20 Days Till Christmas

I've been feeling a bit of a panic as Christmas is coming closer.

I have almost all my shopping done.

I have some Christmas decorations up around the house.

..................but there is no snow.

~~~~~~~~

I can't get in the mood for Christmas without snow.

Christmas caroling on green grass is just not right.

Going out in the dark night to the Christmas program at church with no white drifts covering the fields will feel strange.

Wrapping presents after the munchkins are tucked in bed won't be right if there isn't a soft white glow coming through the window from the yard light shining on a few snowbanks.

I don't even feel like baking Christmas cookies.

(I'm never moving to Florida!)

How about you--do you need snow for it to feel like Christmas?

Sunday Music

Of All The Things I've Lost.......

........I miss my mind the most.

I've become so scatterbrained lately.

It seems like I'm always thinking about two things--what I'm actually doing, and what I should do next.

I fill out important paperwork, and then can't remember where I put it.

I accomplish some chore, and then lay in bed at night trying desperately to remember if I actually did it.

I start to tell my husband a funny story, and half-way through it I forget what I was talking about.

I notice that someone needs their diaper changed, and then forget to do it. (Thankfully everyone else it the house reminds me, or they might never get their diaper changed.)

I was feeling rather depressed about the state of my mind, and pondering what I could do about it, but I got distracted by a wayward toddler, and after caring for him I couldn't remember what I was depressed about.

I guess losing your mind has some good points after all.

Sleeping?

There were people sleeping all over our house last night.(No pigs--I just liked the picture.)

Unfortunately, most of them were not in their own beds.

At least one of them was in MY bed. (scowl)

I got up this morning and it looked like we had a slumber party.

Children sacked out on the couch, and the futon and the floor.

When I asked them why--none of them could answer me.

Except to say they didn't sleep good.

Funny thing is--I didn't sleep that well either.

Thanksgiving Quote

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."              

  ~John F. Kennedy

Thanksgiving Memories

Thanksgiving always makes me feel rather nostalgic. ( Actually most holidays do, but currently Thanksgiving is on my mind.)

Here's a few of my favorite Thanksgiving memories.

Remembering the smell of turkey and stuffing that always permeated my grandma's house on Thanksgiving Day.

One year we had Thanksgiving at my Aunt and Uncle's house about 2 hours away from home.  In the afternoon it started snowing, and by the time we headed home it was almost blizzard conditions.  We crept along the highway and cars were sliding in the ditch all around us.

I remember waking up in the wee hours of the morning and hearing the oven door squeak as my mom put the turkey in the oven.  Somehow that sound made me feel cozy and safe.

We found out seven years ago on the day before Thanksgiving that we would be able to adopt our second son.  I cried my thanksgiving over and over that year. 

Now that I've had Thanksgiving dinner at my house a few times I realize how much work goes into a Thanksgiving dinner.  Makes me thankful when I'm invited somewhere else for Thanksgiving. :)

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving memories?

Adjusting

Someone asked in the comments how our adjustment to foster parenting has gone.  Since we've never done this before I really have nothing to compare it to, but I'll do my best.

Probably the hardest thing has been some sleep issues.  For the first seven weeks they were here the baby got up every three hours like a newborn.  That was pretty rough. 

I can catch myself over-analyzing our family.  I hear a little squabble and I panic over how my adopted children are not "accepting" the foster kids.  Then I realize ALL children squabble, and ALL families have a certain amount of spatting back and forth.  If they were sweet to each other all the time it wouldn't be real.

I've had to adjust to cooking more, or at least having less left-overs.  These little guys can EAT!  A 9x13 pan of food no longer makes two meals for us.

All-in-all though these children are just normal little people.  Granted they've been through a lot in their short little lives, but they and we have adjusted well. 

They came with no guarantees, and there are lots of unknowns in their future, but last time I checked no child is born with guarantees.

I think most parents would admit that parenting has thrown them a few curve balls, and foster parenting is no exception to this rule.

Basically none of us has the promise that tomorrow will be perfect, or that there are not unseen challenges waiting for us around the bend.

We do have the promise that we don't have to face any adjustments or challenges alone.

"Lo, I am with you always." Matthew 28:20