Good morning world. Happy Mother's Day to all! This is definitely a bitter sweet day for me. First of all it reminds me of the infertility problems I had so many years ago when Patrick and I were trying to have a baby. The roller coaster of emotions I went through each time I thought I was pregnant, then the test was negative.
Second, getting our first foster kids oh so many years ago too. They were babies at 1 year and 8 months old. I fell in love instantly as did Patrick. Then we had the chance to not only adopt them, but also their baby brother! What a blessing! These babies are now 19, 18, and 17.
However, with that sweet feeling of having our family complete came the knowledge that another Mom would be experiencing grief at the permanent loss of her kids.
Which brings me to current time. A year ago or so, we decided to foster again. A wider age group than the first time to include teenagers from the start. Today, the 4 we have in our home are away from their Moms. No matter what has happened in their short lives, no matter who is at fault, no matter how bad it was, they still love their Mom. And they will not see her today.
My Mom passed away 4 years ago on Mother's Day. I decided to not go by the date of her passing, but to go by Mother's Day to honor her.
My prayer for each of you today is to have a great day no matter what your circumstances are today in reference to Mother's Day. May God bless you abundantly!
I have always wanted a large family. God has given me the desires of my heart, although it is not exactly how I imagined it at the young age of 14.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Monday, May 8, 2017
Not spending time with the Lord lately?
Good morning world. I am still having a hard time getting up in the morning since the kids have for a while rode the bus in the mornings. I get up before them, get them up, they make their beds, get dressed, do their chores, and are off to walk the quarter of a mile up our dirt road to the bus stop.
I like getting up at least 30 to 40 minutes before the kids. My routine during that time is to get up, dress, get water heating for tea, read a devotion, scriptures, check email, post on facebook, enjoy the quiet. That is getting up around 6 or 6:15. During that time I was taking the kids to school.
I really miss my quiet time. My sleep routine is completely off. Yesterday I was so tired after church, I fell asleep on the couch. I slept for several hours. Not good. So when it was time to go to bed, I was NOT tired or sleepy. Went to bed last night about 1am. Not a good thing. Did I want to get up this morning? NO! However, I did after hitting the snooze button on the alarm several times.
So what do I do? My attitude has not been the best. I have not been spending time with the Lord as I had before. There is a little over a week left until school is out for the kids. I feel I need to get this figured out and get to bed at a decent time so my routines can go back to normal before the they get out of school.
Here is what I have decided to do today. After I get the kids to bed, I am going to take a shower. Drink a cup of relaxing chamomile tea. Find a book to read. And get to bed by 10pm. At times that is difficult to do as I have one son who works Monday nights. I usually stay awake until he gets home. Tonight, I will at least know where he is after work. Oh and the book is to read in bed for at least 15 minutes.
Hopefully this will help! I will let you know tomorrow!
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
I like getting up at least 30 to 40 minutes before the kids. My routine during that time is to get up, dress, get water heating for tea, read a devotion, scriptures, check email, post on facebook, enjoy the quiet. That is getting up around 6 or 6:15. During that time I was taking the kids to school.
I really miss my quiet time. My sleep routine is completely off. Yesterday I was so tired after church, I fell asleep on the couch. I slept for several hours. Not good. So when it was time to go to bed, I was NOT tired or sleepy. Went to bed last night about 1am. Not a good thing. Did I want to get up this morning? NO! However, I did after hitting the snooze button on the alarm several times.
So what do I do? My attitude has not been the best. I have not been spending time with the Lord as I had before. There is a little over a week left until school is out for the kids. I feel I need to get this figured out and get to bed at a decent time so my routines can go back to normal before the they get out of school.
Here is what I have decided to do today. After I get the kids to bed, I am going to take a shower. Drink a cup of relaxing chamomile tea. Find a book to read. And get to bed by 10pm. At times that is difficult to do as I have one son who works Monday nights. I usually stay awake until he gets home. Tonight, I will at least know where he is after work. Oh and the book is to read in bed for at least 15 minutes.
Hopefully this will help! I will let you know tomorrow!
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
Friday, May 5, 2017
A day in the life of....me!
Good morning world. A day in the life of ...me. I will start out with saying this might be a long post. For the most part, I had always thought I had a pretty normal life, even when I was little. As I have grown up, I realize my life has been anything but normal.
As an Air Force Brat, we moved every 2 to 3 years, lived in the Phillipeans and in Germany, as well as several different cities in 3 states.
As an adult, even though I have lived in or near the same town for the past 20 years, we have lived in different houses, Since I had fertility problems, we adopted a sibling group of 3 through the foster system many years ago. Our boys are now 19, 18, and 17. And have had them since they were babies.
