Kerry's Kourtyard

Build You A Rainbow

2011-10-09T17:49:00.000-06:00

I've watched this clip since I was a child in Primary. Love it - always have! But can rarely get through it without blubbering all over myself. When I was small - I related to the boy... Now I relate to the mom....

To my children - all of you... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

I Love My Mom!

2011-07-17T21:20:00.000-06:00

I don't think it matters the age - I still love my mom!

Love One Another

2011-05-23T08:23:00.000-06:00

We've had a bit of a tough week here at our house. (Understatement!)
Saw this video this morning and thought of my family.
I love you all!

I Am A Child Of God

2011-05-16T10:28:00.000-06:00

I watched this with my little one 3 times this morning - and teared up each time! I was so grateful for the simple reminder - not only of who I am - but who these children in my care are too.

Little Miss T has changed the words for this one (her favorite song by far) just ever so slightly. She sings it as, "I am a child FOR God"... and I love that she is.

The Women In Our Lives...

2011-05-02T15:58:00.000-06:00

I loved this message... along with my mother, grandmother, and so many sisters, cousins and friends! You are wonderful!

Is This Narnia??

2011-04-14T15:08:00.000-06:00

I think this must be Narnia... You know, the land of eternal winter and never Christmas!

Last night when I went to bed, there was no snow in my front yard.

This is what I saw out my front door this morning...

AAACCKKK!!

And it wasn't done snowing yet!!

However, there was one (and only one) beautiful moment in more of this white stuff...

V left a note for me on his way to school... :)

Okay back to reality and a quote from little Miss T...

"NO MORE SNOW! SICK OF SNOW!"

Bad Dreams

2011-03-25T13:11:00.001-06:00

I was woken up early this morning by a very sad little girl. Her face was wet with tears as she said, "I can't find my 'other mommy'".

This breaks my heart! She knows we love her. She asks me all the time, "I your little angel?" But it seems that there will always be a hole in her heart for that "other mommy".

DH handled it so well! He told her, "One mommy is right here and the other mommy is with your grandma!" Still, she needed more cuddles and reassurance. She has referred to this dream several more times today... so I know this situation is weighing heavy on her heart. Please pray that she will find some peace.

Hubby's Bathroom Reader

2011-03-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

I think the title says it all...

When children have chosen another way | Mormon Times

2011-02-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

An excellent article that I happened upon this morning. Just wanted to share...

When children have chosen another way | Mormon Times

Now, back to caring for my sick little one...

Three Things I Am Grateful For:

1. My children! I love them! I raised them on my own for many years - and I am still grateful for that experience. They mean the world to me!

2. My little one does NOT have pneumonia... just needs a little more rest and meds to get better. :)

3. My own health has been on the mend... and it's about stinkin' time! :)

Child of God

2011-01-24T21:16:00.001-07:00

Just a quick one tonight. Heard the little one in her bed tonight singing, I Am A Child of God. Here's a sample of what I heard... (please forgive my attempt at the baby talk spelling!)

"I a chi-ad a God. (Child of God)
He send me heew. (Sent me here)
Has give me a earf-we home. (given me an earthly home)
And pawents kinda deew" (parents kind and dear... Not just "kinda dear")

So stinkin cute!

I love her!

Can It Be So Long Since I've Last Written?

2011-01-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

It always amazes me how much time passes between my posts. It's not because I don't have a sincere desire to write... I think about it all the time! There are many times I don't have the time/peace/quiet to sit and write and, very recently, many times that I'm afraid what I write will be misconstrued. (I don't know about you other bloggers - but this happens to me a lot!)

Recently it was suggested to me that I waste far too much time worrying about what others think of me. This caught me a little off guard, as I've normally been one who doesn't give a rip what others think of me. However, in talking further with this person, I learned she was right.

I have spent a great deal of time trying to show certain individuals that I'm not the terrible person they think I am. It didn't matter what others have said to the contrary - this particular group of people dislikes me and blames me for things not in my control - and I have let them get the better of me. Now I must work hard to rid myself of this toxic thinking and stop trying to impress people who do not have any interest in the well being of me or my family.

This whole things was driven home again within the last week, when a very serious decision had to be made by DH. Although it was not my decision, these people blamed me, called me names, and falsely accused me of terrible "atrocities" - again.

The irony? In the end, everyone wanted the same thing - but they all had to believe it was their idea before it could be implemented.

The perk? I've not felt this kind of peace in a very long time. I'm ever so grateful that DH made the choice he did and I hope he will feel the same level of peace about it that I do.

Now I am working on relearning things I'd forgotten... like, for example, that those who try to control others through threats and lies are really very sad people.
(YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE - AND SO DO I!)

And, if I let them push me to do things I don't want/need/have to - it is ME that lives with that consequence - not them.

I hope and pray that DH begins to understand this too as we head in this new direction, and these same people try to make him regret his choice. He needs to be supported in this decision. Actually, we both do. So if you're the praying kind, could you say a little one for us?

Three Things I'm Grateful For

My support circle (my kids, my mom) has been amazing this last little while. Thank you for loving me through this last little bit.
I'm feeling a little more like myself this week. Finally!
DH loves me!

Very Special Day

2010-10-21T09:47:00.000-06:00

I know it's been awhile... and there is so much that has happened... but I couldn't let this event go without a record. Our dearest little Mr. T. was baptized, confirmed and ordained a deacon last night!

Normally, our children would be baptized at 8, but because the adoption is not complete, Mr. T. had to wait until his twelfth birthday to get this done. Also, a baptism usually takes place on a Saturday. However, this Saturday, the youth from our ward are going to the temple to perform baptisms. Mr. T really wanted to go to this, we were able to get the baptism done on a Wednesday. Mr. T would also need to have the priesthood in order to attend the temple, so that was taken care of last night too.

I've got to tell you, this was one of the most incredible baptisms I've ever had the pleasure of attending. My own children's were special - don't get me wrong. But Mr. T had waited four extra years. He'd had to get permission from the government - if you can believe that. They won't allow any religious decisions until the age of 12 - and until the adoption is complete - he is still technically theirs.

The spirit was so strong there last night. I'll bet there were close to 100 people in attendance! Which was great because Mr. T could see how much love and support he had for this decision. It was hard to contain all the emotions we felt. I think the only time Mr. T wasn't smiling was when he was shedding "tears of joy" (as he called them) while he bore his testimony.

When we got home, he said he just "felt different". He was the sweetest happiest boy! His bedtime prayer was one of the most sincere, as he offered thanks for all he's been blessed with. I'm so grateful that he has come to be part of our family! I know I have learned so much since he and his brother came to be part of us.

We are all truly blessed!

Three things I'm grateful for:

That Mr. T was finally, FINALLY able to be baptized because it was his decision and no one else's.
Our new little foster daughter. She is wonderful and funny! I am loving the hugs and kisses and teaching her new words, to count, and sing... but I am NOT enjoying the potty training!
My husband. He is a wonderful father, husband, and friend. I'm so grateful that he has the priesthood and is able to bless each of us. It was wonderful for him too, to be able to perform each of Mr. T's ordinances last night too - especially because he is so afraid of crowds! He did it perfectly, and I love him so much!

Baby Mixups

2010-08-24T20:23:00.001-06:00

We're in between fostering little girls at the moment. The one we had left for a 3 week "visit" to make sure everything was going to go okay. Everyone had worked so hard to get this little girl home and we were sure that this was going to be one of the rare "happy endings".

So I called her case worker today, to see how things were going and to see if we could open up the bed for another child. The case worker began to tell me that baby's mom had gone to court and confessed that she didn't want to be a mom after all. I was shocked!! This was not the ending that we were hoping for.

It got worse -

She went on to tell me that mom had decided to give up all her rights and when the judge started yelling at her - she bolted from the courtroom! This was so far from where everyone had hoped this would end up. So I asked the case worker when we might be getting the little one back, to which she replied, "Don't you have her?!"

This is about the time we figured out that she thought I was a different "Kerry the foster mom" and had given me the story ending for the wrong baby! Terribly sad for the other poor little girl - but what a relief from our end! Whew! We'd worked so hard to get our last little babe home safe and healthy.

So we continue to hurry up and wait... wait to get our little one back - or wait for our next little family member.

Three Things I'm Grateful For

Our little foster baby is actually with people who want her and love her!
We think we've found a temporary solution to a very pressing problem. Woot!
Our oldest foster boy got permission to be baptized on his birthday. Hurray!

Singing In The Rain

2010-08-22T22:24:00.000-06:00

I've been kind of down in the dumps for about a month now... Been hard to write anything positive even though so many wonderful things have happened. But tonight, I watched this movie with one of my little guys, and it put me in a great mood! Haven't felt this way in so long - but I'm grateful for it. I loved this movie (I'm going to buy it tomorrow if I can find it) and so I thought I'd share one of my favorite scenes with you...

Three Things I'm Grateful For...

My family is back from vacation and camping. Not all of my children are home - but they are close and I love them!
My husband is good to me and loves me.
I loved being a church today. Really lifted my spirits.

