically parenting and overcoming the challenges.

Crazy Good Deals

So on Sunday afternoon I went to Walgreens to snag some good deals before Mr. Incredible went out of town- it's always easier to shop without kids. I did let Mr. Z tag along, though :)
Okay, so here's what I got
3- 2 packs of glue sticks
3- packs of 15 count eraser caps
3- 2 packs of erasers
4- Colgate Total toothpaste (not pictured)
4- Pampers wipes
1- Crest Whitening Strips
2- 400 sheets of multipurpose copier paper
2- poly portfolios
2- 2 packs of Pilot G2 pens
1- 6 pack of Expo washable markers
2- 3 ring poly binders
4- Butterfingers
5- 5 tab index dividers

All this for $0.43!!!! Yes, I used RR, but the toothpaste earned me a buck for each one I bought! And now we have school supplies and chocolate! Who could ask for more! The paper alone was marked with a shelf price of $6.99 and had a sale price of $1.99. I left with less RR than I walked in with, but I got things we could use!!! Yeah!!!

Counting Blessings

I've deduced that it was just an end of week crisis and though I didn't find the rainbow, He has given me the strength to keep going.
Though, I am hoping that today is not a foretaste of what the week ahead holds. Mr. Incredible leaves on business today :(, it's overcast and hard to get going and our helper texted in sick :( But we are making the most of it and I'm going to go to Aqua Zumba! It's either that or sit around watching movies barely able to keep my eyes open.
On a brighter note Elizabeth is stringing all sorts of sounds together, she's alternating feet when going up the stairs if your holding her hand and yesterday at church she was saying "Hi/Bye" to pretty much anyone she saw!
Mr. Incredible wanted to be a blessing before he left (or maybe he just wanted clean, folded clothes:)) and he was the director of Nazi Clothes Folding boot camp last night. It was so cute to see Elizabeth running around "mopping" (she decided that was her contribution) while Mr. M and Mr. T were working to match socks when I walked in from some shopping. More on the shopping in another post!
God is good all the time! (even when we don't "feel" it) :)

Help! I'm older than I feel!!

Maybe it's that I'm not looking forward to a week without Mr. Incredible... maybe it's "spring" fever... maybe it's just that it's been a busy week. All I want to do is ditch my responsibilities and go DO something. Clarification- do something that is NOT a doctor appointment, carting a kid somewhere or grocery shopping. I'm thinking like a day at the beach by myself, a night out (I mean all night, not just a couple of hours). I want to drive a convertible with the top down and the wind blowing through my hair, not a minivan with kids in the back yelling for me to shut the window... Is this a mid-life crisis or end of week crisis? Hmmm.
Do I need a vacation? Do we need a vacation?
"Be content with what you have." I guess I need to be content to be 30 something with the "social status" I have now attained- I am a homeschooling stay at home mom with one husband, one cat, four sons and one daughter a 4/2/2 house with a pool and fireplace and 2600 square feet to try to keep clean :/ Rainbow where are you? I really need to see you!

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!!!

Today is Elizabeth's THIRD birthday!!!!
It is also the 10 month mark of her gotcha day.
My how time flies!

Oh, Monday, Monday!

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and not the peace to not hurt the child who's yelling that they hate me. Amen.
Does that give away how our day has gone too much?! In all truthfulness, we've actually had a good day and an exciting start to our week.

#1 Elizabeth had a follow up with the ENT. Ear tubes are still in place and clean and clear. Had to body hug her to keep her still while they suctioned the wax out of her tiny ear canals. The PA did the work and when we walked out the room the doctor commented on her still so ever healthy lungs. Why is it I get to do all the fun things?!

#2 Mr. Z begins Big Bad Musical Rehearsals. TONIGHT!!! And a parent has to be present for a meeting at 6pm!!!

#3 Mr. M is trying my patience. Pottying in inappropriate places is at the top of the list. Hitting brothers is next. Screaming how he hates me is next. Maybe that should be reversed, but my practical side is showing :)

#4 Trying to line up pick ups for Mr. Z from rehearsal while Mr. Incredible is out of town.

#5 CVS doesn't want to honor a two day expired ECB worth $3 :(

#6 My internet and computer are having some sort of warfare between each other and don't like to talk!

#7 Scheduled follow up Sono for the ovarian cyst I had last month- not something I'm looking forward to.

#8 Need to find out when Ms. E's husbands funeral is so I can try to arrange child care and be there.

#9 More appointments, than the usual, all week.

#10 Need to prep for a swim party at our house on Saturday. If I just say it will it come true? "Weeds I banish you!"

Please Pray

Please lift up Miss Ellen in your prayers. She's Elizabeth's language development therapist with the school district. We had a call from her when we arrived home from church that her husband died this morning. He had some minor heart surgery at the end of last week and apparently there were some complications. She's making funeral arrangements tomorrow.

Please pray that I would know how to minister to her as well. Our friendship has blossomed over the last several months of her working with Elizabeth.

Thank you.

Light

Proverbs 4:18-19 (the Message)
The ways of right-living people glow with light;
the longer they live, the brighter they shine.
But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker—
travelers can't see a thing; they fall flat on their faces.

I've been trying to read a Proverbs a day. Last night the 7th, I read 4, 5, 6 and 7 (oops!! little behind!) Anyway, the above struck me. Am I glowing brighter or becoming darker? Am I reflecting God's presence in our lives or am I letting the storm clouds show on my face? I feel like a keep falling flat on my face, but is it because I can't see or am I just desperate for God to intervene and touch the hearts of my children?

Mr. M has had a hard week. Change especially for children is hard to begin with, but add PDD and RAD on top of that and it's REALLY hard.
As I was starting to get dinner ready (and dreading bath time), I remembered the words of Deut. 31- (paraphrase) He won't leave me, He won't forsake me, He goes with me, Be strong and courageous. Maybe my courageous is not the climbing sheer cliffs without a safety rope kind of adrenaline pumping experience that most envision. Maybe it's just the everyday doing the right thing and guiding Mr. M in that better path (along with the others :)) Being a light to my family and showing love and kindness even in the hard times. Will the world be a better place if I successfully climb a cliff? Most likely not. Will the world be a better place if I can send five loving, giving, honorable, trustworthy and steadfast young adults into it? Maybe it will, just maybe.
In the meantime, I'll keep plodding on shining light on the darkness that tries to invade. And tonight maybe we just might skip baths, just maybe :)

Change...

This week is one for the record books.
Mr. Incredible started the week out of town and is out again for two days.
We have a new helper. BIG CHANGE
I am trying to go to the gym in the morning because of childcare closing right after class at night and wanting to have "family time" in the evenings. BIG CHANGE
What else...hmmm... Mr. M's OT who's expecting was unable to make our appointment due to having some pains, no baby yet that I know of, but Mr. M was very unsettled by the appointment being canceled.
Any change to his routine causes issues. Hmm, no wonder he's been A BEAR yesterday and today!!! More to love, right?!

And a change for the better! Elizabeth is now alternating legs when going up stairs!!! Yeah!!! Also, if you say a word and then tell her to say it she will, if it's a new word, but she won't do it again :/ Hey, at least she is trying it out!

I was given a compliment today of, "How can she do that all day?! She would make a great teacher." I really wanted to say, "Why thank you, I already am!" But didn't want to risk offense :)

It goes to show that the Lord prepares us for our job, even when we feel like we are the shortest, scrawniest, most nerdy candidate. He calls us out and into GREATNESS. He can take failures, shortcomings and misgivings and use them to make something BEAUTIFUL.

Being the Boss

Aren't they so cute?! Mr. M and Mr. T have taken to getting all decked out for church. Gotta impress the ladies sometime I guess.







