What Were They Thinking

When twin two year olds, and an eighteen month old.

Get their hot little hands on a tin of bag balm.

And spread some on the dog.

And quite a bit more on the carpet.

And a little in their hair.

It will take quite a bit of this.

And a good bit of elbow grease.

And some muttering under your breath.

To clean it up.

Oh, except for the dog.

She apparently enjoys the taste of bag balm.

One less thing I have to clean !

ABC's of Motherhood

~~~~~

I is for Inspiration

~~~~~

One of the best cures that I know of for "mommy burnout" is to gain inspiration from other mothers.  Our job is a hard one with many challenges, and we need to be reminded again and again that it is a high calling.

The internet is a good place to find new ideas and encouragement for new ways of doing our daily tasks.  This past week was a very busy one for me.  We had a lot going on with homeschooling, and some viral illness floating happily around our house.

I thought I would share some places that I gained inspiration during the craziness.

This first one reminded me of something I haven't made in a while, and the picture made my mouth water

http://myfivemen.blogspot.com/2012/04/p-is-for-pizza.html

This entire blog inspires me!  However this post was particularly poignant, and yes it's about one of my favorite subjects--adoption!

http://hishandshisfeettoday.blogspot.com/2012/04/oh-no-not-me.html

This is a series of posts on natural alternatives to sugar.  If nothing else it inspired me to cut back on the amount of white sugar my family consumes.

http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2012/04/do-you-remember-series-of-posts-last.html

Did I just say something about cutting out sugar?  First I need to make these, and THEN I'll cut back on sugar.  If you are looking for some "food inspiration" this whole blog is full of it.  Plus the author is one of the nicest people I know. :)

http://canelakitchen.blogspot.com/2012/04/dark-fudgy-brownies.html

Ok, your turn.......what inspired you this past week?

A Place In-Between

I don't claim to be a poet, but this is something I wrote addressing one of the more difficult aspects of foster parenting.  The reality that you may have these children for only a little while is difficult to face.



My house is a place

That is safe and is warm

There are beds that are soft, and clean

There is plenty to eat

And safe places to play

And babies are fed and kept clean

But sometimes it's not

The place that you stay

The place that you "grow all the way"

Because somewhere out there

There's a family for you

That will love you "forever and a day."

So we love you while here

And hug you and care

For all of your needs big or small.

Cause my house is a place

That you can call home

But really it's just in-between.



ABC's of Motherhood

~~~~~~

H is for "hear"



~~~~~~

Every day my ears are bombarded with many things.  However, I have a choice as to what I actually "hear."

I think most mom's are pretty good at tuning out some things, and listening to others, but it does take some effort.

For example today I could choose to hear a lot of whining and sobbing from my youngest who is teething.  Instead I think I'll focus on hearing his chuckles of delight over the craft pom poms that I allowed him to play with. (It looks like a "no no" and that's what makes it appealing.)

Another thing that I sometimes "hear" is criticism from others.  I can choose to listen and dwell on the negativity, or I can remember that they aren't walking in my shoes right now, and truly may not understand.

What are some good things that you are choosing to hear today?

A Break

I will be taking a little break from blogging for the next week.

My father-in-law passed away Friday evening.

Thanks so much for all your kind comments, and prayers!

Saying Goodbye

My father-in-law is one of the kindest men I know.

Honestly in the seventeen plus years that I've known him I don't think I've heard him say an unkind word about anyone.

He and my mother-in-law have always seemed like such a good team.

They worked together on so many projects with hardly a word back and forth.

Somehow they always knew what the other one was thinking.

But, now, part of that team is leaving.

He is pulling out ahead in this race called "life."

He might have a few days, or maybe a week.

But then he is going home.

And his family is left wondering.

How on earth do you say goodbye?

Progress

Sometimes when foster children come into your home they are delayed in their development.

When you are in "survival mode" all the time your body, and mind can't develop normally.

As a result of some tough times there is a little three year old in our home who can't talk.

He makes ONE SOUND.

He is chatty by nature so we hear this sound all day long.

I talk to him and if he is asking for something I repeat the word to him and try to get him to say it to me.

But if I am busy I tend to tune this one sound out. (If I didn't I would go stark raving crazy.)

Last night I was giving him a bath.

He loves baths and he makes his "sound" constantly.

With lots of chuckling, and hand motions mixed in to let me know how happy he is.

I was not really listening to him, but suddenly I noticed something was different.

Instead of his "one sound" there were lots of little sounds.

It sounded a little like a cassette tape being played backward.

Very garbled, but he was trying SO HARD.

He was "talking."

Granted, I couldn't understand him, but at least he was trying.

I was so excited I snatched him out of the tub--wrapped a towel around him--and hauled him out to the living room.

"Listen!"  I yelled  "He's talking!" 

Progress is a beautiful thing!!!