Ammon & The Lamanites

2010-08-09T19:21:00.000-06:00

How do you keep a room full of ADHD kids interested in a topic for any length of time? Get down to their level and include them!

We have some great elder's serving in our ward right now and they came over to teach the kids a quick lesson from the Book of Mormon about Ammon and the Lamanites. Here's what happened...

The elders be back in two weeks, and I can hardly wait to see what they've got ready for us then. :)

Three Things I'm Grateful For:

My testimony of the gospel. I've done a lot of thinking, reading, and researching lately, and I am so grateful for the peace that comes when following the Lord's commandments.
My family. I have a good husband that tries so hard for me - and for our kids... even when they don't acknowledge or appreciate it.
I got two notes of praise from our foster baby's parents. THAT meant a lot!

Catching Up...

2010-07-29T20:19:00.000-06:00

July has been incredibly busy for me! Travelling, company, Stampede, new foster child... not necessarily in that order... It's been nuts!

Just wanted to pop in quickly though, to say that I'm working on some of the photos from July to share with you. I hope to have them all up in a couple days. But don't peek yet...

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

2010-07-02T09:44:00.000-06:00

Sometimes in the day to day, I forget that there is a bigger purpose to the job I do. I'd like to add to this video that this purpose extends not just to those that we give birth to - but also to those children who come into our lives as foster children, step-children, nieces, nephews, and those just adopted into the family in whatever capacity.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did...

Three Things I Am Grateful For

My family! Especially my own mother. Need I say more?
My country! As we celebrated Canada Day yesterday, I reflected on what a great nation this is.
My sense of humour... Believe me! I need it to get through most days.

RS Progressive Dinner June 2010

2010-06-29T20:52:00.001-06:00

2010-06-08T21:54:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago we went on a trip down to Cardston, and I was on a picture taking kick most of the way down. There was some beautiful scenery to be enjoyed!

This is the Belly River.

Our excursion took us into Glenwood as well. I have an uncle and aunt there, who we really enjoy visiting with.

But to get there, you have to drive through the Blood Reservation. Here is the abandoned little church.

My uncle has this amazing garden and it's already in full swing. The boys had never been before, and they were really enjoying the visit too.

I guess there was a little nest up in this tree and he was letting the boys have a look at it.

My mom was with us too for this trip. My aunt showed us her beautiful quilts and a few quilting tips. I don't know how long we spent there, but it never feels like enough time. We love them!

It was a beautiful day in Cardston too! Not everything is blooming yet - but there is a lot of green showing up. I love this building and being here!

Found this one a little bit ago - same building - decades ago...This is a picture of my great-grandparents and some of their children back in the 1940's. I love history!

Three things I'm grateful for:

Temples... They are so beautiful and peaceful. Each one different from the others. I love being in their presence and within their walls.
Family... Sometimes we don't get along very well - but we always love each other. I especially love that my kids are still getting to meet some of the older generations in our family. They (we) can all learn so much from these wonderful elders!
My chiropractor! I know this one is way off from the others, but I've been in serious pain this last week and he will save me from it! He's the best!

Foster Parent Story for Enviros

2010-05-25T06:02:00.001-06:00

Here is the video that I worked on a couple months ago in the digital storytelling workshop. I was very proud of the way it turned out. :)

Hope you enjoy it!

2010-05-20T17:48:00.001-06:00

We got to participate in a once in a lifetime opportunity last weekend! We were witness to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Calgary Alberta Temple last Saturday!

This is a picture of what it will look like when completed. I am just so excited to actually see this happening!

I love the Cardston Temple, and the Edmonton Temple is ok (though not nearly as grand as Cardston). The Calgary Temple will be somewhere in between these two - in size and literal location. There will not be excuses about time and travel once this one is done and the best part is - we can watch it from start to finish!

The kids were not thrilled about having to do the "church thing" on a Saturday. I couldn't even convince them it would be cool to be able to say to their grandkids, "I was there when they broke ground for that temple!" However, they were quiet enough as we sat through the ceremony. I loved every minute of it.

Amongst all this excitement, we also had DH's sister and her brood staying with us for the weekend. That made 15 of us in the house! Try scheduling shower and bathroom time around that.

This wasn't even all of us for breakfast!

One of almost everyone...

And the kids... : )

It was fun and we enjoyed having them here and the kids really enjoy playing with all their cousins.

Wrinkled Ladies

2010-05-03T14:27:00.001-06:00

Go ahead and get a giggle out of this one!

Great Message for Everyone

2010-04-26T09:31:00.002-06:00

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

2010-04-17T15:44:00.001-06:00

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

April Already?

2010-04-15T16:38:00.001-06:00

I did it again... neglected my blog! It's not like I haven't been doing anything - I have been really busy! And sick...

My little sister has been very sick. She has been in the hospital for over a month now - and I have not been able to visit her much. She doesn't want to have me infect her with my germs while she heals from her surgery. I don't blame her, actually. It wouldn't be nice to make her even more sick than she is. She has been in our prayers - so if any of you wish to add her to your prayer list - her name is Noelle.

We had a very nice Easter weekend too. We really wanted to emphasize to the kids what Easter was about - and what it was NOT about. It helped that our church was holding it's Annual General Conference over the weekend, so we stayed home to "watch" church on TV. I always love conference weekend. I wish that we were able to go down and be in Salt Lake City for it again. That is definitely one of my favorite memories! However, when we have all the kids, they are more than a little disruptive to those around them, so it was best that we were able to watch this from home. I love to hear from Jeffery Holland, David Bednar, and most especially President Thomas S. Monson. I love to hear from all of them - but those three tell especially good stories!

I notice too that there is a different spirit in our home during Conference weekend. Both DH and I recommit to doing better and applying the lessons we've been taught by our leaders. Just like spring - it's a whole new beginning!

The weekend and week following we were blessed to have a little girl staying with us while her foster parents were out of town. This little doll is about the best baby I've ever seen! Rarely a cry... eats everything you give her... no noise when it's time for bed... We just loved her to pieces! We took lots of pictures and a couple of videos. Wish I could share with you - but you know the rules! DH and I agree that we NEED another girl in the house! Little girls just play different games and make different noises than boys do. We need some balance here!

Three Things I'm Grateful For -

That I get to have a job that allows me to be home with my family and available to help others. Best job in the world - MOM!
The snow is finally gone from the yard!! I'm even seeing some green haze on the trees in the neighbourhood.
I'm on the mend after a week of feeling like crap. I hate being sick!

This Simply Won't Do!

2010-03-19T10:50:00.001-06:00

This once a month posting has got to stop! I think about it all the time, but I've been involved in so much over the past month, that it's been hard to find the time.

There has been a lot of training to attend lately. Admittedly, some of it was voluntary - but all of it was educational. D only joined me for one of the multi-day courses - theraputic crisis intervention - and we learned so much! I've also attended conferences on FASD and Digital Storytelling. Lots and lots to learn and I love it!

There has been quite a bit to do with the boys lately too. I think that the onset of spring has something to do with that. Everyone seems to get busier as it starts to get lighter and warmer outside. We all went to see T in his play at school this week. He had a small part - but he did it so well! Here are some of my favorite shots from "The Hobbit".

Smaug the Dragon

Captured by Spiders

The Great War

It was fun to watch finally, because it had been a six month production to get in place! Of course we had to sit through the Grade 7 band concert before the play. Ahhh.... memories of the honking and squeaking that pass for music. I loved Grade 7 band when I was there - but at the time - I'd had no idea how it must have sounded to the parents. Grade 8 band was better - and I remember those days too. I'm hopeful that the boys will want to take some music when they are old enough - and I'll go endure Grade 7 band concerts again.

Yesterday was our 4th Wedding Anniversary. I seriously can't believe how the time has flown! We've come such a long way in so little time - and yet - still so much to learn about each other. We spent a great night having dinner at Olive Garden. We were going to see a movie - but we both ate too much - so just came home instead. It was so nice to be out just the two of us! I love you, Honey!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T10:13:00.001-07:00

I've been so busy - and hardly had time to think! There is plenty to blog about - but I'm still getting ready for church... My boys surprised me with a breakfast in bed and a promise to be my "slaves" for today. LOL! What a great Valentine's Day. Anyway, I wanted to leave you with this great video, in honor of this day of love... Enjoy!

2010-01-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've been finding it very hard to get back into the swing of things. School has been back in for a week and a half now (YAY!) but the routines just aren't coming back. I need motivation!!

We did get to enjoy one of our Christmas presents last weekend - and we went out for dinner with Mom and S. You know, when I was a teenager, we could talk my mom into things - like dressing up as a "headbanger" to go shopping with us. That was kind of fun! So I guess I should have known that when we asked her to pose in that stupid face sucking peace sign pose that ALL the girls have on Facebook (what is with that pose anyway?!) that she would just do it for the camera.

It just came naturally to her, I guess! LOL!! It was a fun night. We laughed at so many different stories.