I managed to get to church today with Mr. Incredible still out of town and I didn't actually leave any children there! (almost forgot Elizabeth in the nursery, but I didn't!!!)
Our pastor spoke on the power of those in authority. The main point in summary is that, "When I treat those under my authority with dignity and kindness they cooperate and I succeed." But in getting to the summary he addressed how people need to have hope (among many other things), but it was his statements concerning hope that hit me hard.
Mr. M has been a challenge for so many years now and he's only six! Yesterday, he only succeeded in bathing a couple of body parts during bath. He stole food last night while the babysitter was trying to get Elizabeth to sleep. (I had gone to Mr. Z's final performance of Tales of the Wild West) This morning he called Mr. T stupid. He's hit and kicked Mr. J. He's been beligerant to me while we were trying to leave church and that's just the highlights of the last 18 hours! I know he's missing his Daddy, we all are at this point...
During the sermon what I realized is I've lost hope, or nearly have. I say I know he can become a productive member of society, but I'm really just not wanting him to be some homicidal maniac. I want him to go to college and be all that he can, but I'm having a hard time believing that he can even hold a steady job at this point. I know God placed him in our home and I know that there is good that will come, but I'm crying as I write because I am just sooooo tired of the constant battles! Do I need to step up my game as a mom? How can I do more?! Seriously!!! In God I know there is a well of strength and wisdom and hope. Anybody got a rope and bucket or better yet a pump?

Wednesday Savings

I spent 4.5 hours cutting the coupons and doing the shopping, but there were also interruptions from kids, does that shave some time off?

So why have I started extreme couponing? Because I want extreme savings. If I can NOT spend money 0n the things that I don't have to or if I can make up a gift basket from the things that I accumulate or even give to local shelters, than I can use the money saved to do something good, give someone a gift without spending a lot of money or bless those who are having a hard time.

I spent $2.01 in cash at Walgreens and have $42 RR. I used coupons, more coupons and $32 in previous in RR. My total savings were $111.87. What I got:
3- 4 packs of a diet drink
3- boxes of tampons
3- boxes of Huggies wipes
2- Crest toothpastes
4- Sure deoderant
4- Curad bandages
11- jellos
4- 4 packs of razors
1- double pack of toothbrushes and 2 single toothbrushes
1- Edge shave gel
1- Skintimate shave gel
1- Wet Ones canister

At CVS the few cents I didn't have coupons and ECB to cover I used a gift card (from filling a prescription) to pay for! God knew I was running short on Advil! The 4 packs of $3.79 pads I got totally free, I made $0.50 on the Pantene and used that to help offset the cost of the Advil which after coupons, the overage from the Pantene and $1 ECB you got cost $0.99 each!



All I have to say is YIPEEEEEE! God is good, even in the small things!

Life, Out of the Box

You know God is stretching you when things you don't expect start piling up and up and up.
When it rains it pours... To everything there is a season...

Well six months (I believe to the day) of losing one dog, we have lost another (and we only had two to begin with!). Samson had to find a new home today. There have been issues over him leaving our backyard, and I'm not too thrilled about the puncture marks in our leather sofa from his claws, but we had the last straw yesterday and he had to go. It had been coming, but we have had so much changing in our lives lately and Mr. M's need for stability.... God knows. God sees. God is in control. I just need to keep trusting. As I was driving to pick up Mr. Z from a day camp, a song came on the radio, I didn't "Shazam" it with my iphone so I don't know the title, but the artist sang of God being in control and knowing and caring. Just what I needed to hear at just the right moment. It's amazing that days before when the station's music manager was selecting songs and play order God was directing him and I would be in the van at exactly the right time to hear exactly what I need in order to not have a total breakdown over the dog!

I am looking forward to the flowers that this season of storms is going to produce. I pray that Mr. Incredible's travel will yield fruit and not be wasted. I pray that God's provision for our family is sustaining and His hand of protection spread far. I pray that the kids aren't scarred for life after all this dog drama.

The storms in life produce the rainbows!!!!

Giving It Up

I have worked for a couple hours each day this week sorting through my procrastination piles- clothes, paperwork, stuff, etc. Last night while I waited for Mr. Incredible to get home I tackled the computer counter. It's amazing there really still is a white counter under all that paperwork and those items of "what does this belong to?". I would love to say that I got all the paperwork sorted and put up and, and, and... Nope it's now on the bench by the backdoor, but I did work on sorting! I even threw away some!!!!

I think Mr. Incredible's "we may need it someday" philosophy has had an effect on me. I have two file drawers filled with Mr. Z's and Mr. J's early artwork and other things they have done over the years. As a homeschooler you want to keep some things to show proof of what you have done, but when is enough enough?!

I want my kids to know how much I cherish them and that is of course reflected in all the little do da's they create and I keep, right? Wrong! I have become a slave to Sunday School papers and crafts, school projects, that "I made this for you", "this is their first ___", etc.!!! My children aren't going to think that I'm a great mom because I saved every memento from their childhood if I can't have the decency to look them in the eye when they are asking me something. I can't make myself a perfect mom by scrapbooking the right way with the "right" things.

The last four days have made me take stock that I still want to be the perfect mom. I sadly thought that I was over this, but the piles of recital programs, AWANA do da's, certificate of completion of the summer reading with attached lists of what they've read have made me see that I want to at least somehow make my crazy and chaotic life appear normal and perfect even if it is only in a scrapbook or some keepsake box. But I am only bringing chaos and more things to clean when these items turn into piles and the piles cause guilt and the guilt makes me feel like I am a failure.

God never gives us more than we can bear, but what burdens (or activities) have you brought on yourself and are saying that God gave you? I once heard this story of a woman who was at the bottom of a hill with an empty wheelbarrow. She prayed that God would give her a purpose, so God told her to pick up the rock next to the wheelbarrow and take it up to the top of the hill. So she picked up the rock and started up the hill. She hadn't gone very far when she saw another rock and thought, "I'll take this one up too". As she kept going up the mountain she kept picking up rocks, small ones and big ones, and her load kept getting heavier and heavier. Straining with each step as she pushed her heavy laiden load ehe called out to God to help her to make it to the top of the hill. She told God that He had given her to much of a load. God in his infinite wisdom responded, "I only gave you one rock, you took the rest on yourself".

Ahh, that I can give up all the rocks that I've piled on. God doesn't want perfection from me (or anyone). He knew I(we) couldn't be perfect and that is why He sent His son to die for my(our) imperfections. God only wants me to be more like HIM- loving, patient, gentle, kind, self-less, giving... That's probably a big enough rock right there ;)

Ah, Summer!

Tomorrow is the conclusion of two weeks of VBS. Last week our church had it's VBS week. They did a High Seas program and I worked in the Galley preparing snacks, yum! I had to work in order for all our kids to go. Elizabeth's teachers loved her of course.
This week a very close to home church is having their VBS and they take the oldest four without me having to work!!!! I have been able to get so much done! Unfortunately they don't have it on Friday... I have been able to tackle the procrastination piles that have piled up since we adopted Elizabeth while the boys have been there. Just the computer counter and the guest bedroom left...um, don't think that all that can happen tomorrow, but we'll see!
Mr. Incredible left the house at 4:30 this morning for a day in Denver and will be home sometime after midnight tonight- what a day for him! We all missed seeing him this morning and I know bedtime is going to be another stressor.
People comment to me how much Elizabeth is changing and growing. I can remember what she was like when we got her, and she isn't anything like that now, usually. But I just don't "see" the monthly progress that ECI is saying. I guess because it just happens so gradually, but at least it is happening!
I've done something a little crazy twice now- gone and looked at houses for sale!!!! I don't want to move, but if we could get a bigger house with a bigger yard.... The realtor is so sweet, she sold us this house now almost eight years ago. My times have changed- biggest thing we only had two kids then! Either I was having some sort of moment or God is working on me, because when she asked how many kids we had I said, "Five, four boys and two girls." I didn't say this just once, but several times! I knew I was saying it wrong, but couldn't for the life of me say it "right"! I had mentioned to Mr. I several times that if we wanted to adopt again maybe we should start again, but he's put me off and I haven't really felt God calling us to a certain country or anything. Then day before yesterday was one of "those" days and I said we were done as far as I was concerned. So I couldn't believe when less than 24 hours later it really seemed like God was controlling my tongue and I was talking about another girl!!! Wait and see for the Lord is good, His mercy endures forever.
Last week we began a Financial Peace class, not that we have financial chaos, but it's at a really cool place for the kids to play and they play FREE so the course is just a bonus! We are most interested in college and retirement, but after the houses I looked at yesterday, if we want anything that remotely meets our criteria and space needs we will have to shell out many pretty pennies. I saw what not so many pretty pennies and cramped space buys yesterday- YIKES!!! We could always build on our land, but wanting to be debt free and building a new house don't go hand in hand. Hmmm, more of that waiting...
But God continues to be faithful. Mr. J's busted head didn't require a visit to ER or the doctor or stitches. Mr. M hasn't thrown any dog poop into the pool this summer. Found out that Mr. M has been getting gluten on Sundays at church for the last month- that explains A LOT. Mr. Z gets to participate in a play camp. Elizabeth doesn't drag her foot quite so much- I look like an idiot high stepping next to my two year old, but pride went out the window three kids ago :) Just to find a helper, the right helper. Anybody, anybody???!!!!

