Adjustment

  I don't know that I really expected this.  The sleep deprivation, crying, confusion, anger.  And that's all from me!  The emotional stress of bringing a new child into the house is similar to coming home with a new infant.  Everyone has to figure out where they fit again.  People not integral to the immediate survival of the family get neglected.  Our own marriage relationship gets neglected a bit.  Our kids find new ways to demand attention.  Schoolwork slides.  Housework slides.  I find myself in a fog wondering who I am and how I got here.
  All that said,  I wouldn't give it up.  We have our rough times.  But Miss Pink is a beautiful, energetic, sweet kid who has come from an insane life.  If my adjustment is this difficult I can't imagine what she's going through.  Her mom didn't bother to call twice when she was supposed to. Her visit is going to be rescheduled because the foster mom of Pink's brothers can't make it.  She's going to school in a few days and going to be separated from a family she's barely beginning to know. 
  I took Pink to her first play therapy session a couple of days ago and was reminded that four years of abuse cannot be undone in two months.  So we'll keep praying and working through and loving our Miss Pink.

Why is it always the most inopportune time?

When we went to bed last night it was 88 degrees in the house.  We're working on getting money scrounged together today to replace our airconditioner.  The loan we've been waiting a month for fell through so we're starting over.  It's hot.  And I'm crabby.
Yesterday I received an offer to begin catering lunches for my husband's office.  I've been wanting to do that for years but had given up on it actually happening.  Now his boss wants me to put together a proposal.

Today the phone rang. You know....that call.  Would you be interested in taking.......

Why does that always happen at the worst time?  Has anyone had a placement that came at just the perfect time and just happened easily?  When I have time someday I'll sit down and write about the craziness surrounding Miss Pink's placement.   For now I'll just say that we may have two 2 year olds in the house soon!  Is that crazy or what!?! 

I honestly do love my life. :-)

Lightening The Load

Yesterday my sisters-in-law came and helped me put 21 meals in the fridge for the upcoming month.  As a homeschooling mom of 3, foster mom of 1 (who is of course doing "school" with the rest of them) I have a lot on my plate.  I also cater lunch for 3 to my husband's office.  And keep the budget balanced.  And do the housecleaning, laundry and chauffeuring.  You get the idea.  I'm not superwoman. With that being the case, I have one of two options:

1. Wear myself to a frazzle trying to get it all done. And fail.
2. Get some help.  And still don't get it all done!

So here's what I'm doing.

1. Started paying my sisters-in-law $10 each to come clean for one hour a week.
2. Committing to meal planning and major preparation once a month to help lighten the overall load.
3. Making my two oldest kids (6.5 and 8) responsible for their own clothes and  their little siblings.  I wash it and deliver it to their room.  They fold and put away.
4. Set up a schedule for washing sheets and towels once a week. (this is required by law for foster homes anyway, I'm just implementing it housewide.)
5. Committing to school scheduling once a month so that I know what we're supposed to do and when.

As the month goes by we'll see how this works in practicality.  I also want to:

1. Start exercising 15-20 minutes each day.
2. Start tracking my Weight Watcher's Points again.
3. Practice my guitar 3x a week.

These are things that have fallen by the wayside lately.  Things that take care of me.  If I've learned anything in the last 9 years of marriage it's that if I don't take care of me I eventually fail at everything.

Here we go

So.... We've had a placement for two weeks now and I find a need to connect.  To know that I'm not the only one out here bowled over by this experience.
Our Miss Pink is 4.  She has two brothers who have been placed elsewhere.  She calls us Mommy and Daddy, loves our kids, loves our home, demands every scrap of attention we have, does things simply because we told her not to, loves to sit in my lap and be read to, gets into the gum every chance she gets, tries to eat stuff she shouldn't, throws fits when we take it away, sings twinkle twinkle little star like an angel, lives for play-doh time and is thoroughly loved by all of us.
I have little time to sit and update this but I hoped I could use it as an outlet for thoughts and emotions.

"Come on Mom.  In the other room.  Come sit"
 She's watching a movie with the family and I'm needed. :-)