One of my favorite stories that came up was about the day that D sent me flowers. I answered the door and a man gave me this beautiful bouquet. While I'm busy reading the card, V asks me, "Did that guy give you flowers?"

"Yes", I reply.

Then he asks, "Does D know?"

We did get a nicer picture of Mom - just cause I knew she'd not like the one to the left here...

Better?

Love ya, Mom!

Late Night Writing...

2010-01-04T01:19:00.002-07:00

It's late and I just can't sleep. I've been meaning to update my blog for some time now, and just hadn't found the time until now. December was especially busy with all the Christmas fanfare and activities. One of my goals for this New Year is to write more often... and with more depth.

We did have a great Christmas! We were blessed to be invited to parties with friends, and visits with family. There were many gifts and plenty of food - maybe too much food. Nineteen of us gathered on Christmas Eve - a family tradition for as long as I can remember. It would have been my Grandmother's 94th birthday. She's been gone a couple of years now, but it still feels funny not to have a birthday cake there.

Over the holidays, we have fallen into a very bad habit of ~~grazing~~ eating whatever and whenever. We have stayed up too late and slept in too often. But everyone is ready to get back into routine again. Especially me! The boys were telling me how bored they were on day 1 of their Christmas vacation - and it just grew from there.

D was a great help with the kids and cleanups too. I really appreciate all that he has done during his days off. This was our double duty Christmas year, so a very full house indeed! Lots of fun and noise (not fun) and the older kids pitched in to buy us an HDTV!! Totally awesome!! Our old big screen had just about bit the dust, so this one came in just in time. D's bonus from work made sure he got his Xbox too - and the boys have been inundating us with Rock Band for days now. (Some of those songs are REALLY awful, aren't they??) Not to mention that we are a family made up of singers and those who are totally tone deaf. It's sure not boring!

I think the best part of Christmas this year, was that we spent a little more time focusing on Christ - and a little less time (and money) on the gifts. I was so sick of hearing kids ask for more, more, more... We really toned it down (excepting the Xbox) and had a very nice, modest Christmas. I couldn't convince them to spend any time reading about the birth of Christ in scripture. We didn't even watch "Mr. Kruger's Christmas"! But we were together with minimal conflict - a major accomplishment for this group - and it was very nice.

This is the year we are hoping to have the boys adoption finalized. There are, as expected, some major hurdles to overcome in getting this done. I've been praying like crazy for a solution to these so that everyone can benefit. I could rant all day about the services that will be pulled from our high needs children once they are adopted. But I don't want this to be a political forum... yet... There are many things to be done before this adoption can be finalized.

I want to read the scriptures, front to back, again this year. But I want to put a little more emphasis on the studying side of it. It’s easy to read it like a novel - but not always so easy to grasp the lessons and meanings that way. I will be using readthescriptures.com if any of you care to join me. Or just check in with me to make sure I'm keeping up on my goals. <

Happy New Year!

Do You Have Room?

2009-12-14T17:01:00.001-07:00

I'm all about getting into Christmas for the right reasons today... Enjoy!

The Christmas Spirit

2009-12-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Christmas Spirit

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Halloween and Busy Month!

2009-11-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

It has taken a little bit to get all caught up with everything. October ended on a real high note! Our ward held a "Trunk or Treat" and almost all of us dressed up to go. The party was a hit! They did not expect too many to show up, but we filled the gym and ran out of hot dogs.

I got to be one of the judges for the Halloween Costume contests. E won for the "funniest". (I declared a conflict of interest on that one and stayed out of the voting!)

D thought this would be a great costume - and so did many other people! I thought he should go as the guy who just got home from the dentist!

But I got outvoted...

The next morning I got to go to another great Relief Society Birthday Breakfast. I was there officially in two categories - as a member of the RS Presidency and as a girl with an October Birthday! It was a great breakfast and came with some even better company!

Aren't they beautiful?

Then we were into November. Now half of that is gone and I'm still wondering where it has gone to. Ever have one of those months where it just flys by and you know you were busy - just not sure about what it was you were busy doing? Me too!

I know we've been to a viewing at the funeral home, Rememberance Day activities at school, looking after other kids.

T had a huge medical scare and we spent some time running to doctors to figure it all out. Turns out it wasn't as serious as originally thought - but it gave us a scare for a little bit of time there. I'm sure this one took up most of my worrying hours. I prayed so much for him through this one. I think everything will be fine now though. Prayer works!

We're gearing up to head into the Christmas Season now. I'd love to do another cookie exchange like we did last year. It was so much fun to just sit and visit with friends and neighbours. I need a little bit of time like that these days.

Three Things I'm Grateful For

T is really okay. Big scare but he'll be fine.
Freedom - I love Rememberance Day. It is such a great chance to show respect for those who have fought for our freedom. I honor those brave men and women.
My husband... he's been very good to me!

Another Funny Story

2009-11-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

I had the boys at the pediatrician's office. As we were reviewing their meds and symptoms, the doctor commented, "You boys are like black and white!"

To which V points at his brother and replies, "He's the black one..."

A little shocked at this I try to clarify, "She means that you two are opposites."

And V yells, "You mean I'M THE BLACK ONE??!!"

Poor doctor and I couldn't contain it anymore... I laughed the whole way home and neither boy could figure out what was so funny.

Catching Up

2009-10-28T14:51:00.001-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me just how much can happen in a week or so!

Since my last post, we've had two birthdays, two birthday parties, been to Cardston, visited family in Glenwood, babysat lots of babies, you get the idea... It's been super busy here at our house!

We had fun at T's birthday party. He didn't have as many friends come as he had hoped - but they were very well behaved and he really enjoyed himself. Dad took him shopping at a pawn shop with his birthday money. I know, I know! But it was what T requested.

My birthday was a little more low key. D took four of us to the Olive Garden for dinner. :) We don't get up there much because it is so far away - but we do love the food. T was more than a little upset that we made him order from the "10 and under menu" - because he was just hours older than ten. With his special condition, sometimes it's hard for him to understand that not everything is about him or what he sees/wants/feels, etc. I was glad he was there with us though. V, on the other hand, tried all kinds of new foods there and said it was now his favourite new restaurant. I had a great evening and I was certainly glad that I had worn my stretchy pants!

I also had two very good friends who helped me celebrate. Shelley took me out for lunch and Cori brought me a bag of wonderful gifts and a beautiful note. I am very blessed indeed.

The other part of my birthday present was that Drew and I went to the Cardston Temple together for the first time in months on Saturday. The whole day was really nice - except for the little bit of blizzard that we drove through on the way home. We even stopped to visit my uncle and aunt in Glenwood. We always enjoy visiting with them - they are just so wonderful!

There was a big surprise waiting for me yesterday. Remember when I mentioned that I'd been duped on EBay? The package SHOWED UP!! I was stunned! The thing had come from Singapore - but it was here! D and I were both stoked! Good thing we had waited and not bid on another one...

Finally, we're now into Halloween mode here. We will have D's kids here for the weekend and he's not taken them out for Halloween since he split from his ex... um... wife... (almost said something nasty there!) When the kids ask what I'm dressing up as, the answer will have to be "the mom who stays home to give out candy". I'm kind of looking forward to that!

D found these glasses at the local dollar store. Check out the package for them. I think I'll submit this to engrish.com.

They are hilarious!

Even the dog gets in on disguises for Halloween!

Three Things I'm Grateful For

I got to hold Rebecca's baby yesterday! He was born on my birthday so not even a week old. Very cute!
My EBay package really did come! I still can't believe that after all the fuss that EBay and PayPal made about it. But I am glad it's here!
I'm another year older - and wiser. I have truly been blessed with so much in my life and now I have so many to share it with.

Overheard from the TV Room

2009-10-17T21:17:00.000-06:00

I overheard this conversation tonight coming from the TV room. Picture the setting...

Four of the kids (ages 9, 10 and 11) are watching "Castaway". They are at the part of the movie where Tom Hanks is riding the raft and a whale is swimming beside him...

V: There is a whale following him.
I: There is?!
V: Yes - but it doesn't hurt him.
E: Wait - doesn't he get inside the whale?
T: No! That's Noah!!
I: No - Jonah gets swallowed by the whale! Noah got eaten by Moby Dick!

Apparently, we have a little educating to dole out here.

Duped on EBay!

2009-10-15T13:28:00.001-06:00

I didn't think it would happen to me! I've been so careful! I've had dozens of successful transactions!! But this week, I got a note from EBay stating that the last purchase I made was with a seller of questionable repute... or something to that effect.

What a pain in the butt! I had to lodge a complaint with PayPal to get my money back. I also had to make a claim file with EBay, but by then, the "seller" had been removed. I'm hoping that I have provided enough evidence to get my money back, but in the meantime, I wait.

The guy I spoke to at EBay suggested that I be more careful when dealing with some (not ALL) overseas sellers. You can bet I'll be watching for that very closely in the future...