Health Update

Well I apparently suffered a ruptured hemoragic ovarian cyst. Without doing a laproscopic scope -it's a probably, but a fairly high probably given my symptoms and their presentation and then abatement. I got to spend all day in ER then have an overnight stay up in postpartum. That was a weird experience - I had always had a baby before when I was on that floor. My symptoms had been EXTREME pain followed by a "pop", abdominal tenderness and swelling. It was the last two after the pain and the pop that made me worried. Apparently if I had been male and with those symptoms I would have gone straight to surgery. The first thoughts were appendicitis, diverticulitis, and then finally "female trouble". Hopefully, I won't have to EVER repeat that experience again.
Lest our life become boring Mr. J gave himself a 5mm gash on the top of his head Sunday night. The blood was gushing and my first thought was another trip to ER!!!! But fortunately he got a goose egg, his eyes were responsive, he wasn't dizzy, didn't get a headache and the gash was small enough to not require stitches. Maybe that incident might curb his jumping up on the counter to get something out of the cabinet.
Today I woke up feeling the best I had in at least a week if not two and that's on five hours sleep and no coffee in days!
We have VBS this week and after how I felt yesterday I wasn't sure how the week was going to go. Of course Elizabeth's teachers think she's precious. I have to agree.

You'll never believe it

I awoke EARLY this morning in extreme pain and after spending all day in ER have earned the privelidge to spend the night. Hope to go home in the am. NOT the way I planned on spending my day! But the kids are being well cared for and God remains faithful. :)

Coming and Goings

I have been sooooo busy lately that I haven't had time to post! Imagine that?!
We just got back from a trip to my parents. It was nice to sleep in and have someone to watch the kids. It was great to stay up after the kids had gone to bed and play Upwords or Yuker. But most of all it was great just to be away. Away from all the busyness that consumes my days lately.

We met with our school district and Elizabeth will continue with her language development services this summer and in the fall begin speech therapy twice a week in addition to the language. So with Mr. M's appointments and Elizabeth's we will have 8 weekly appointments not including any lessons, etc. - 5 at home and 3 away. I am truly trying to be thankful that my kids are getting needed help, but the thought of trying to fit everything in is overwhelming. I had the insane thought of adding to our schedule our local homeschooling group's learning classes that meet once a week during the school year, actually a little less, however sign ups closed early because of being full. We would have lost a whole day of being able to do school and appointments, due to class and mommy recovery- at least it was that way a couple of years ago when we did them. I could try to get on the waiting list, hmmmmm.

Mr. Incredible was just promoted to a managing position at his place of employment. He has been with the company for over 13 years. Hard to believe so much time has gone by. I am looking forward to possibly less travel for him. That would be NICE.

Our summer session of schooling is getting off to a slow start. There's some things that I am hoping to focus on this summer. I hope and pray it happens. Give us a leaping jump on next year or maybe it's ending this year with a bang. :)

Our helper has found a job for the fall, so if you know us personally and know of a young lady (over 18, State requirement) that would like to work in our home with our family for 23 hours a week, PLEASE email me or leave a comment!

I would love to have some wonderfully encouraging words, but alas I am at one of those points of hour by hour and minute by minute praying for strength and wisdom from the Almighty. I know He gives wisdom to those lacking (Prov. 2:6)and strength to the weary (Is. 40:29)and He has a season for everything (Ecc. 3:1). May I be willing to listen.

Be Diligent

It seems like lately I have to keep reminding myself of that. It would be so easy to say, we have___ going on so it's okay if I skip out on___. Some of that is okay of course, but using that continually sets a bad example for me and for the kids. I have been trying to figure out our fall schedule and and what to put in/take out/reschedule, etc.. It gives me almost a panic attack when I try and think of having eight weekly appointments- five at the house and three elsewhere, seriously schooling four and getting enough time to work with Elizabeth on her language and that's not adding anything like piano (Mr. Z and Mr. J have been taking for two years already) or gymnastics (something I think could really help Mr. M). I would love to do homeschooling co-op classes, but that would mean fitting school into four days a week, and all appointments would have to be on non-class days because I remember them tiring me out when we did them a couple years ago. Hmmm. Maybe being diligent at this point just means not adding anything more than we have to, even though I may want to. Decisions, decisions some are easy and others not so much.

In 7 days is.... nothing!

After a couple months or so of "talk" of Mr. Incredible taking a business trip to China and Indonesia. He got an email saying that meetings were set up for later this month in those places!!! There was a flurry of activity for about four days and then another email saying, oh wait we need to postpone! (for which I am extremely grateful) So the whole be ready in 11 days thing, never mind! This has relieved a lot of stress off me in that area, but other areas are mounting- kind of like the growing mountain of laundry to fold. Oh well, God never said life would be easy :), but He gives us the strength to carry on.

The Results Are In- A Follow Up

I don't really know how to begin, because... it is going to sound like I lack faith either in God's healing power or the medical community... and I don't want to sound critical.
I was dumbfounded when the audiologist who conducted the ABR said she has normal hearing, see here. The main reason was not a lack of faith that God could heal, but being around and working with Elizabeth EVERY day. There are some sounds that she doesn't hear. Period.
So now the battle with the medical community begins and the school system. Fortunately, I have God and an awesome AI teacher who also sees that Elizabeth doesn't hear the "f", "p" or "th" sounds. I know that there are probably other sounds, but these are obvious. Her "up" is just the u and she is confusing me saying "push" and "fish". Some might argue that it is her development that is causing the problem.
I am going to try to not bore you with specific details about the testing, but give the overall view. Her audiogram in January showed a hearing loss, but it is a subjective test. The ABR is an objective test, but only leads me to inconclusive answers. There is a testing tolerance, but the machine is not recalibrated before each test. Could the testing tolerance actually change? There is a range for normal hearing. The test shows her brain can "hear" at the top of that range, but not at the bottom. And the upper limit of the range is at a higher decibal than what you need to hear certain letter sounds!!!! So she can't hear at the lower end and if your calibration was off by even 1 decibal it would show that she can't hear at the upper range either, but let's go ahead and say she has, "essentially normal hearing"!!!!
I am praying that my mother's intuition is really God prompting me to push hard for what is best for Elizabeth instead of some paranoid overreaction to the apathy that Mr. M drew from the medical/school community for several years. If I had paid more attention to my mother's intuition then, I would have pushed harder for him. But, hindsight is always 20/20. I just don't want to make the same mistake twice.

Tonight's Savings

Out of pocket I spent $20.88 in cash, 0.22 from a gift card, 13 RR (I believe), 18.46 ECB and GOT 21 RR and 31.99 ECB to spend another day! My total savings was $211.96. Broken down it's a savings of $115.07 at walgreens with a total of seven transactions at two stores to find all the products that I wanted and a savings of $96.89 at CVS in two transactions. I got coupon match-ups at southernsavers.com. Ahhhhh, an evening away once we ate and said prayers and I think it was productive too!!! I basically got my coffee and paper towels for free as well as other stuff that I can use or bless others with!!! Gotta love that!
And Mr. Incredible vacuumed while I was gone!!!!! Oh my goodness, I might faint from excitement!

A Breakdown of what I got:
4 soft scrub cleaners
4 Folgers coffee
3 infusium hair treatment
1 infusium shampoo and 1 conditioner
4 Schick Hydro 5 razors
3 EOC shave cream
2 Bourdeaux Butt Paste
several bags of $0.39 candy
2 Kotex U products
1 six pack of paper towels
4 Crest pro health toothpaste
4 Carefree panty liners
4 Covergirl Outlast

And I can turn in my receipts for $100 worth of coupons from Proctor and Gamble! Bonus!!!

