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!!!

ABC's of Motherhood

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G is for "Good"

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I'm going to let you in on a little secret about my personality.  I'm kind of a pessimist.  Thankfully I'm married to an eternal optomist who helps to balance me out, but my tendency to see the "bad" in every situation can sink me into a sad state. 

When I'm feeling extra tired or worn down I need to work doubly hard at seeing the good all around me.  Because I'm a list maker I will sometimes make a list of all the good things in my life.  I am surrounded by wonderful people and things, and my focus on the positves rubs off on my children.

So tell me, what's good in your life today?

Friday

I'm sitting here in front of my computer.

Having my fourth cup of coffee for the day.....or is it my fifth?

Anyway, I need to share a recipe with you.

Because it's Friday.

And Friday is the day I share my wonderful tasty recipe's with you.

Unfortunately my cooking hasn't been all that wonderful lately.

However, we did discover a winner this week.

We made egg salad sandwiches, but we added some shredded CoJack cheese to the mix.

Oh my!

I don't even really like egg salad, but this was GOOD!!!!!

So, there you have it!

If you happen to be making egg salad in the near future.

Toss in a little shredded cheese.

Have a wonderful week-end!

To My Foster Children's Birth Mother

I want to tell her......

Your children are worth it. 

They are beautiful, and precious.

They are worth fighting for.

You can do it!

You can be a better person.

Please, please try.

Fight for your children.

Do what is right.

Make good choices.

Don't hang out with those friends who influence you to do wrong.

Find new friends because it isn't worth losing your children.

I want to say all these things to her---but instead all I do is smile.

Spring

Today is the first day of spring.  Allow me to tell you a few of the things I LOVE about this time of year.


1.  I can run out the door in my bare feet. (I go barefoot all winter long inside.)

2.  The smell---spring has a unique fresh scent that can't be duplicated by those aerosol cans.

3.  The "peepers".  We live around a lot of swamps and ponds, and the baby frogs serenade us.  There is no sound so beautiful.

4.  I can hang my laundry out on the line.

5.  The mist of green that starts to spread over everything.  Isn't green a lovely color?

6.  School is drawing to a close.  We are winding down our homeschooling year, and although it's been a good year I'm looking forward to the slower pace of summer.

7.  I can pack away our coats and boots, and my entryway/laundry room becomes less cluttered.

8.  Grilled food--we had our first grilled supper the other night.  Yummy!

9.  The urge to organize and purge my house of excess clutter becomes almost overwhelming.  This is always a good thing.

10. Taking little people outside helps them burn off energy, and be less likely to climb the walls.



Your turn!!  Do you like this time of year?  What are some of your favorite things about spring?

ABC's of Motherhood

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F is for "fun"

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Often what I need more than anything else at the end of a hard day is a good laugh.  I tend to take myself and my work too seriously.  

I think you should find at least one thing to laugh about every day.  Sometimes this might mean laughing at your own mistakes.

Having said that--allow me to give you a laugh at my expense. 

This morning was hectic.  The children were extra hyper and naughty.  One particular little two year old was being a stinker.  He kept taking everyone else's toys and being a general bugger.  I finally told him to put his nose in the corner--hoping that he would desire to mend his ways. 

 I went on my merry way doing laundry and homeschooling, all the while having a nagging feeling that I was forgetting something important.  Quite a while later I noticed this little lad dutifully leaning into a corner and I thought "what is he doing now?"

Just as I opened my mouth to ask him it occurred to me that I had sent him there.  I sheepishly told him he could go play.  Good thing I saw him or he might still be standing there. 

I don't think I'll be winning "mommy of the year" award today. 

So, what made you laugh today?  (Besides my silly mistake.)