Three things I am grateful for -

I didn't get ripped of hundreds of dollars. Double checking that all my info is still secure. Whew!
The stinkin' snow has stopped for now! If snow were warm I wouldn't care - but snow is cold and I don't like it.
We had a chance to look after the most adorable baby girl this past week - and we fell in love with her! It was great to have a baby in the house for a few days - especially a baby GIRL! I want one...

Birthday Month Has Commenced

2009-10-07T13:10:00.001-06:00

October is the month of the year where we have the most birthdays in our family.

We start early off with Mr. V. This year, we had to host a birthday party a day early, because our church General Conference was being held on the actual birthday. Actually, I don't really mind the 2 hour birthday party after school. Most of the time the kids come here, eat, play and leave and I can have almost everything cleaned up by the time everyone else gets home. It's just easier this way.

Here are a couple of photos of the birthday boy and his buddies...

See the wad of cash he got? I know it doesn't show here but he was just beside himself! He kept repeating that he'd never had that much money in his whole life - and that was probably true. Didn't matter... he spent it all before the weekend was done.

Now, brace yourself for what you are about to see... This is a creation that can only happen when one is rushed for time, and attempts to ice a "too warm" cake with "too much sugar" icing. This, my friends, is my creation worthy of a mention on Cake Wrecks!

You don't have to tell me! I already know!! The worst cake in the history of me making cakes! I had to entice the kids to eat it by putting mini chocolate bars all over it!! It did taste way better than it looks though... :( If that means anything at all.

I may just buy a cake for the next birthday this month...

Three Things I'm Grateful For:

That I'm able to stay home to care for my family. This has made a world of difference for the children - and me. I know way more about what happens here and can keep better tabs on their needs (and behaviour!)
My health is good. After watching my little sister go through what she did last month, I'm even more grateful for this blessing!
My testimony. I always feel this growing when I watch General Conference. It is just so neat to be able to sit in my own home and listen to our Prophet and the other leaders share their wisdom, insight and guidance with us. It was a really nice weekend.

Hurray for Friday!

2009-09-25T09:25:00.004-06:00

I've turned into a bad blogger!!

It's not that there hasn't been plenty going on in our ever crazy household - I've just not had the time to blog.

Ok - that's not even true...

I've just not had the motivation.

There! I said it!

I've not been motivated to write about all the weird, unexplainable, hilarious things that happen in our daily lives. It gets a little overwhelming sometimes to try and keep track of it all, and so I confess I haven't.

On top of everything that we do in our family, I've been dealing with a business situation that rapidly got out of control. I was so excited at someone new signing up in my business, and then when things started to turn - I wasn't exactly sure how to handle it. The big wigs in the company got involved. They had to! To make a long story short - lines were crossed and decisions were made and I no longer have a new jeweller. I'm disappointed about it but I think it was for the best.

Remember people!

Be nice and don't blame others when you don't understand something!

Wait... this is good advice for my family too...

I may just make that one out of vinyl and stick it on our front door! Ha!

And it might work as well as the other vinyl signs I've made -

NOT!

We had a birthday this week too. Did you hear that I now have a TWENTY YEAR OLD SON?? I can't believe it either! How did this happen? When did he get to be a foot taller than me?? I love you Bryce and want you to know that I'm very proud of the person you have become!

On Tuesday we had the chance to summarize what we learned in Atlanta for our Foster Agency. Because he suffers from severe stage fright - you can bet that DH was super grateful that the people ahead of us took up so much time with their amazing presentation! I was so enthralled with the 72 hour kits, that I didn't want them to end either. Turns out our scheduled 40 minute presentation was more like 7 minutes - and he didn't have to do anything but nod his head in agreement. Whoo hoo!!

Anyway, with everything that we've had going on all week - I decided today would be a good day for me to do something for me! I'm heading on down to a craft show at the Roundup Centre to look at things no one else in my family enjoys... and I will be happy!

Except that I have to take the boys...

...which means there will be whining...

...and complaining...

Sigh...

Maybe I can distract them by having them try and help me find new things to put on their birthday invitations next month! There's the plan!

And after I clean the house, get the bags of clothes to the clothing exchange, attend all my meetings on Saturday, look after whatever arguments break out amongst the children, and go to church... I can relax in my craft room...

HAHAHAAA!!! Sometimes I crack me up...

Three Things I'm Grateful For -

That I get to stay home to look after my family. I'm not sure how I'd be able to handle all we have to do and go to work too!
For a church calling that helps me see a bigger picture. I've learned so much working with the wonderful Sisters that I do. I love all of you!
For my family... despite all my complaining, they are amazing and I love them to pieces!

Small Hero

2009-09-18T20:33:00.002-06:00

V came home from school yesterday and told me that he saw a "scary guy" starting a fire in the alley. I went a looked right away, but didn't see anything. A few minutes later though, I saw the smoke rising!

We called the fire department right away and V got to tell his story. They put us through to the police and he got to tell the story again.

When they asked if he could tell them what the man looked like, he replied, "SCARY!" Not a great description. LOL!

The firetruck came and I'm sure they just kicked some dirt around, because they didn't even pull the hose off the truck.

Didn't matter to us. V was a hero in my book! He had done exactly what we have taught him to do. See a crime and report it. Very proud of my little guy!

Remembering Today...

2009-09-11T08:51:00.002-06:00

I am Canadian - but I remember with my US friends and family.

I remember exactly where I was when I heard what was happening, and what was said.

It was a very somber day at work that day. My boss wouldn't let me leave to be with my children.

All the planes were being grounded across North America, and the skyscrapers in downtown Calgary were being evacuated.

Many people went to the airport to help those passengers who were stranded and hungry because they were no where near their destinations.

We watched the reruns for hours, days - maybe weeks afterward.

I called my father in Utah to tell him that the US was at war. He wasn't awake yet when I called him - and he was a little disoriented. He had access to a TV - I didn't. He gave me a play by play for a few minutes before I had to hang up.

A fellow blogger posted this tribute to her blog this morning. You can see it here or below.

God bless us all...

Three things I'm grateful for:

The freedom we enjoy here. Many take this for granted - but we enjoy it all the same.
My family is safe and all with me.
Knowledge... let's not repeat this episode in history.

School's In and I'm Still Busy!!

2009-09-02T16:21:00.005-06:00

I can't believe that the kids have been back in school for almost a week!

I've got two in two schools this year and their timetables do NOT mesh!

Both schools are a stones throw from the house. Both school share a field - sort of... but one starts at 8:20 and the other does not start until 9:00 a.m!! I spend my mornings and afternoons running back and forth between these schools to get the boys there and back again - and it is not fun!

However, both boys were super stoked to get back to school. No really! Even if it doesn't show here...

T gets to attend the brand new school this fall. It is the first time in a very long time that the boys have not attended school together - and if it weren't for the time difference, it would be awesome all the way around!

I'm still waiting for the "routine" part to settle back in... alas, it's been one of "those" weeks already. Errands, dentists, doctors and kid stuff... trying to get back to the gym routine, etc. It's hard to do! Especially when we've had such fantastic weather!

I've had to make a few sympathy cards this week too. A childhood friend of mine lost her brother on Saturday. I don't know the details - just that it was sudden. Really sad. He was just older than me and leaves behind a wife and two kids. I think I'm going to pull out my journal from when I was a teenager and refresh my memory on some of the great adventures we all had together. I like to remember the happy times. I'll take those memories with me to the funeral on Friday.

My mother's co-worker lost a grand-baby this morning too... They think it was SIDS. Poor little thing was only 4 months old. Tragic week...

Three things I'm Grateful For -

My family is all well and healthy.
My knowledge that this life is not the end...
SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION!

Relief at Last!

2009-08-25T11:42:00.002-06:00

It took most of yesterday to recover. We'd been so busy with out latest placement that we'd hardly had time to just sit. I feel terrible for the little guy - but he was out of our realm of experience.

We're still not sure how such a small child could have been left alone by his parents - but he was a great object lesson for our own kids who always want to know why they just can't do whatever they want. A child that rants and raves, kicks, bites, throws things, smashes things, opens oven & dishwasher doors, runs out of the house, scratches, etc. He'd not been given any guidance by any adults - and he is the one who will suffer for it. Not since my nephew had I personally seen such a severe case of Reactive Attachment Disorder.

It is HARD to keep your cool as you're chasing him through the house - or trying to protect the other people in the house. We just kept looking at him and wondering what series of events led to this - constantly remind everyone that this was not his fault. He'd not been taught ANY social skills or appropriate behaviour modification. Maybe his mother didn't know how to mother him? Maybe she has mental issues of her own? We'll never know the answers to these questions as he has been placed with another family that has more experience with his condition - and sadly, that was a RELIEF for our entire family. I think poor DH will need a longer break before he agrees to do an emergency respite placement again.

It was nice to just be with our younger children last night. We played a fun game of cards that DH calls "The German Game". I think it's a lot like Uno, and yet not quite. The boys did really well learning how to play, but sometimes got angry when they didn't win a hand.