Happy Mother's Day- Belated

This weekend we had the pleasure of my parents coming to visit. They wanted to see Mr. Z in his role of Tom Sawyer. Well, they got to see a little more than that... Apparently the "allergies" that several of us had been suffering from was actually a cold or something. My dad who doesn't "do" puking kids was vomited on by Mr. T when his coughing fit caused him to lose his lunch. My dad and Mr. T survived although there was talk of an ER visit Friday night, but fortunately the medication and nebulizer worked their magic on Mr. T. All told on Friday Mr. T was "sick" three times and Elizabeth decided to follow his example and joined in too (fortunately only once :)). I awoke Saturday and felt like my head had been run over by an 18 wheeler... Sunday I was better, but it still wasn't a picturesce Hallmark day- my parents left and the nasal congestion hit Elizabeth BIG time. Today my only symptoms are having a deeper voice than Mr. Incredible's and sinus pressure. I think we are all on the mend, finally.
It is at times of sickness that you treasure the times of being well. And, hopefully at some point in the next 11 days I can get all the laundry done. What's so important about 11 days?!? I'll save that for my next post!
I could be disappointed that my Mother's Day wasn't filled with breakfast in bed and lunch out at a restaurant, but I wouldn't give up Mr. Incredible's blackberry pancakes and eggs at noon or piddling around the yard with my parents and kid's near for any Hallmark moment...unless it was on a deserted tropical beach and it was truly for just a moment. Because, time truly does fly by and they are only small for just a little while.

National Day of Prayer

Some of my prayer points:

- Our nation (may we repent and turn from immorality)

- Our national, state and local leaders (that they be led and directed by God even if they don't know him)

- the Christian church (may it stand firm against influences and practices that are unscriptural)

- the family (may men and women stay true to their commitment to each other and their children)

- the elderly and the children who have been forgotten or neglected by society

And Finally, Happy Birthday, Mr. Z!!!

We love you so much and think you are AWESOME!!!!!

Well, I think you are all caught up now. God is stretching me and I feel that I've been in a taffy machine for the last few weeks and there's not any elasticity in me left and I'm at a breaking point. But, He is more than enough in our weakness and His grace IS sufficient! I am looking forward to seeing what fruit these trials bring forth...upward and onward!!!!!

Mr. M lost his first tooth!

He clunked his two upper teeth against the table when he was little, little they turned gray, got loose (one has even stayed a little loose and that was five years ago!), so I figured one of them would be the first to go. Nope. Screaming from around the corner, "M--- has a loose tooth!!!!!". I intercept the screamer and Mr. M to see for myself and sure enough it was. The next day Mr. Incredible pulled it! Yeah!!! His grown up tooth was already 1/2 way up some ways behind it. I am sensing orthodonics may be in his future. The picture hardly shows the hole left behind, but at least it records the moment. :/ If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does this one say..."I'm scared!", "I'm a crazy monster!", "OOO, I'm gonna getcha!"... I don't think I really want to know.

A Punky Brewster Outfit

Remember that '80's TV show? I don't really, but there was something about her style that we seemed to express the other day in trying to make a too short dress into a long shirt with leggings. I meant to take a picture early in the day while the pig tales were still "fresh". As you can see since it's late in the day, they are a bit sad. This afternoon she also refused to wear her glasses and wanted to wear the protective eye goggles!!! Who knows why kids do somethings?!

Mr. Z as Tom Sawyer

The picket fence scene.

The End is Near, or Maybe It's Just the Beginning!

Opening night of Tom Sawyer is tomorrow night. We had/have dress rehearsals last night and tonight. I went last night. It is amazing what these kids (and a few grown-ups) have done in just a few short weeks. Mr. Z is having a hard time containing himself, but he had a bit of reality check last night with a wardrobe malfunction. After the show, he told me how he was 'mortified' and 'THIS was the most embarrasing day of his life!'. I assured him it wasn't, that there would be more. :) And the big faux paux?! Apparently there wasn't supposed to be a split in the back of his pants, that was his "real" underwear, he didn't have TS "underwear" like some of the other cast members...OOPS!!! Hopefully his pants are mended for tonight's rehearsal! But the split showed up in a scene where he was trying to act somewhat proper and so it did make it funnier, unfortunately.
What has all this done for him and us? Well, I think we have an actor in the house...and I'm grateful for the meals we get to eat together as a family now. And as for future productions?...We will have to see.

The Results Are In!

After struggling for an hour to get her to sleep, she fell asleep as the nurse came in to give her another 1/2 dose of the medication to help her sleep.
Mr. Incredible and I fled out of the doctor's office for some coffee to help our sleep deprivation. Less than an hour after the testing began, the nurse called us back. The testing was supposed to have taken an hour to 1.25 hours.
The audiologist reported that Elizabeth has normal hearing!
Say what?! No, way!? Your kidding, right?!? These were just some of the thoughts that went through our minds.
So according to the testing, Elizabeth has normal hearing down to 30 decibals (this is as low as an ABR goes) and we need another audiogram (done locally) in 6 mo. to see what her hearing is between 0-30 decibals. Her previous one showed a loss up to 35 decibals.
We are still processing this information because this is good news, but it also has an impact on the services Elizabeth is currently getting or was going to get this coming school year. Though she has "normal" hearing she could still have a loss between 0-30 decibals. Having a loss between 0-30 decibals means that she has a mild hearing loss and cannot hear things such as birds chirping or water dripping, but her loss isn't significant enough to have hearing aids.
It's amazing that we purposefully wanted to adopt a child with special needs when we adopted Elizabeth and she is our most "normal" child yet! :) God is truly working in her life and ours. We are in awe.

In the Big D

Well we came into town last night. Elizabeth is having her ABR in a
few minutes. I could hardly sleep last night. Maybe it was the pot
( 4 cup pot ) of coffee I drank so that I could "safely" drive in or
maybe it's the nerves- hopefully we will get some answers about E's
hearing loss.

Life Around Here

There was some talk around the table the other day about children and M pops off, "Why do we have so many boys?" and T without missing a beat or even lifting his head from his activity profoundly says, "Because boys rock!" So true.
Elizabeth and T piled on me this morning while I was still in bed and T wanted to get Elizabeth to play pat-a-cake. So I hear, "cr@ppy, cr@ppy, cr@ppy, cr@p" and then he keeps repeating it! Slightly shocked, annoyed and trying not to laugh, I calmy start the pat-a-cake song. You gotta love kids trying to say the "tr" sound, yep we heard THAT for quite a while when our older ones were younger. Now we are into the "cl" sound... Never dull!
I am trying to be a grace filled parent, but today Mr. T earned a swat because of his pokiness- he's extremely pokey sometimes. We needed to leave and so I wasn't going to take care it until we got home. As we were going out the door, I hear, "How can I unearn the swat?" in his sweet little voice. Made my heart melt. Maybe I could let this one slide?!?

I added a new song to the play list. I love music and so that is why the play list is there. (If the play list ever annoys you, just mute or turn down you computer OR pause the play list. )
Anyway back to the song... love is powerful.
When we first opened our hearts to opening our home (to foster/adopt), I was under the impression that love could conquer all. In all my hours of training through the state over the years, it has been drilled in that love canNOT conquer all. You need ABC and 123, etc. After some years of being on the fence, I will gladly recommit to the camp of love conquering all. True love that is, not what society says is love. See 1 Corinthians 13. We are seeing the effects of love in Mr. M and Elizabeth's lives in a dramatic way lately.
No love doesn't heal a hearing impairment, but love pursues options so that the impairment is not a disability. What I mean by that is we have taken Elizabeth to doctors, had tubes put in her ears, adnoids removed, had two audiograms, done 18+ hours of speech with therapists, work with her everyday on speech and vocabulary (probably in the 100's of hours now) and are preparing for an ABR. All this to help improve her hearing and communication.
Love doesn't work overnight, but applied consistently works. Mr. M could be a holy terror if left to his own devices or simply given over for a school to train. Because of our love for Mr. M we are making the sacrifice to homeschool him- it's hard enough to homeschool "normal" kids, but to deal with everything that Mr. M has going on and homeschool him is taking a whole new level of dedication. But because of our choice to give him that one on one attention he is making HUGE strides and can now read short vowel words. This did not happen overnight, but has taken years to help him learn to focus, control his body, going over letter sounds and finally we got the last pieces of the puzzle with medication and OT and ST. He was the one child I DIDN'T want to homeschool. (I must confess. I was looking forward to being able to keep the house clean and picked up for just a couple of hours everyday with him at school.) and it took the doctors saying that he would be in special need classes and probably spend most of his day in a corner for me to see past my selfishness. I am so glad that I was willing to let God work on my heart. Has Mr. M arrived? No. Still a long way to go, but progress in the right direction is a good thing.

