Twenty-Three Years Later

On By debweeksIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I made it back to the Seattle area.

Lili, Naomi, Baby Girl and I flew to Seattle, via Missoula, for a girl’s weekend.  Hubby held down the fort with our other three and it was a much-needed and wonderful trip.

I can’t believe it took me so long to get back to the Pacific NW.  I suppose it was due to  the fact that we were taking trips elsewhere, doing foster care, making a move to Texas, doing foster care again, and living life.  I’m just glad I managed to get back up there for a visit and my girls LOVED it!!  At different times, they both said they wanted to live there.  Considering the fact that hubby works for a company based in that area, I suppose it’s possible that could happen one day.

Here are a few pictures from our quick trip.

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Waiting on our connecting flight at the Missoula airport.
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Day 1 – Space Needle You should all know that I’m very much afraid of heights.
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I was fine standing back and taking pictures. After all, the view was beautiful!
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Another beautiful view!!!
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Naptime at the top of the Space Needle.
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Before our trip, hubby was describing the hills in Seattle. When we crossed the street and they saw how steep our walk was going to be, both of them gasped. It was in that moment they understood what he was trying to tell them. Of course I reminded them that we had to walk back up this hill on our way back.

We didn’t have time to much, but the girls both loved the Market.  We went on Day 1 and Day 2.  I’m quite sure we would have gone again if we had more time.

Their favorite part of the market may have been the crepes, although Naomi wouldn’t leave the fish area until she got to see them throw a fish.  She was not disappointed.

Before we knew it, we were on our way back to Dallas, but not before the girls suggested we come back and bring daddy with us.

Good-bye Seattle, until next time!!!

 

Just Like That

On By debweeksIn Uncategorized5 Comments

Another year has come and gone.

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2018 has been a memorable year in the World of Weeks.

We said good-bye to our foster baby who had been with us 1 day shy of 4 months.

We welcomed our foster baby at 5 day of age, straight from the hospital.  She was born the day foster baby #1 left.

We said good-bye to two of our foster kiddos.  The sisters arrived shortly before Christmas, were with us about 3 months before moving on to be reunited with their older sister.

We welcomed back our first two foster kiddos.  They had left our care 7 months earlier and a few weeks prior to arriving back in our home, had gone back to live with their parents.  It was such a bitter-sweet call to receive, but we happily said yes.  9 1/2 months later, they are still with us.

We filled our last bed, welcoming foster kiddo #4.  She arrived the week before Christmas and has been slow to adjust.  It’s never “easy” though and we’ll work to help her as much as we can while she’s here.

Sadly, we witnessed the termination of parental rights on our foster baby and happily were told we can adopt her in six months.

We had friends and family come for a visit.

We took a trip back to Illinois to visit friends and family, then headed to Florida for a few days on the beach.

We spent time with family and friends.

We made new friends.

We welcomed new nieces/cousins to the family.

Sadly, we said good-bye to some friends and family this year as well.

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In a few hours, 2019 will arrive.  We anticipate many good things in the upcoming year and hope the New Year brings wonderful things your way too!

Happy New Year!!!!

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Celebrate

On By debweeksIn Anniversary, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Okay, so maybe writing a post per day for a month, a blog novel so-to-speak, isn’t going to happen.  However, there is something to celebrate.

Yesterday, hubby and I celebrated 33 years of wedded bliss.

Celebrated probably isn’t the right word though.  I spent the morning and a little bit of the afternoon in a CPR/First Aid class, then we hubby picked up a dinner order from Red Robin.  With 5 kids, it’s a little hard to “celebrate” but we have made it 33 years!!!

As always, I must share the song that continues to say it all for our relationship.

NaNoWriMo

On By debweeksIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

In an effort to get back on track writing blog posts, I’m going to try NaNoWriMo for the month.

It’s not that there aren’t things to write about, it’s more about a struggle with how much to share and there is certainly a novel floating around somewhere in my brain.

So here’s hoping I have a successful month of blog writing.

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Rest and Relaxation

On By debweeksIn Florida, Illinois, Vacation2 Comments

That is always the hope when you go on vacation.  Not sure our upcoming vacation will be full of rest and relaxation, but are hopefully it will be full of smiles and laughter.

After a quick trip to Illinois where we will visit family and friends, hubby and I will head south to Florida with a van full of kids for 5 days on the beach for . . . . .

Body boarding
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Which won’t look anything like this when we’re hitting the waves.  🙂

Building sand castles

Ours likely won’t look anything like this.

Collecting shellsSee the source image

Watching sunsetsSee the source image

Taking walks along the beachSee the source image

Swimming
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SnorkelingSee the source image

I will share stories and pictures along the way.

 

I Was Reminiscing

On By debweeksIn Beaches, California, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Virgin Islands2 Comments

This morning while getting the girl’s breakfast ready, about all the places I’ve lived.

Illinois (for the majority of my life)
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California (for only a few months of my life)
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Washington (for about 10 years)
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Texas (almost 2 1/2 years now)
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Of those places, Washington has been my favorite.  We lived in Western Washington sandwiched between Pacific and the mountains.  Beautiful!
However, I think there are other places I would really enjoy living.
Maybe Florida (because I love the beaches there and long to be much closer to the ocean). 
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Although, somewhere in the Virgin Islands would be nice (because those beaches are also nice and I would be closer to the ocean). 
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Hubby has suggested Ecuador many times (because it’s less expensive to live there and then there are beaches and the ocean).
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I’ve heard France has some nice beaches and the ocean.
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I think I’m beginning to see a pattern here.
 
Now I’m curious . . . .
 
What states and/or countries have you lived in?
Of those states and/or countries, which is your favorite?
Are there another states and/or countries you think you would like better?
Why?

Need to Set the Example

On By debweeksIn Wants and NeedsLeave a comment

I’ve had many conversations with my children regarding want vs need.

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They want a new video game, but they need food.

They want to go to the park, but they need clothing.

They want to watch t.v., but they need shelter.

 

Adults are guilty of confusing wants with needs as well.

Oops!

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Prime example . . . Many years ago, hubby and I left Washington and moved back to our home state of Illinois.  Before leaving Washington, we decided to purchase some property so we could build our own house (with the help of a contractor).  We spent weeks looking for the perfect house plan and decided that we “needed” a large house.  After all, our children were getting older and would need plenty of space when their friends came to visit.  We also needed space when company came to visit.  So that is what we did.  We built a 3700 sq. ft home on 1/4 acre piece of land.  It was more house than we needed, but confusing want with need meant we had a big house which meant we had more cleaning, more upkeep and space that rarely got used.

OMG!  How did our ancestors ever survive living in one room cabins?

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When we moved to Texas, we downsized but needed a pool.  After all, it gets hot here in Texas.

Now we have a smaller house with a pool that we use often, but we have maintenance and repairs and expenses each month that we wouldn’t have if we had chosen a house without a pool.  In addition, we paid more to get the house with the pool.

These thoughts were triggered by something I heard recently and while I thought the adult was confusing want with need, it made me realize that I regularly do the same thing.

There are many things I want.

I want to take annual cruises.

I want the bigger house.

I want the bigger car.

I want to see the world.

I want more money.

Okay, the last one might fit in both the wants and needs category depending on the situation.

We live in the U.S. where the mentality of more is better took over many years ago and letting go of that mentality can be difficult.  However, it’s something I have to work on every day because my children are watching and they won’t listen if I’m not also setting the example of practicing what I preach.