At one point V told DH that he was "Cheap! With a capital 'P'!" After a good giggle, we explained that "cheap" didn't start with a 'P' - that letter came at the end. His retort was, "I know! You're cheaPah! Pah! Pah!" as if to emphasize the 'P' sound that should clearly be capitalized! Sometimes, their condition makes our boys super entertaining - and they just can't understand why...

Another great example of this... Yesterday at Superstore, we stood at the deli counter. As S was looking at which meat she'd like to buy for lunch, V sees a very large Kubasa sausage behind the glass. Without warning he yells out, "Mom! Look at that huge wiener!"

The poor guy behind the counter couldn't contain himself. "Did I just hear your kid yell out to look at a big wiener?"

I responded, "What kind of a place are you running here?" Poor deli guy started laughing so hard he couldn't even stand up straight. And all the while V asking what was so funny. "What did I say that was so funny?!" Life would be so boring without kids.

Three Things I'm Grateful For -

The emergency placement kid is gone! Sad - but true! We were exhausted and our house was destroyed! We're glad he's safe with a different family now.
Time with my family again. It was such a nice day yesterday - and I have the afternoon alone today! YIPPEE!!
School starts this week! "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" Even the boys are anxious to get back to a routine and see their friends again.

Some Funnies and Some Gratitude

2009-08-19T13:41:00.004-06:00

Someone sent this to one of my Yahoo Groups this morning - and it was funny enough to share. Especially funny because many of these things are TRUE!

I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can’t wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that’s not only better, but also more directly involves me.
Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.
Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
There is a great need for sarcasm font.
Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the **** was going on when I first saw it.
I think everyone has a movie that they love so much; it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?!
I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
Was learning cursive really necessary?
Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.
Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
Bad decisions make good stories
Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from; this shouldn't be a problem....
You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren’t watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA . No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don’t win, they are executed.
I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
I think that if, years down the road when I’m trying to have a kid, I find out that I’m sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.
Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my a$$ everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimate d that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There’s nothing like being made to feel like a fat b@st@rd before dinner.

Funny!

Now for the gratitude... I've often thought of this exact scenario myself, so I'm glad someone took the initiative to start this movement. I'm committing to do this the next time I see military personnel. I hope you'll join me!

Three things I'm grateful for:

I live in a free country. But I know that the price of freedom is not free.
I have a job that allows me to stay home and look after my family. Can't think of a better job!
I'm healthy. I'm praying for my little sister who is in the hospital this week - so I'm especially grateful for my own health.

New Placement

2009-08-18T17:54:00.003-06:00

We're having a different kind of experience here this week. D's kids are here visiting, V and T are at camp for the week, and we got a call for an emergency placement. Things were already a little wonky with the kids that do live here being gone - and the kids that don't live here staying - but now we have a youngster who is brand new to care. Talk about stressful!

I had to laugh when we got the call to take him. D's comment was, "Well there went our relaxing week!" I asked him on what planet he thought that we were ever in for a relaxing week. We now have a house full of high maintenance people. Holy smokes! This little one is sure testing the boundaries. Clearly there has been a great deal of permissive parenting in his young life. Rules seem to elude him.

I got a hefty dose of this today when D took his kids to Calaway and I stayed home with little mister. I don't think I've ever had a kid that age speak to me like he does. When he started screaming in Walmart - I grabbed him and walked out. Sigh... I think I need another week of vacation after D's week off!

3 Things I'm Grateful for -

That D is home this week. I like having him around more.
That it is still summer (sort of) and school will be back in next week.
"... that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7)
2.

More Atlanta and a Trip to the Zoo

2009-08-13T09:48:00.011-06:00

I can't believe it's been a week since we've been home! Kind of surreal, but nice. It's so much cooler here than it was in Atlanta.
D in front of the Philips Arena. He was in heaven being this close to these sports places. (I would have rather gone to see something historic!) I must admit though, that seeing the Olympics stuff was very interesting.

The CNN Tour included a trip up this unbelievably high escalator. We didn't go on the tour - but I'm thinking that Atlanta folks are big fans of really long escalator rides. I think this one goes up five floors.

This was in the front lobby of the CNN building.

The Monday night banquet and some of the folks we sat with. The couple on the left were Canadians too from Ontario. In the middle is Jenny, our supervisor from our fostering agency. So sweet! Great food, great new friends and entertainment watching people do new dances I'd never seen before.

Here are the 3 from Calgary again. What a fun evening! If we ever get to go again, we'll remember to "dress up" for the banquet portion.

Did you know Coca Cola (can't say "Coke" in Atlanta) came from Atlanta? Me neither! But here I am enjoying a blistering hot bronzed version with it's inventor, John Pemberton. HOT! HOT DAY!

I guess if you take the "Coca Cola" tour through their museum, you can taste how different Coke is all over the world. We didn't take that tour either. Atlanta was REALLY EXPENSIVE if you are a tourist!

I took some cool shots from the plane rides home, but looking at them makes me feel all woozy all over again. I've decided I don't really like flying and I certainly don't like TURBULENCE! So I'll spare you the airsick feeling...

We had only been home a couple of days when we were visited by D's sister and 4 of her 5 + a friend. The kids were very excited to all visit with their cousins - while V and T were excited to meet their new cousins! We decided to drop a truckload of money again to take kids to the Calgary Zoo. D and I had forgotten that, while the Calgary Zoo is a world class facility, we don't really enjoy walking around with kids that don't listen and want us to spend even more money on the incredibly expensive food that they sell there. We've agreed we will not go again until we have grandchildren that are old enough to enjoy it, but young enough to listen!

We did see some great sights though. The peacocks are free to roam anywhere they'd like at the zoo. I'd never seen a mama with her chicks before. I do know that these things will chase and bite you if you get to close - so we let them pass without bothering them. Well, most of us did... back to the no listening thing again.

This is a picture of the last Ray to survive the mysterious Ray Deaths from last year. These are actually very cool animals! Beautiful to watch them gliding through the water.

Boy, did we get an elephant education this time! The male is "in musk" at the zoo and two of the females are "ready and waiting". You can imagine the kids faces when the male dropped what looked like a 5th appendage and proceeded to scratch his belly with it. I think the "big guy" was just showing off! The boys are still talking about it. (Picture X-rated - not available for showing on this blog.)

"Dinny" the Dinosaur first moved to the Calgary Zoo in 1937. I think he is still in the same spot! He was declared an Alberta Historical Resource in 1987. I remember playing on him as a kid and like me, he's showing a bit of his age.

This is a picture of all the kids in the Prehistoric Park. I think it was the only time they were sitting still and it wasn't for very long!

T posing for me with a cool bear statue in the North American Exhibit.

Just some good advice in the South American Exhibit. That place took me right back to Georgia with all the humidity and heat! Had to get out just to breathe again.

Thought I'd end with the picture of the glorious lunch my DH packed for us. Despite it's appearance - it was delicious and I love him for thinking ahead!

Three Things I'm Grateful For:

1. The cooler weather. I never thought I'd be so happy to be cool.

2. DD bought her first car yesterday! This means I get my van back!! YAY!!

3. Kids actually listening to our discussion about being respectful and showing us that they CAN do it when they try. Sort of...

Back from Atlanta!

2009-08-08T09:00:00.015-06:00

We had such a great time! Despite the flights, my fear of flying and the turbulence on the planes... I took so many photos of really cool things its hard to narrow them down.

This was a very cool moving sidewalk under the tarmac at Chicago Ohare. Seriously! We were moving around under the planes!! Huge airport! Had to ride this one to get from our landing gate to our takeoff gate. We kept checking our gate numbers, because airlines have a way of changing gates without warning. We got to ride this ride twice - because they did change our gate and it was on the other side of the airport.

Loved this dinosaur in the airport too. We spent 4 hours on a layover there... I hate that it wasn't long enough to leave the airport and see more of Chicago - however, it was great if you are a people watcher... and I am!

From Chicago we flew into Atlanta. Rough ride!! I swear the plane dropped and I flew out of my seat. I hate rides at the Stampede so this was no fun for me! Once in Atlanta, we took the "MARTA" to the hotel. We didn't know that Atlanta is close to being the number one crime city in the US. At least that's what their own newspapers say. Thankfully the train took us almost to the front door of the hotel. I will also add that Atlanta had the cleanest subway I've ever been on - and that includes Calgary's! Beautiful city - really, really beautiful!

Have I mentioned the heat! I've never experienced humidity like that before. It was hard to breathe. I loved the air conditioned buildings and spent most of my time indoors.

THIS was the escalator we had to take to get to street level from the train. I swear 4 or 5 stories high - it took a very long time to get to the top. The walls were freaky too. They were parallel to the angle of the escalator and if I looked at them riding up or down, I got dizzy. Turns out we were about 80' to 100' underground. Yikes!

I don't know if this shows up very well, but behind us the whole tunnel was rock that had been carved out for the train. Very cool! I mean very hot... the temperature was hot even that far underground.

This one was at the arts centre stop.

This is just one of the cool views from inside the hotel.