Love sees a need and helps. It doesn't leave someone lying in the pit that they are in.

Our Adoption Story(ies)

It isn't Friday yet on the Pacific coast, so I still have time. ha, ha!

Mr. M's story: Due to the fact that Mr. M is a domestic adoption from our state, not too many details will be shared. However, what can be shared is that it was totally God that M is in our home. God used state workers and worked mightily in M's life to bring him to our home and keep him in our home. The $18,000+ in adoption related expenses were reimbursed to us by God, the state and the federal government in the form of tax credits, grants, and unexpected provision.

If God wants you to adopt, He will provide! Everyday is not full of sunshine and flowers, but God's provision continues 4+ years later. Mr. M may have special needs that we didn't know about at the time of his adoption, but God's faithfulness continues. There are days when my life would be easier without the "extra blessings" that Mr. M does, but my life wouldn't be as rich. Mr. M has made me evaluate myself as a person and parent and humble myself so that I can only say this --- is because of God, not me. He fills our lives with spontaneity, humor and we look forward to helping him become a man of God that fulfills the desires and purpose that God has for him.

Elizabeth's story: Well this blog was started because of her adoption so read the past postings, I'm not going to list all the links here, sorry. But again, God planted a desire. God refined His desire in us- we were not initially intending on adopting special needs from China. God provided the funds for the adoption and continues to provide the funds for the medical testing that we are still undergoing. Going from 4 to 5 children hasn't been especially easy. Elizabeth has had and continues to have A LOT of catching up to do, but she is. Having a daughter finally is wonderful in and of itself, but she is just so super sweet. Everyone dotes on her, even Mr. J, who was a bit reserved about adopting again.

Having children has made me a better person- more patient, kind, graceful, less self-centered, etc. Kids do that (or at least they should, IMHO). What I truly appreciate about adoption is that I am having a positive affect on what could be a very bad/sad situation. Elizabeth spent the first 26 months of her life in an orphanage, she could have lived her whole childhood in an orphanage to only then have been kicked out at 16 without job skills and expected to survive on her own. Not good. But that is no longer her future, she is Loved! Mr. M's biological parent's past doesn't need to dictate his future, because God brought him into our home and he is Redeemed!

We have been adopted into God's family because of the work that Jesus did on the cross, if we are willing to repent and accept God's love. How can I not turn around and do likewise and show love to hurting children?! Whether you simply foster or you adopt or you are the go to person for a family that fosters or adopts, God can use you and your life will be so much the better. Ours is!!!!!

Adoption Blogger Day- Thursday 4/15

From the Joint Council on International Children's Services:

We Are The Truth – an adoption blogger day: To ensure the world knows about every successful adoption, on Thursday, April 15, 2010 blog about your adoption or the adoption of someone you know. It doesn’t matter if your adoption is with Russia, domestic or otherwise international. Let the world know your truth!

Read more about what they need from YOU, especially if you have adopted from Russia, here

Please repost this on your own blog and spread the word!!!

Is That You God?

There's a longing in my heart, several actually. One is about a different home for our family. Our current home has served us well for almost eight years and there are things I love and things that frustrate me. First and foremost, it a 4/2/2 with a fireplace and a pool- love that! ...but, Mr. M's family knows where we live. There's never been a problem, but it is still a niggling thought. However with a dog, a garden, a pool and five kids our backyard, though large, seems really small. We have 20 acres (not at our home) that we bought to eventually build on, but do we really want the stress of building? Then we could get what at least we think we want, maybe. Or should we pursue some other option? Or am I just being discontent and unthankful for what we already have?! Or maybe God is calling us to something more, bigger than I could imagine or even dare to dream.
Hmm.

What's in a weekend?

Ever feel like your weekends are more exhausting than your weeks sometimes?! Well this was one of those for us. It started by Mr. Incredible taking Friday off so that we could visit an aquarium 120 miles away. We have come a long way with Mr. M, but field trips require a minimum of two adults, period. We also went back to the PF Chang's that helped us celebrate Elizabeth's birthday while she was still in China, see We Got In!. Saturday wasn't extremely full, but had enough since the aquarium had zapped everything out of me- maybe it was that we walked up and down a three story building multiple times, I was carrying Elizabeth (the stroller thing just wasn't working for us/her) or that I was still less than a month post surgery. Whatever it was, it WORE me OUT! Grocery shopping HAD to happen on Saturday, the cupboards were getting bare and we were completely out of Chex! Horrors! (lol) Today was the typical church/AWANA full day with one exception. Instead of Elizabeth and I going and sitting in the foyer during the sermon, she fell asleep in my arms and snuggled me the whole sermon. I really needed that and I think she did too. I feel like a need this week just to recover from the past three days.

Unfortunately this week is extra busy- more than just our "normal" six appointments... I could become very discouraged-never enough of me to get done all that needs to be done, our "normal" is now six appointments every single stinkin' week, committees, health food co-ops... But then I stop and think of how bad it could really be. My child could have cancer and given weeks to live. Celiac Disease is nothing compared to that. My child could be so far gone mentally that they just need to be institutionalized. ADHD is soooo minor if I think about it that way. My child could be totally deaf and blind. Elizabeth can hear some and her vision appears to be correctable with glasses. We may have obstacles in our way and our path may not be as smooth as others, but God doesn't call for me to jealous because someone else seems to have such a "better" life than me. God wants me to be thankful,
1 Thes. 5:18a- "give thanks in all circumstances".
He has given me these children. He sees their needs and mine.
Matthew 6:31-32-"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."
I think this also applies to scheduling, schooling, medical diagnosis, not just having clean clothes and gluten free food (I don't need the latest fashions, just sometimes finding clean clothes is a feat in itself). My feet may be stuck in the mire of gunky banana on my living room floor (don't ask), but my arms are uplifted to my Father who knows all, sees all and has a plan in all this mess.

She Points!!!!

There was some definite reaching in the pictures in my last post. But right before we left to take Mr. Z to his Tom Sawyer practice. SHE POINTED!!!! It was our change jar she pointed at, could that mean anything?! Now if only we can have a point and a vocalization! She has been quite a laid back little girl so far so this is HUGE!
And as for those inadequacies mentioned in Crazy?!, yep, the kids are having PB&J (AB& J for Mr. T) for dinner on Tapioca bread. Time got away from me. Oh, well. Mr. Incredible isn't even out of town....
Here's to tomorrow and getting the summer clothes out, school done, laundry done, and maybe even dinner made :)

Crazy?!

I have been told that I am (we are) crazy. Not because of some psychotic episode or anything, but because we have chosen to adopt. Yes, there are many crazy days because of lots of reasons-doctor appointments, sick kids, life, etc., BUT as 1 Corinthians 1:25 states so well, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom..." I would rather be considered crazy any day than to somehow deny God's call. James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

In my "spare time", I have started reading A Special Kind of Love by Susan Osborn and Janet Mitchell. It's purpose is primarily to encourage those who have or who work with special needs kids. (who doesn't need some encouragement sometimes?!) Within the first few lines of this book I knew I had picked up a good read, it says, "The awesome reality is that long before this child was born, God chose you to be a part of this child's life. Yes, God chose you with your talents, abilities, temperament, and INADEQUACIES- knowing that you were PERFECT for the job." (caps mine)

To know that God sees my inadequacies and still thinks I'm perfect to raise these special blessings is so awesome (since I am a recovering perfectionist).
When I look at my children, I don't see their "special need". I see my child. Whether adopted or homegrown they all have some sort of specialness. But don't we all if we look deep inside, past the walls we've put up and the masks we've put on?~ I digress.

It's easy to see with our homegrowns that we are a good fit to be their parent (even when parenting is not easy), but what about our adopteds...

God's heart is not for families to be separated, but sometimes because of sin, human depravity or the choices that are made a child is placed for adoption. It's mind boggling to me that God saw Elizabeth or Mr. M in their mother's wombs, He knew the choices that would be made, He put a desire in my heart and He thought that I would make a better mother for them than someone else out there. What an AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY!!! Yikes!

God and His ways are truly amazing.