We are now fostering again after leaving the foster system about 10 to 12 years ago. Right now we have a sibling group of 3 ( 2 boys and 1 girl) and a single girl of 13. So the age ranges right now in our home is 19, 18, 17, 16, 14, 13, 12. Two of them have had birthdays since being in our home. We have 2 girls and 5 boys.
So here is a typical day. I get up first. Now that the foster kids are taking the bus in the mornings, they have to get up earlier, about 5:45 to 5:50 depending on me. They walk to the top of the dirt road at 6:45 after getting their beds made, dressed, chores, teeth and hair brushed.
As I am waiting on them, I read my devotion. Then I check the news and weather, along with facebook if time permits. After they leave, I will have another cup of tea (I quit the coffee habit back in March or late February). Usually I have already started laundry going again. So I will switch it around, fold whatever needs folded. Then off to the kitchen. Wash or load the dishes from late last night or early this morning. Wipe the counters off again. Sweep the floors, dust mop the living room. Dust if needed. Then off to make, or I should say remake, our bed. Patrick will sort of make it. So I straighten it up some. Since I was sick the past couple of months, I tend to still get tired pretty easily. So about this time I get dinner in the crock pot if it's going to be supper. Then I rest for a while or the remaining kids at home and I will head to the classroom.
I still have spring cleaning to get done. I plan on getting the kids to help with that. An area behind a free standing bar has turned into a catch all spot. That is one area that I have on my schedule for this weekend. The computer room is another.
During my time of rest, I usually am found checking email or looking up something on the Internet. At night before I go to bed, I check the calender for the next day as to any appointments the kids might have. Those will dictate whether the kids ride the bus or will be picked up.
Afternoons are usually reserved for homework, afternoon chores, and a time for play, outside if weather permits. Supper, almost always as a family at the table. Bedtimes are strictly enforced in this home.
Usually something comes up that I am not able to get done the things I would like. But that's life. I want to paint more in my studio. And I try to get in there when the kids are outside playing. We try to not have the TV on during the day at all. Most days that is doable.
So this is about it. Of course, I did not write about the fussing, fighting that goes with 7 kids. The talking back, not getting chores done or even started, not putting away clean clothes, and such is life, right?
Again, sorry for the length of this post.
Be blessed and be a blessing.
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
As an Air Force Brat, we moved every 2 to 3 years, lived in the Phillipeans and in Germany, as well as several different cities in 3 states.
As an adult, even though I have lived in or near the same town for the past 20 years, we have lived in different houses, Since I had fertility problems, we adopted a sibling group of 3 through the foster system many years ago. Our boys are now 19, 18, and 17. And have had them since they were babies.
We are now fostering again after leaving the foster system about 10 to 12 years ago. Right now we have a sibling group of 3 ( 2 boys and 1 girl) and a single girl of 13. So the age ranges right now in our home is 19, 18, 17, 16, 14, 13, 12. Two of them have had birthdays since being in our home. We have 2 girls and 5 boys.
So here is a typical day. I get up first. Now that the foster kids are taking the bus in the mornings, they have to get up earlier, about 5:45 to 5:50 depending on me. They walk to the top of the dirt road at 6:45 after getting their beds made, dressed, chores, teeth and hair brushed.
As I am waiting on them, I read my devotion. Then I check the news and weather, along with facebook if time permits. After they leave, I will have another cup of tea (I quit the coffee habit back in March or late February). Usually I have already started laundry going again. So I will switch it around, fold whatever needs folded. Then off to the kitchen. Wash or load the dishes from late last night or early this morning. Wipe the counters off again. Sweep the floors, dust mop the living room. Dust if needed. Then off to make, or I should say remake, our bed. Patrick will sort of make it. So I straighten it up some. Since I was sick the past couple of months, I tend to still get tired pretty easily. So about this time I get dinner in the crock pot if it's going to be supper. Then I rest for a while or the remaining kids at home and I will head to the classroom.
I still have spring cleaning to get done. I plan on getting the kids to help with that. An area behind a free standing bar has turned into a catch all spot. That is one area that I have on my schedule for this weekend. The computer room is another.
During my time of rest, I usually am found checking email or looking up something on the Internet. At night before I go to bed, I check the calender for the next day as to any appointments the kids might have. Those will dictate whether the kids ride the bus or will be picked up.
Afternoons are usually reserved for homework, afternoon chores, and a time for play, outside if weather permits. Supper, almost always as a family at the table. Bedtimes are strictly enforced in this home.
Usually something comes up that I am not able to get done the things I would like. But that's life. I want to paint more in my studio. And I try to get in there when the kids are outside playing. We try to not have the TV on during the day at all. Most days that is doable.
So this is about it. Of course, I did not write about the fussing, fighting that goes with 7 kids. The talking back, not getting chores done or even started, not putting away clean clothes, and such is life, right?
Again, sorry for the length of this post.
Be blessed and be a blessing.
Just some of my thoughts and actions,
Elizabeth
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