I guess I should mention the actual conference we attended. We were representing our agency at the Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA). We took classes on The Hurting Foster Child, Building Rapport with Adolescents, Conflict Resolution through Trust Building, Behaviors, and FASD Placements and Supports, as well as 3 keynote speakers. All were EXCELLENT and we learned so much! It was great to network with people from Ontario, all over the US, Scotland, Australia, Bermuda and Hong Kong.

I know that I walked away with a completely different perspective on many issues, as many of our presenters had been foster kids at one time. Some fail, some succeed - but that was all dependant on the influence of their foster parents. I hadn't really thought about what happens to these kids after they "age out" - but now we know! We actually felt like we had some insight and experiences that could be shared with others in our workshops. All in all it was very empowering.

We came home with a wealth of information, highly motivated and inspired and ready to take on a new venture... we have decided we want to work toward becoming trainers/presenters ourselves! We want to be the kind of parents and foster parents that influence kids for good. We're already working on our first presentation for our agency that we will give this fall - and we're so excited for this chance!

I've got more pictures - but I'll save them for another day. I'm beat!

Three Things I'm Grateful For -

Getting back home safely and being met by my ever-lovin' family at the airport. I'd missed them!
The chance at a great education opportunity (for fostering AND diversity) in Atlanta. I almost perfected my Georgia accent while there too.
A loving and supportive husband. It was so nice to spend a week with just him.

Lazy Days of Summer... NOT!

2009-07-30T13:26:00.008-06:00

Ah remember the lazy days of summer? Being a kid and watching as much TV as you want... playing outside, riding your bike... I remember doing all those things as a kid. We had cable, but that meant 12 channels and 2 of them were French. You could hardly find me anywhere near my house! How things have changed...

We have over 200 cable channels - and nothing worth watching is on. We have video games, which appears to be a great source of contention and name calling. Note on this one - girls are not nearly as interested in participating in this one as the boys are - at least at our house. The bikes are sitting outside, ready for use and no one wants to use them. Sigh...

How many more weeks until camp #2 takes place??!!

Yesterday we spent a grand total of 3 hours in Urgent Care! 3 hours people!! For a toe!! V bumped it (he doesn't know on what) and cut it open. It looked worse than I could bandage up so we took him in. This system has got to change!

First you have to STAND IN LINE for triage. Hello! If you are sick or injured, how can you stand and wait your turn??!! And since we had blood dripping all over the place, shouldn't we have taken precedence over the headache person??!!

Once someone has assessed you, you get to sit in a waiting room until you are called to be "admitted". Then you get to sit and wait until a bed is available. By this point we've been in there for a half hour already.

We get called into a room and wait who knows how long before a nurse shows up!!! Good luck on the stitches if you need them - we've already started the healing process by now!

We wait another 20 minutes for a doctor to show up. She spends a grand total of 1 minute looking at his toe, decides no stitches (no kidding!) but wants him bandaged up before we leave. Wait another 20 minutes for the nurse to come back.

They bring a big bowl of water and want him to soak his filthy foot in it. By this time, I'm losing it! Too bad - we can't leave until it gets bandaged up and that's not going to happen until he soaks his foot. THEN we have to wait for the ortho specialist to come wrap him up!

Here is what we got out of the morning in ER. Little bit fuzzy at V took it himself. Poor little guy was in so much pain and is still hopping around on one foot this morning. Super strong! I've never seen someone hop up and down stairs on one leg like he does. As expected though, the bandage didn't make it through the night.

Countdown has begun for our Atlanta trip. Kids and sitters are all lined up. Packing has begun and the tickets are waiting at the airport. I've always wanted to see the deep south US and this may be my one and only chance! Woo hoo! We're taking the camera so hope to have oodles of pics to show when we get back.

That's also when we start phase two of the painting projects in the basement... back to work...

Best part of my day - Sleeping in until 9:00 a.m.! I never get to do this! :)

Worst part of my day - Picking up my mother at the airport at 1:00 a.m. (Why I got to sleep until 9:00 a.m.)

Three things I'm grateful for -

Mom is home safe and sound.
Carpet is down and we're loving the new digs downstairs!
DD's crap is out of my living room and moved to the new digs downstairs.

The Quiet is Over!

2009-07-27T09:28:00.009-06:00

Well so much for the quiet week... Friday morning, bright and early (like 6:30 a.m. early!) I was helping my DD move back home. How much stuff that kid has accumulated over the years - yikes! After some serious discussion, it looks like she will be getting the new room, once the carpet gets installed. That is supposed to happen this morning, but for now, my living room looks like this -

AAAAHHHH!!!! It was also double duty weekend with the kids, so by the time I'd picked up T and V from camp, the part-timers had arrived. Can anyone be expected to function in this?? I won't even show you what 5 boys can do to one bathroom in a weekend... sheesh! Especially after they've been at camp for a week. I will give you a peek at what they brought home though. Yuck!

I did get a couple brief moments of peace eventually - sort of. Saturday morning, DD woke up late and I had to drive her to work. Once again - 6:30 a.m.!! Here is what we saw on the way...

Got back home from that drive and just had time to get ready for our RS Breakfast for the July birthday girls. (Being in the Presidency has it's perks!) I went over a little early to help - but also to just be with some grownups in a clean house! Doesn't this look good? Sorry to put that in the same post as the dirty feet - but you can see why I needed the break!

Saturday was also the RS Scrapbook Day at the chapel. I was sure I was going to be the only one for awhile, but eventually some showed up. We had a total of seven sisters who just worked and chatted. It was nice to just sit in the cool, air conditioned chapel and play with my Cricut. Ahhh... peace at last!

Best Part of My Weekend - Relaxing with grownups in clean places.

Worst Part of My Weekend - Cleaning up the mess after the part timers left Sunday night. :( :( :(

Three Things I'm Grateful For

Air conditioning!!
Peaceful moments to myself.
Everyone is home and safe.
Extra one!! The carpet installer just arrived!! yay!!

Very Quiet Week

2009-07-22T14:01:00.012-06:00

It has been so quiet here. Boys are away at camp and I'm home alone for most of the day - everyday this week. I love it!! I've tried sleeping in - but I'm afraid I just don't know how... I've cleaned up some of the bigger jobs left over from the rooms being built. I've even played in my new craft room!! But it's still quiet.
We dropped the boys off at camp on Sunday afternoon. This particular one is quite a way from home, but it is smaller and Christian based, so the perks outweigh the drive. They were so excited to be going back this year! It's nice when the counsellors are the same as last year and you get to reconnect with some old friends. We always manage to have some kind of adventure on each trip to camp. This year we drove through one of the darkest storm clouds I have ever seen. Kind of eerie and we all kept watching to see if there were any funnel clouds forming - but we were all good!

We stopped in a little town on the way for a drink and potty break and found this blast from the past! Neither DH or I had seen these since we were kids! Pretty cool and still just as tasty. I made him check the date on the bottle, because I wanted to know that it wasn't an original bottle from when we were kids. Ha!

After a bit of exploring and settling in at each cabin, we left our little monkeys and started our quiet week.

Scenes of DH playing with the boys on the camp swing set. DH managed to splash T with mud as he was hopping off the swing. Seriously! 10 minutes in camp and muddy already!

This is the craft hall - one of V's favorite places when he's here.
This is the big mess hall, showers, first aid - basically the heart of the camp. Really beautiful place!
I couldn't get either one of the boys to give me a great shot of their face! This is the best I could get from T.
And V is an expert at smiling then turning from the camera when it flashes and taunting with an, "In your face!" Sigh...

It was especially nice to have a birthday dinner out with DH and not have to scramble for a sitter or take the kids along. Sadly, DH wouldn't let me take any pictures of him either! :( So you'll just have to take my word for it that he's officially one year older.

Best Part of My Day: Getting to sit in my quiet craft room and work without interruption.
Worst Part of My Day: Wiping down even more of the dust left over from the room building!
Three Things I'm Grateful For:
1. My health - not perfect but not sick or sore either.
2. My home - love it even more now that we've increased the room count.
3. My friends - I don't always see all of them everyday, but I know they are around and there for me when I need a shoulder.

See You Later, Elder Boothe!

2009-07-17T07:58:00.010-06:00

We were privileged to be invited to Elder Boothe's farewell on Wednesday night. He was one of about 10 missionaries returning home after serving a very successful two year mission. The house was packed! And that is always a great thing to see. Means that they are loved.

Elder Boothe was one of the many Elders that have become special to our family. He served in our ward for eight months, which is rare - but we came to love and appreciate him and his service.

He said he wasn't ready to go home yet - but we knew that once he saw his family again, he'd know it was okay to be there. Elder Boothe left some of his personal belongings here at our house too - so we know we'll be seeing him again very soon and we're excited about that.