Happy Easter! (cough, cough)

Today is Easter, I have really wanted to start/have some Easter traditions, but the only one we seem to have is that somehow we miss church. :( Either we are traveling to spend time with family or we are sick. This year once again it was the latter of the two. Two of the kids are down with bronchial issues- they are our spring born babies (connection?!). This combined with having a busy week (or at least what felt like a busy week) last week, fritzy internet for six days (one of the reasons I haven't been posting), our main computer dying (another reason I haven't been posting) and satan rearing his ugly head at a function yesterday in the form of ill spoken words and I am beat! I don't want tomorrow to be Monday, I am fighting some sickness off myself, sitting here posting, drinking Vitamin C and ignoring the piled dishes in the sink.
So it's at times like these that I check my vision. Right now I am staring at the bumper in front of me (not literally). I am on this road of life and there are things that are causing traffic. But instead of looking up and planning a better way around the obstacles, I choose to simply stare at what is right in front of me. My dad when teaching me how to drive would say, "Look at what is happening 1/4 mi. up the road so you can prepare." How this has served me well in driving, but it is easy to forget when a HUGE semi is in front of you and you can't see beyond his bumper. It also applies to life. If I spend my energy on what was said to me, I will only be making myself and those closest to me miserable. If I stop and think about how many diapers I've changed or Gluten Free meals I've cooked and will yet have to continue doing, I could get depressed. But I need to take my eyes off that bumper in front of me (whether a semi's or a compact's, and sometimes they all seem big) and look ahead at what my goal in life is. Is it to be the fastest one on the road, cutting other off and squealing my tires to show off? Or am I in a season of service right now, not only to my husband and children, but also to my community?
Lord, may I have my eyes fixed on you this coming week and not look at all the obstacles surrounding me.

Little Trip, Big Accomplishment

I have been avoiding going to the public library for months. I just didn't want to deal with children yelling (yes, in the library), then at checkout having a child climb on the desk while another one is crawling or rolling on the floor making moaning noises or a hand down the pants... So this is why library trips had become mommy only events. Go figure. But since returning from China, time has not been on my side and no library trips have happened. Fast forward six months to today I said something like this, "I would like to go to the post office. If you can conduct yourselves nicely AND do exactly as I say AND not run around AND hold my hand AND stay next to mommy (catching a theme here?) while we are at the post office, we can go to the library, but you have to be good there too." We went over this before we left the house and also before we piled out of the van at the post office. Mr. M only needed a little reminder in the post office (after we were waiting in line for a few minutes) and he really wasn't doing anything that I hadn't said he could, he was right next to me rolling his car on the floor, but I knew I had to keep a tight reign or else the car would go flying into or under something and he would be off.
So as we walk in the lady purchasing items and paying at the counter comments in a voice loud enough for ALL in the room to hear, "I'm sure glad I don't have that" and indicates toward us. God weighted down Elizabeth just enough to keep me from bounding over to her and throttling her (nicely of course). Instead I calmly replied, "But they are all blessings!" with a smile on my face. She in turn replies, "Of course they are, but still..." with a sarcastic tone. She continued commenting to the clerk about us or kids, because of the looks she threw our way, but we could no longer hear her comments, thankfully. I think if I had heard any more of her comments we would have left. We already hear, "All they all yours?!", "You have a BIG family!", "How do you handle it?!", "Well, I couldn't do it!" enough when we are out in public all together. I don't want any of my children to feel like they are a burden or in some other way a detractor from a "better" life. I really mean it, children are a blessing!
Back to the post office.. The gentleman in front of us didn't seem to mind our presence and by the time we got to the clerk she was congeenely smiling at us and even commented as we left, "I didn't even know they were down there." Speaking of Mr. M and Mr. T who had sat down on the carpet in front of the counter. I don't know if she was trying to be extra nice because of the other lady or if she really didn't see SIX people walk up to the counter. Anyway, this was the first time EVER that a child wasn't trying to climb the counter, press buttons, pull my clothes off trying to get my attention, yell, touch merchandise, or run away in YEARS! ~sigh of relief~ Thank you, God. We needed that. The library was slightly more turbulent, but considering the precident of previous visits- THEY WERE ANGELS. Even if Elizabeth was singing the whole time- we wanted her to be more verbal...~smile~. Now did we walk away with any books, no. But movies can be educational, right?! Gotta love Babar and Swiss Family Robinson.

What would happen...

...if Elizabeth really isn't hearing impaired?!? We will find out a definitive answer hopefully April 26th. Please pray that we do. Her vocabulary of jabbering noises is improving, but "up" is still her only spontaneous word.
...if Mr. M's RAD meant Redeemed And Delivered? I can pray that it will be so. God can turn what Satan has meant for evil into something very beautiful.
...if one family from each church in the US adopted a child in US foster care? There would be no orphans in this country.
...if I (or you) am willing to set aside my aspirations and focus on what God is calling me to do? The world would be changed.

Go and change the world!

The Cost of Adoption

I have heard many people comment on how they want to adopt, but it is so expensive.... Well, we've tallied everything and ...(drum roll)... adopting Elizabeth cost us $1000. With the grants we received, the loan (that has now been repaid in full!) and the US adoption tax credit, our grand total seems fairly minimal to give a child a home that had only known an institution where at age two she was still receiving only bottles. Now the money we have spent on medical testing since she has been home has been substantial, but God again has provided for it.
This is not our first adoption and so though we are not proficient at it we have experienced foster care adoption and now international adoption.
The "real" things that adoption has cost is time (filling out paperwork), energy (a lot of emotions can get involved), effort (you have to make the effort to do the paperwork or to even wait), love (you have to make room in your heart to love even if you are not loved in return) and a willingness to sacrifice more of my time (and sleep) or whatever else is needed so that we can meet the child's needs.
Adoptions can cost from $1000 (domestic foster care) to $40,000 (some international programs). But if God is leading you, He will provide.
I am going to make the comments of this post private so that if you want an excel spreadsheet of all the grants and loans available for adoption that Mr. Incredible compiled you can send me your email and I will send it as an attachment. I have been unable to figure out how I can post it as of yet.

Praise Him!

With our tax return Elizabeth is "free and clear". YES!

Dinner for Two, Anyone?

Well, I am a little tardy in bragging about Mr. Z and Mr. J, but better late than never, right?! I had to lay down yesterday afternoon to rest my knee. When I went to get up I was informed that I couldn't. I knew something was up, but we finally reached an agreement that I could be led with eyes closed down the stairs and out to the garage- had to get donations loaded for church garage sale. When Mr. Incredible arrived home we had the "grand" reveal. We found our coffee table covered with a tablecloth (a rarity at our house) moved into our "formal" dining area and shimmed up to table height using kids chairs, laundry baskets and puzzles. The menu consisted mostly of snack food and our standby of cheese burritos, but it was the thought that counted. They even prepared food for their younger siblings, cleaned up the the mess in the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher (even started it without being asked!!!). I felt so blessed that they came up with, executed and cleaned up their plan.
Now it did cost to eat at their restaurant, but they CLEANED UP, this is HUGE! I of course deducted the cost of the food, but they still made $6 to split. I think I made Mr. Incredible's jaw drop by giving up my miserly ways for the night (or at least a few minutes) and gladly paying them. I even made it to the garage sale to drop off the donations, picked up Saxon 8/7 and Alegebra 1 for $4 and made it home in time to give Elizabeth her bottle and rock her before bed. Whew!

A Good Day

I finally got my staples out today!!!! And wouldn't you know Mr. Incredible insisted on taking me to the doctor!!!! I drove somewhere last night so I knew I could take myself, but that he wanted to be there to hold my hand...or maybe it was to hear the doctor list what my limitations still are so that he could "gently" remind me to not overdo it. Hmm. Well he was there and before we went to the orthopedic we were able to pick up our prescriptions (for glasses), pick out a pair each and place our order- been needing to be done for several months, if not years in his case. Not bad for 45 min. if I say so myself.
So after all that my head is pounding and he asks if there is anywhere else I want to go. After a brief pause, I say it would be REALLY nice to go to Starbucks for my favorite drink. And he took me! YES!!! Double Bonus!
When we got home and relieved our wonderful babysitter, our tax return was in the mail, 3 weeks earlier than planned! (long story there that I don't even fully understand) So we all pile in the car and this was the wonderful song that was playing as the kids are talking happily and Mr. Incredible is smiling and the sun was at just that perfect angle that makes everything shine in the afternoon sunlight. We made the deposit, picked up our glasses, indulged Mr. M in his request to stop by "the train store", and ate dinner out at Chick-fil-A. Blessed beyond measure tonight and maybe slightly energized from the caffeine, yummy! Life is beautiful.

