Our first week of foster has been amazing and exhausting. All three littles as well as Daddy have had the flu. Nothing says “Welcome to our family” like mom cleaning up your puke at 1 AM! Our new littles have been amazing! They came to us as little balls of uncontrollable energy but as they have become more comfortable in our home they have settled down!
We have been so blessed at how well they have bonded with us! Kobe and Claire are having a blast with two littles who look up to them! Last week they held “camp” with tent making (in the play room), mountain climbing (up the stairs), and art time! Everyone plays together really well….well, almost everyone…Lilly Kate enjoyed the first week but has had a hard time since Sunday. Yesterday she declared this is “My House.” Hopefully some one-on-one Mommy time will remedy that! The newbies started preschool this week and are loving it so far. I am using their preschool time to homeschool Kobe and Claire. I have the option of putting Lilly Kate in a Mother’s Day out 2 days a week but I haven’t decided whether or not I will.
Last Thursday we went to court and the judge changed the plan from Family Reunification to Adoption. I am still learning exactly what this means. Here is my best understanding: Parental rights are not terminated yet so we will still do visits with Mom and Step-dad once a month (so happy! I thought it was going to be every other week!). DHS is still working with Mom and Step dad to better themselves as parents but at the same time they are processing all the paperwork to terminate their rights. I know…seems so weird to me too! But at this time the home is still unsafe for the children and they have made no big changes to make it better in a year a half. We will go to court in 6 months to update their case file.
Whoever said “After 3 they’re just numbers” LIED! I have never been so busy in my entire life! I have lost 8 lbs in the 3 weeks we have had the newbies because I never sit down and I don’t have time to eat!
FIVE is FABULOUS when…
1. You are playing outside!
2. You are out in public (These kids know how to behave when in the store)!
3. You are riding bikes!
FIVE is EXHAUSTING when…
1. You are trying to get a meal on the table.
2. You have to bathe everyone (and Daddy has the flu)
3. You have to put them to bed!
The only weird issue we have had is with their obcession with food! I wonder if they had to go hungry before coming into foster care because they are constantly asking me when our next meal is and what we are going to eat. BoyK eats more than I do…scrapes his plate clean at every meal and then asks for a snack! James and I wonder if he had unlimited supply would he just continue to eat until he was sick? I have had to stick with regular scheduled snacks and meal (we eat every 2-3 hours) and not allow anything to eat inbetween. That still doesn’t stop them from asking!
This week we are working on the appropriate ways to greet a stranger. Both kids run up and hug everyone they meet. We are teaching boundaries…you shake hands or high five new friends. But we hug our family. So if you see us out and about please extend a hand not a hug!
Lastly, please do not donate any of your clothes, toys, etc… to us! We greatly appreciate the generosity but these kids came with a van FULL of stuff and with FIVE kiddos we are busting at the seams!
Oneblessedmess's Blog 
Aug 29, 2012 @ 20:43:56
First of all, you better eat or you won’t have strength. I sat with a five year old boy who is here from Central America while his foster family did errands (at children’s hosp). He had been with them for 12 weeks, but he did not want them to leave him with me. I was with him 3 hours, and he soon warmed up to me. I think after he needed to use restroom and he saw me scurrying around to help him, he thought I must be ok. We played constantly. He beat be at cards….his made up game….and he would say Yeah baby! The point I am getting at is that I immediately bonded to him and did not want to leave. I was sad to think that our paths would never cross again! We did sand art and I told him when he looked at it to always think of Meme! I admire what you are doing…..
Aug 31, 2012 @ 00:42:56
How sweet Beverly! So nice you could help his family out too! I am sure they appreciated that more than you will know! We fall soooo short for this task. Depending on God to direct our every step.