I do need to mention that I love hearing the testimonies of these young men when they are leaving. They have spent two years serving. No girlfriends, no hanging out with friends... just serving. These testimonies, when expressed, are so pure. I know many of these missionaries are anxious to go home, but leery too of the change in status once they get there. Must be hard to go from working for the Lord to working for yourself again. I know that they will do fine though. The lessons one learns on a mission are life lessons that can only benefit you in the rest of your life. Service, selflessness, priesthood blessings, praying always... all good things. As with other Elder's who have gone before him, we are anxious to hear about life after the mission. We love getting wedding invitations and news of new babies. And like many other Elder's who have gone before, we are anxious to have them come visit us! Even if it takes oh, I don't know... five years or more!

And they bring their beautiful wives with them!

I've also decided to try something new here. It's a little game I play with the boys at night, but it helps me reflect on my own blessings for the day. So here goes...

Best part of my day today - It's early, but I like waking up to a quiet and clean house.

Worst part of my day - Still early, but I know I'm going to have to finish painting those basement rooms today... and I'm not looking forward to that when it will be so nice outside!

Three things I'm grateful for...

My family. We're not perfect. We say some pretty mean things sometimes - but I can't imagine life without them in it. I love them!
My testimony. I'm not sure where I'd be in life without this one! This guides me and strengthens me when trials are abundant.
A free country. As I've watched many things on the news and see how others live in other parts of the world, I'm ever so grateful that I haven't had to deal with those trials that they do. I don't have to live in daily fear of my life - or the lives of my children... and that is truly a blessing!

Have You Ever Listened In On A Conversation?

2009-07-13T14:58:00.000-06:00

Have you ever listened in on a conversation? I was priviledged to be witness to a conversation yesterday that left me giggling for hours afterwards...

Picture it. Sitting on the bed with DH and V. DH thinks he's going to be funny and asks, "Hey V - have you ever smelled moth balls?" After a brief moment of silence V responds, "You're disgusting!!"

V has just has a way of wrecking a great joke with a better one - it's part of why I love him.

Stampedin' with Mr. Fractured Ribs

2009-07-08T13:27:00.000-06:00

We went! We saw! We had a blast! But D's injury was confirmed... 2 fractured ribs! He lasted longer than I thought he would at the Stampede Grounds. Here's some shots of what we did.
Super Dogs are always so much fun!
We went early, so the crowds weren't that bad.
Deep fried macaroni and cheese!! Really bad - but super good!
Deep Fried Oreos! Also really bad but amazingly delicious!!
There were several units of our Armed Forces at the grounds with their tanks, boats, choppers, dummy missiles, etc. The boys had a great time learning about these units and the various weapons. While I am ever grateful to the men and women that serve our country, I wasn't thrilled about the boys learning all the new ways to hold a weapon.

Now, I have to warn you - these next pictures are disturbing! I'm not sure who's great idea this was, but there are displays in the agricultural centres that allow you to "feel" what it would be like to give a gynecology examination to a pregnant cow!! T was right up for the job!V was not up to participating like his brother.
Please remember that these are displays only - so no real animals were molested in these pictures.
By the time we got to the live animal displays though, V was pretty overwhelmed with the smell and all the disgusting mess on the floor. He loudly announced that we had to leave because he was getting "FARM-sick"!! HA! (Can you tell we're not country folk?!)

D was super sore after our adventurous day, so Sunday he took TWO percasets! (sp?) Not good! I won't embarrass him here, but suffice it to say that I did have to take him home early from church. Highly entertaining...

School's Out - Stampede's In!

2009-07-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

We've now had our first week of no school. We're doing good so far. Thanks to Sarah and Tyler (who did the ceilings) the rooms are officially painted and they look GREAT! We will be starting the lay the flooring down and putting doors up next week. It's not perfect but we did more than we thought we could - with a whole bunch of help from some very knowledgeable people, of course! Couldn't have done any of it without Zane, George, Sarah and Tyler!

We're going to take a break from house stuff tomorrow though, to go Stampedin'! This has been one of my favorite times of year since I can remember. As a kid, my dad and my grandmother would take us almost every single day. Rides, junk food, craft displays, sales booths, carny games, rodeos, chuckwagon races, grandstand show, concerts, animals... the fun just doesn't end! Plus, I'm a huge people watcher and the Stampede definitely brings the freaks out. D is not nearly as fond of crowds - or the Stampede - as I am, but he is making this sacrifice for me and I love him for it. I'll take pictures so I can share our day with you.

Not sure how much D will be able to take though. The other night he surprised us all with some Buster Bars and when he went to put them in the deep freeze he found a bunch of water on the floor and inside the freezer. Yup... my 18 year old freezer had died. I guess it didn't really owe us anything. I'd bought it before Tyler was born. It was in the clearance section of whatever store. I think I paid $200 or $300 for it. It moved with us from Calgary to Red Deer, back to Calgary, and four more moves after that. It held up way longer than anyone ever expected it to.

Anyway, we raced over to the Brick and bought a freezer. Poor sales guy didn't know what to think! I told him, "I need one today. What can I get from your warehouse or take off your floor today?" We actually got a a great deal being that it was their Canada Day sale and all. We took a floor model, loaded it into D's brother's truck and had it home and plugged in - all within an hour! I would much rather shop for furniture this way than dicker around with people. Here's what I want - do you have it or not? Throws those sales guys every time!

So back to the point about D... In moving the old freezer out of the basement, D thought he was strong enough to carry the little thing out by himself. Then the chest pain started. While I was out at a movie with my mom (Year One with Jack Black - DON'T waste your money on this one) D's chest pain was getting worse and worse. He finally loaded the boys up and headed over to the Urgent Care at about 9:00. I found the note when I got home and went to get the boys. Turns out D ripped some muscles when he lifted that little freezer. Glad it wasn't worse, but he's in a lot of pain. I'll take LOTS of pictures, because I don't know how long he's going to last there tomorrow...

Graduation and a Relief Society Party

2009-06-27T15:39:00.000-06:00

This week has been a busy one! Lots to do to wrap up the school year... still working hard on the rooms (unfortunately!) School is out for the summer now and I know I'm going to be busy with the boys for most of it.

Thursday, was T's 4th grade graduation. Very important ceremony! Normally, the grade 4's would not be leaving the school. However, with the new middle school going up and ready for the fall, grade 4's and 5's got to graduate with the grade 6 kids this year. Here are a couple of really cute pics.

T walking down the aisle to the "stage". He was so excited to dress up for this one!

T in the crowd. Very handsome!

The cake in the party room after the ceremony/performance.

T and me!

T and Will

T and Mrs. Stone

T and his friend

T and more friends

T and Mrs. W
T and Faith

T and Mrs. Purnell

T and Mrs. S.

T and Mrs. Quinn

Thursday was also his final game for baseball! Yay!! I missed it though because I was off to the RS Annual Progressive Supper.

Not sure if this pic will show up but...

It was a very fun night! These pics are only of half the attendees - the rest went outside into the hostess' beautiful backyard. Lots more people than we'd bargained for came and that is a good thing! Good friends, great food and wonderful camaraderie. Felt good to have a girls night and laugh for awhile... before the summer break really kicks in.

Back to working on those never-ending rooms...

Still Working on the Rooms

2009-06-24T09:49:00.001-06:00

Mudding takes a lot of work! And I am a self professed "drywall dummy". I am so sore today I can barely move... but we're slowly (very slowly) seeing some progress. I'm anxious to get these rooms done for so many reasons.

I NEED my own craft space!!

The spare kids need a spare room to store their stuff and put their part-time beds.

Our adopting of V and T is getting closer to being finalized. That means that we will have license to foster more children and we will NEED the extra space.

School is done in two days and I can't work as efficiently with them "trying to help".

I'm sick of drywall dust and mud being traipsed all over the house!!!

You know it's bad when the four year old you babysit notices and says things like, "Someone really trashed your house!" I had planned to work on it some more today - but need to rest my arms and shoulders - at least for this morning. Here is a pic of D working away on the room. I love him for doing this for me!
I also wanted to share a little bit about Father's Day last Sunday. The boys were so excited to share what they'd made and try to make D's day a great one. V had made a cute little card and a clay picture inside a CD case. Very unique idea! D loved it. Please excuse the counter mess behind the picture...T forgot his card at school, so quickly wrapped up a Boston Pizza chocolate that comes in a mini box and shaped like a pizza. Also very cute and D loved it.

I had made a couple of gift cans, filled them with candy and resealed them for him to open. He thought that was a super cute idea! We also made him waffles for breakfast before we headed off to church.

The Primary kids sung a song and I have to tell you - those kids are so freakin' cute! I wish I could have a video or picture to share with you. There is one little guy who kept grabbing the microphone and placing it right in front of him. One of ours stood out in front all smiles and happy to be seen - the other hid behind some of the taller girls so no one would see him. I love Primary kids performances. They either make me laugh right out loud or tear up because I feel their wonderful spiritual presence. I think D had a pretty great Father's Day - though I know he was missing his own kids too.

There will be more to write later, I'm sure as this is the last week of school (boo!) AND baseball (yay!)