Happy Forever Family Day, Elizabeth!

It's hard to believe that it has been six months since you joined our family. You have grown physically, emotionally and developmentally. I am looking forward to when you start talking and share the reason for the silly faces you make.
We love you!
Mommy and Daddy

Home and Recovering

Well, you just never know what God can do. The doctor did find lots of torn up cartilage, but my ACL is intact. Don't know if God did some healing, or all the shredded cartilage masked my ACL. Still adjusting to the not so extensive surgery. After a month of thinking one thing and preparing for that, it's been a bit mind boggling to switch gears (the mind numbing pain medication doesn't help either). I will find out next week what recovery will look like, but no leg brace as had been anticipated and no CPM machine to bend my knee, I get to do that all on my own! That should be a joy ;)
I was able to stay awake for the surgery and look at the monitor of what the scope saw and what the doctor did to my knee. It was really neat to see how intricately God made our bodies, we are truly knitted together in our mother's womb.
This morning at 4 am as my soon to come "incompacitation" (sp?) was hitting me I was counting my blessings. 5 beautiful children who are all well and succeeding in school. Mr. Incredible took time off to stay with me today. He has taken on the responsibility of children that aren't even "his" AND he enjoys them. He has set aside his plans to see that I could have my knee repaired in a timely manner instead of making me wait another month (in pain). This afternoon he said he was quite tired, but still planning on attending a rehearsal with Mr. Z to help him in his role of Tom Sawyer, what a man! When I asked why he was tired, he confessed to having been very stressed over my surgery (our last two baby deliveries had some scary moments), but this whole time he has set aside his fears to comfort me and reassure me.
I am so blessed. Thank you for all the prayers.

Into Surgery

Yes, I hijacked my wife's blog and she would not approve of me posting the picture.

She went into surgery about 9:30. The doctor expected 1 to 2 hours. The doctor said Jennifer may be able to watch on the monitor.

We appreciate your prayers.

Jennifer's Note: I made the nurses laugh when I commented on how hospital gowns are the world's greatest equalizer. It's hard to take yourself seriously when a cheek hanging out :)

12 hours and counting

Surgery is tomorrow morning, hmm, not much to say about that.

But the kids have been so nice, I haven't been able to take Advil for a week now and Tylenol just doesn't do the trick.

Anytime I make a noise, Mr. Z asks if I am dying. Not encouraging, but still very thoughtful, I think.

Mr. M came up with a great joke tonight. "Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it wanted to be cute!" This was on the way home from going through the drive thru at Chick-fil-A with chicken in hand. We had wanted to do something easy for dinner and give the kids a treat. So anyway, they got our order wrong and shorted us a fry. Mr. Incredible and I discuss whether to go back through the drive thru or one of us go in... We hear from the back, "don't go through the drive thru, it was very distressing!", Mr. M's impression of the experience. I have no idea how it was distressing, but we gladly didn't go through again after such great verbalization.

Three and a half hours left to eat and drink. Why do I feel the need to gorge myself? I know I will get to eat and drink again, but my brain is in overdrive telling me eat it all, drink it all TONIGHT!!! I am also looking at my unclean house in the mode of guests are coming!! I know they are not, but the thought of not being up to cleaning for a while makes me want to clean. However, my dear body is telling me sleep, rest, pamper your knee, tomorrow will be a long day. So in trying to be in tune with my body. I am off to rest in some manner for some length of time. Ohh, just to be able to take Advil again...

You know your a mom when...

-The task of showering with antibacterial soap for the three days prior to your surgery seems like an insurmountable obstacle. I haven't had showers on consecutive days in YEARS!!!! (with the exception of my trips to China)

-Everyone tells your child how cute they are and you are just some observer to this happening.

- People say you look tired even after a good night's sleep.

- You walk outside to go somewhere and realize that though the kids are dressed, shoes on and decent looking you haven't brushed your teeth, hair and still have your slippers on. Hasn't happened recently, but unfortunately has happened.

- You with your friends and when excusing yourself to go the restroom, you say, "I gotta go pee pee".

Thank you to all the happy birthday wishers. It was my best 25th birthday yet :)
Thank you to all for all your generous offers of help after surgery. I will let you know if we need anything.

We Voted, Bare Bums and All

Oh yeah, we just thought it would be a little challenging to vote with five kids in tow. Little did we know that after "the day" we've had with Mr. M would we end up being even further humbled as parents. The setup: Ran into someone we knew at voting, so I was chatting with them. I had left Mr. M sitting on a rug about 8 ft. behind me, between Mr. Incredible and myself. The crime: Well Mr. M wasn't content to stay on the rug and ran over to a corner of the room (which happened to be a school library) to play with The Cat in The Hat doll. Mr. Incredible already embarrassed that his son was being the most disruptive one in the room (there had already been prancing on a stage as we were signing in), well he walked over to Mr. M and proceeded to take him back to the line in which the rest of the family was waiting in. The inevitable: I finish up my conversation to see Mr. M's bare backside walking back to the line. Apparently Mr. Incredible was oblivious to the fact that Mr. M's pants had fallen down in the 20 ft. walk across the room. Well, at least he had on underwear is all I could say and then proceeded to laugh till I cried because of the absurdity of the situation, we still had to yet vote! Fortunately the others present were oblivious, didn't really care or shared in our "kids do the darndest things" moment. Oh the joy of parenthood!!! :)
P.S. Once Mr. Incredible recovered from mortification he joined in my mirth. Sometimes you just gotta laugh.

Tom Sawyer is in the house!!!

Mr. Z was able to finally audition for our local children's theater company (I've been putting him off for at least a year now) and he got Tom Sawyer in the play Tom Sawyer, think he's gonna be a lead?!
Ah the joy of having a budding actor in our home.

Elizabeth is babbling about a lot of stuff now. In church yesterday she was determined to tell me about her nose and so we went to "our" ottoman in the foyer to listen to the service once again. However, during the Sunday school hour she did go to the two's class!!!! and seemed to do really well. Baby steps.

My surgery is scheduled for March 11th. Be in prayer that my knee will heal quickly.

We are still here!!!!

I know I haven't posted in what seems like forever, been trying to settle into a schedule and do a little spring cleaning/winter clean out before having knee surgery.
God has really been placing on my heart (more so if usual, if that can be) the need to open our hearts and homes to HIS children in need. If you would like to see some great videos, go here.

Snow day- Home day

Our one appointment was canceled today and we don't have to get out and try and make up piano lessons because Mr. Incredible took our van to work. (It's a little safer than a '78 Ford pickup :)) YEAH!!!!!
I ran into someone yesterday from our foster parenting days... I've been reminded of those days a lot lately. The snow reminds me of the last "real" snow we had six years ago. Mr. M was just a wee baby and he and I stayed inside while Mr. I took Mr. Z, Mr. J and I. out. It is amazing what God does.

Six years ago

February 11, 2010
I was "done" when we had Mr. J, little did I know how God would use me/us. Eight foster placements + three homegrown + and one Chinese princess = 5 beautiful blessings.

How to Deal with Telemarketers...and Life

I was spending a few precious minutes with Mr. Incredible when the phone rang. I saw that it was a telemarketer and so I just let it ring. Unbeknownst to me, Mr. M our very literal six year old answered the phone. So anyway, I was cooking dinner and talking with Mr. I when Mr. M comes down stairs and snuggles in between us and says to me, "Somebody called for you, it was a man and they asked me to take you the phone and I told them that I couldn't, so he will call you today". Mr. M had answered our corded phone and I am so glad that he didn't try to bring me the phone. A phone jerked from the jack bouncing down the stairs is a picture that pops into my mind all too readily.

So the rest of our life that doesn't involve telemarketers is hecticly busy. I was informed today that I can live with a knee that doesn't bend all the way and doesn't straighten all the way (not fun) or I can have surgery to replace my ACL. Apparently that little fall in China not just tore my ACL, but blew it to smithereens- two frayed ends and nothing in the middle. Soooo.... trying to get surgery scheduled and figure out how all of this will work. Trying not to be depressed at the thought of NINE weekly appointments for the six weeks that I will need physical therapy three times a week!!!!! (that would be 54 appointments in a month and a half, maybe an all time record! and that's not even including the several once a month appointments that we have) It will be a two month recovery and then an additional 4 months of restricted activity. More than a bit overwhelming...

We made the choice to homeschool, but this year is filled with trying to fit school in whenever possible as quickly as we can do it, instead of enjoying the process of learning. ~sigh~

We had to have a homestudy follow up for Elizabeth's adoption. Still trying to work out how much we are going to have to pay for something that we already paid for.... What?!, your saying. Yeah, us too. I would say more, but I can't say anything nice, so I'm not saying any more.

People keep asking me to do more and I see so much need in the world around me and want to do more, but it feels like I am in the deep end of the ocean, held under by the current and only able to gasp a breath occasionally. So if you ask me to do something and I forget or I say "no", please don't be offended. I am just trying not to drown.

I can tell that God has plans for us, because the Enemy is trying so hard to get me bogged down. So at the end of each day, I give all my scheduling, appointments and failures over to HIM and rest.

Matthew 6:25-26
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

OH MY!!!!

Just got a call, the MRI is going to be almost $1000!!!! Mr. Incredible is hunting down why the family deductible, which was met, is not showing up for me!!!!! Not panicked, but just not wanting to spend that in the next 24 hrs!

Sometimes God Justs Wants to Bless You

Ever have a day, week, month or maybe year and you felt like God didn't REALLY see your needs or meet them? Ever feel like your striving as hard as you can and your going nowhere?
Well, I am here to say that God can and will meet your needs. It may not be how you had planned, but he is SOOOOO much bigger and can do SOOOOOO much more than you can ask or imagine. Seriously.
God has been providing us so much lately that I am in shock and awe. Our deductibles carried over from last year, YES! God is providing the help that I have been trying to arrange for months. God provided all the stuff pictured above with rewards/bucks in my pocket and at a profit too boot. I don't know exactly how, all I can say is I met an angel in the store. God cares about even the most basic things such as diapers, paper towels and advil- used a LOT at our house. May your week be blessed.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

So This Is What I Do

Well it is the last business day in January and we are having appt. #29, #30 and #31. Nothing happened our first week of January and nothing on the fifth, so in 19 days we have had all these appointments and I think I may have even missed marking down a Chiropractor appointment (or two) for me. So who could we possibly be seeing? The dentist-5, the counselor- weekly, evaluations for therapy and starting twice weekly speech and occupational with one child, E's eye exam, several chiropractor visits for my knee that's been oh so hurting, orthopedic for my knee (that's today), the audiologist, the ENT....(I am sure I have forgotten someone if not a few and I'm not even including piano lessons, basketball practice or games). So that's the reason you haven't heard much from us. When we are home we are trying to get school done, a little bit of housework .... I am looking forward to a much calmer schedule next month of only having one appt. on M, T, and W and two on TH, every week that is, not including E's monthly ECI appt's. Oh my, at least most of them will be at our house which will be a blessing (I think:)). Lest it sound like I am complaining, I am not. I am very thankful that M is getting some much needed specific help and I am happy that Elizabeth is progressing- did I tell you she eats pretty much anything now?! And she looks so cute in her glasses (this picture doesn't due her justice). We have good days and bad days, but God remains faithful.

Oh my Goodness!

Just had another hearing test and it shows only a mild loss!!! Waiting to see what the ENT will want to do.

Www.elizabethssong.blogspot.com

Say What?!

Well before I start running this morning, I just wanted to update that yesterday we found out that Elizabeth has a bad astigmatism, as in alot, and is very nearsighted. I think I was in mild shock with hearing this at the opthamologist's office, it wasn't until after we ordered her glasses that I started coming up with questions and digesting all that I had heard. So she's half deaf and half blind?!.... I know this shouldn't shock me, just par for the course at this point, but it still does. Maybe it's how much has been going on- 18 doctor, therapist, dentist appointments since January 5th. Not counting the weekends that's 11 days for all that. Maybe that's why I am resorting to chocolate and coffee so much lately. Lest it be thought that the "fun" of these appointments are spread around our clan, most of them are for Elizabeth and Mr. M. (sigh) But they are receiving help that they otherwise probably never would have had unless God had placed them in our family. I guess it's good that I'm proactive?! Maybe I can call the opthamologist's office later today and make sure I am understanding correctly- though we go back in another six months (sigh).

It's been 4 months!

Today is four months since Elizabeth's adoption. Yesterday was the four month mark of when we got her. It's hard to believe that it's only been four months to be honest. Everyday is filled with so much to try and get her caught up. We have been able to drop the feeding therapy and the need for occupational therapy is questionable, because she has made so much progress in the last four months. Hopefully we hear something from the ENT today about another hearing test... I feel like the longer we wait the harder it is going to be to explore other funding options for hearing aids and the harder it will be for her to adjust to them- especially with four big brothers making a whole lot of noise :)
It is at times like this that I am trying to rest and be still and know that God is still God. We've come so far, but our journey is still beginning.

Seven Appointments

Seven doctor appointments in one day are behind us and all are still alive. Everyone got the all clear at the dentist and we got out with 40 min. before the next appointment so I grabbed some Starbucks. I had one of my worst parenting moments (it even happened at the therapists office!), but later in the day Mr. Z assured me we all have days like this. He is so sweet when he wants to be. I have to give Miss F a big thank you for sitting with the boys during the ENT visit. Elizabeth's ears were clear of infection and so we got to do another hearing test!!!!!!! The results are...(drum roll)....inconclusive! Yep. More waiting to know for sure. Possibly more testing involving putting her to sleep... Big bummer. But she is babbling more and today even started saying "mama", YES! She has been saying "dada" for a couple weeks now and in the last couple of days I'd heard a mama when distressed, but she was just walking around saying it tonight. Oh, it does a heart good. Mr. Incredible might be home tomorrow evening before the kids go to bed. For this year he's been gone more than he's been in town, rough way to start the year. But life goes on and we persevere.
Today I witnessed a mom have a meltdown in the doctor's office. I wanted to help, but what could I do with five kids in tow. I wanted to offer to pray with her, but she was on her cell phone most of the time we were in the waiting room together. The "whole" problem was that the doctor wouldn't see the 16 mo. old without verifying Medicaid first, she did offer to pay if need be. As I tried not to listen to her phone conversations I gathered she was single, the baby had Medicaid, her meltdown at the doctor's office was embarrassing her, she wanted to be seen by the doctor NOW. But is today where the problem started? More and more people are choosing to have sex outside of marriage. It has devastating results for all involved and even ripples to innocents because it is sin and sin has consequences. Had she had the baby out of wedlock, or maybe they got divorced or maybe she was raped? I don't know. I will never know. But in any of those cases sin is involved in some way. How can I with my arms laden with bags and coats and kids show love to her? Because it is not my place to judge, I sin too. I will deal with trying to repair a relationship with a child because of my sin today. Some sin is apparent, some is not, but we all sin.
Dear Father, please help that mom and child find you and the comfort and peace only you can provide. Amen.

Think What You Will

Well some may look down on this and others may get a good laugh, but after five years of battling Mr. M with his bed covers. Tonight I had a breakthrough- just don't have any (bedcovers that is). Before you go thinking that he is going to freeze (especially with this cold weather) let me explain. Mr. M just can't concentrate long enough by himself to make his bed. Never mind the fact that everyday he rips ALL the covers off his bed and carries his comforter around the house during the morning. If I had the time I would stand there, but my day is already stretched thin. However, I hate looking at messy beds-mine included- though you couldn't tell. Maybe it comes from all the painstaking bed making I did as a five year old or maybe it's lack of time... Anyway, Mr. M now has the privilege of sleeping in "Mommy's" sleeping bag. And so that bickering is limited, Mr. T also now sleeps in one as well. Did all this come about in some moment of sudden joyous clarity, Nope! As I left the boys room growling through my teeth about how they need to make their beds in the morning and I was sick and tired of the mess..., I knew this is not how I want to spend my week as a single mom (Mr. Incredible is traveling on business, but will hopefully make some sort of stopover to celebrate Mr. J's birthday). In fact, it's not how I want to spend anytime. Children are a joy and I need to be able to enjoy them. So long live the perpetual sleepover! Or at least until we can concentrate long enough to make a bed :)
In case I don't post again before Thursday, pray for our Thursday, seven doctor appointments- 5 dentist, 1 ENT and 1 therapy and piano lessons too boot!!!