Shelf Reliance Contest

2009-06-17T06:59:00.000-06:00

One of the things we've been working on in the past year is getting our food storage a little bit closer to the "one year" mark. Any progress is good here as we started out so close to the "none at all" mark. We've done well and now have boxes and boxes of cans in our basement. So when I saw this one, I thought I'd best post about it to get my entries in!

Shelf Reliance is having a contest to earn one of these...

You can get your own entry into this contest by going to http://www.shelfreliance.com/blog/ and following their directions there. Good luck to you and me both! :)

We're Going To Georgia!!

2009-06-13T08:20:00.001-06:00

It took a couple of days to have time to write about this one - but we're going to Atlanta Georgia!! The agency that we foster through sends people to the Conference on Treatment Foster Care each year. Last year, we were pretty new to fostering, so I didn't even think to apply. However, this year, we felt like we were a little more "seasoned" and so I put together a very small proposal - but we were chosen to go!!

So DH and I will be heading out - sans children - for four days! I've always wanted to see some of the southern US and we're both just stoked about the chance to go!! DH already looked up the hotel we'll be in and YES! there is a temple 20 minutes from where we'll be staying. I'm hoping we have a chance to get there too. :) Never mind... I just read that they will be renovating during the time we'll be there... :(

In the meantime, our basement renovation is coming along so nicely! Most of the drywall is up and we'll be starting the taping and mudding today. :) We found enough leftover laminate under the stairs to do the craft room up, and maybe even enough to do the short hallway. Another thing to be super stoked about!

With all this going on, as well as baseball, end of school activities, cubs, callings, etc., we feel like we've been so busy!

Had to tell this story though... TP has been taking what he calls his "Human Sexy-ality" class at school. While this was a very embarrassing topic of discussion for the older children, TP seems to have no qualms about discussing what he's learning in class. Not sure he's getting it totally though, as he asked me the other day if it's "boys or girls that grow hair on their 'generalities'". I bust out laughing!! I couldn't help it!! He did at least know that it's girls that "grow breasts"... though I've got some neighbours that mow their lawns without shirts and it leaves me wondering if it's just the women... Yuck! (I'm in the EVERYONE NEEDS TO WEAR A SHIRT Club.)

Actually, this go round with the "sexy-ality" class has been the easiest one that I've ever experienced with the kids. Our conversations are almost clinical, and TP doesn't scream "gross!" or "Mom's shouldn't talk about that stuff!" or my favorite - "You didn't really do THAT did you?!" So while TP is talking about what he is learning, VP gets that evil grin and asks if they show pictures. More laughing... and concern... I'm certain that this round will be entertaining, while next year's round with VP will be quite a bit more "interesting".

I also got to go back to the temple this week with three great sisters - all of whom I work with in the Relief Society. We had such a great day! The weather was perfect. We weren't rushed. Lunch in the Temple was amazing. It was nice to have a grown up day - I should do it more often. I did note though, that there are not many people under 100 years old that go to the temple in the middle of the week - and not many of those are men. I did love the company though! We laughed and talked all the way down and back -making the trip seem all too short. Spending time with good friends like that makes me love them all the more. Thanks girls for the highlight of my week!

Finally Seeing Some Potential

2009-06-08T16:43:00.001-06:00

We started over a month ago... The framing and the rewiring were being done at the same time. We had the drywall delivered a couple of weeks ago - but then didn't know how to put it up! Our good friend, Zane, came over to help Drew and Greg put it up. Zane couldn't lift the boards, but he was able to talk the boys through it. Said he felt like a city worker just standing there not really doing anything. So the boys got the ceilings up in the two new rooms. Looks like I'm going to be getting my craft room soon!! Woo hoo!!!

We got to take a break for Sunday though. Sunday's are so nice when we get to go to church early, and get home to enjoy the rest of the "Day of Rest".

He's not usually this grumpy... just doesn't like his picture being taken. LOL!

Snow in June?!

2009-06-06T13:18:00.001-06:00

So here is a picture of what we woke up to this morning...

Nice... NOT!!! It's June the 6th people! And we have freakin' snow on the ground in Calgary! I swear this year has been like the winter that never ends!

Oh ya... I had to include this video we found on You Tube last night. The missionaries were over for dinner and Elder Booth suggested that we look up the Lego Ammon video. It was cute, but next to it on the list of related videos was this one... which is HILARIOUS! Warning... if you do not speak in Mormon lingo, this may not make much sense to you... Thanks to Matt Worley for using his humor and genius!

Had to Share...

2009-06-03T12:41:00.000-06:00

I'm still giggling at what my DH did this morning. When the alarm went off, there was a song playing called, "Stolen Moments". The opening lines of which say:

Oh my little one
Sitting on my lap
Every time I look at you
It's me that's looking back...

So picture it, we're just waking up and we hear...

Oh my little one
Sitting on my lap
Every time I look at you

and DH sings - "I hope that you don't crap!" I laughed right out loud! However, I'm afraid I can never hear this song again without bursting into peals of laughter.

Perspectives...

2009-06-03T10:03:00.001-06:00

The other night, I was sitting at Terry's softball game and I was carefully watching how other families were interacting. There were some people behind me discussing the birth of someone's nephew, parents coming to stay with them, and more discussion on the birth of each of their children. Families are great, aren't they?

There were so many different kinds of families there. Couples who had been together so long they even dressed alike. Couples that were newer together. More than a few families where mom and dad sat on opposite sides of the field - definitely NOT together! These parents were cheering their children on, encouraging them, and praising them for each hit or run.

A couple of the players siblings were on the sidelines too - begging for parents attention. "Dad, come play with me!" or "How do you spell...??" Dads would go play for a few minutes, but then remind the child that they were here to watch the game.

Did I mention that these games take FOREVER to get through?? Did I also mention that there has yet to be a warm day when they play? I have finally resorted to packing a sleeping bag in the back of the van for the days that I go watch. I'm still trying to understand the excitement and euphoria that others claim to feel for this game. It just doesn't hold any draw for me. But I go, to be supportive and watch Terry's excitement when he does get a hit. Okay - I admit when that event does happen I feel the swell of joy and pride for my boy - but other than that, I'm just freezing my butt off at the side of the field.

But back to the people watching...

I especially love watching the way these small players interact with their parents. They are still young enough that they cry when they get hurt, and nothing feels better in that moment than a mom's warm hug and soothing words. I've witnessed this more than once. I've done this for Terry more than once. Course the flip side is that they are also old enough to be embarrassed by the show of affection. I mean, what guy wants his teammates seeing him get some cuddling on the sidelines?

I wish that I'd had the ability to do something like this for my older kids. But back then, we were so poor and I was so tired from working that I just didn't have it in me to give. They bring it up once in awhile - but truthfully - none of them really expressed a deep desire to participate in any sport type activities. Maybe they knew I just couldn't - I'll have to ask them.

Our family would have been one of the ones where parents sat on opposite sides of the field - making the kids both relieved at our presence, and torn in their loyalty. Every one of our children experiences this still. Six of them have step-parents and two of them have entire other "birth family". Sadly, we have failed at making this work as a joint parenting venture. There is much competition for loyalty from other parents, siblings and even some grandparents. Of course, if we could have all gotten along, none of us would be in this new family that we've created!

For me, having grown up in much the same circumstance as my own kids, I can honestly say that I wouldn't trade my experiences away. Most of them were not pleasant - not even happy - but they made me who I am. I grew stronger because of those times. I learned that it was okay to love more than one parent at a time - love is unlimited. I also learned how to handle things that break others down. I learned how to solve problems, learned to cope with what I could not solve.

Our family life now is far from perfect - but we're trying. We've worked hard on not letting the kids divide us or manipulate us. We've purged a few people who don't deal well with change. We've taken advice from successful families, and stopped listening to those who are full of advice, but simply don't understand the intricacies of a blended family. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I know that what we're building here is worth it.

Remembering...

2009-05-29T12:15:00.000-06:00

As I was leaving the gym this morning, I heard - and then saw - a disabled woman in her wheelchair. I quickly glanced at her caregiver, who just stared blankly into nothing and ignored her charge totally. For whatever reason, this scene reminded me so much of my sister, Kyla.

I tried to remember how many times she had attempted communicating with us, but we just ignored her, or didn't understand her. I don't remember my mother ignoring her though. If Kyla made sounds, my mother responded to her with encouragement. Theirs was a bond that was unbreakable.

Of course, all those memories brought back the flood of memories around Kyla's death. She would have been 27 this July... She's been gone for 13 years already... I can still hear so clearly my mother's voice on the phone that morning. Shopping for just the right dress for her to be buried in. Holding hands with my siblings and mother as we stood around her gravesite. All so sad, and yet, so peaceful. She had been in so much pain for most of her life. She didn't hurt anymore.

Through all of that, we each knew that she was okay and happy where she was and that no matter how much we were hurting, how much we missed her - we'd see her again... healthy and whole. What a great blessing that knowledge was!

We've lost so many more since Kyla's passing... and each time, we know that Kyla is there to greet them. What a great blessing this knowledge still is!