Tag: Christmas

Do You Remember the Time

On By debweeksIn Foster Care, Holidays3 Comments

I wrote a blog post every day or at least every couple of days.  Those days seem to be long gone now and I do know that between 5 kids, a husband, a house, homeschooling and just living, the blog has taken a backseat.  Still, I hate that I’m not on top of blogging on a regular basis.  It really is therapeutic and I’m likely going to need some therapy over the next week.

One week from today, there will be a placement hearing about moving Baby Girl from our care to the care of a relative.

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It doesn’t matter that she came to us straight from the hospital.  It doesn’t matter that in almost 4 months, mom has only seen her a handful of times.  It doesn’t matter that mom has been given her list of services and isn’t working any of them.  It doesn’t matter that dad isn’t in the picture at this time.  It doesn’t matter that this family member has a denied home study.  It doesn’t matter that Baby Girl is being moved from the only home and family she has known to complete strangers.  It doesn’t matter that she’s thriving in our home.

It does matter that they are family.  It does matter that the state would only have to pay half of what they pay foster families.  It does matter that by moving her, the state is less liable for anything that might happen while she is in the care of family.

Not that I’m bitter or emotional at all about this (she says sarcastically).  I suppose I shouldn’t be bitter or emotional since I signed up to do foster care and know full well that I will likely say good-bye to each child that walks thru our door.  But at the same time, Baby Girl has been loved, nurtured, and adored for almost 4 months now.  She has become very much part of our family and she is as attached to us as we are to her.  I don’t think this state often does what is truly within the best interest of the child.  I guess that means it’s my job to do what is in their best interest while I have them.

So in one week we will get a call letting us know whether or not she is being removed from our care and into the care of a family member.  Because of the judge overseeing the case, the chances of this happening are very, very high.  As such, we have to do everything we can to prepare ourselves for broken hearts next week.

In the meantime, we did have a good Christmas.  It wasn’t the Christmas we thought we would have though.

On the 21st, we were informed that the little boy we had (the one we told would be with us thru Christmas) would be picked up and taken to a relative.  About 30 minutes after he left, we got a call about two little girls who needed placement and within a few hours they were walking thru our door.  The oldest is 4 and the youngest is 17 months.

They came to us with the clothes on their backs.  Nothing more, nothing less.  We scrambled to get them clothes and gifts for Christmas.

Then, in the wee hours of the morning on Christmas Eve, hubby, Lili and I were all sick.  There is never a good time to be sick, but I’m not sure there could have been a worse time either.  There were gifts to wrap and preparations to complete.  We had family scheduled to come over that afternoon, which we had to postpone.  Of course there was also that little job of elf that needed to happen Christmas night.

Hubby got hit the hardest and I knew he would not have the energy or strength to help.  So I dug deep, did a lot of self-talk and got it done.

Having both parents down for the count meant that there were disappointments as well.

Naomi wanted Cinnabons for breakfast on Christmas morning.

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There was no way we could make that happen though.  Not only did either of us have the energy to get to the nearest Cinnabon, but we certainly didn’t want to expose everyone in the store to the flu.  So Cinnabon would have to wait for another day.

Our nephew was visiting from out-of-state and we were not able to see him.  Can’t say I blame him for not wanting to walk into the infirmary.

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At least two of us didn’t have the Christmas spirit we usually have and then later that day, Baby Girl threw up.  She was the one I really wanted to try to protect from getting sick.  Somehow, she managed to smiled and coo thru it all!

Now Christmas is over.  The tree has been taken down.  We’re having a major cold snap, so there hasn’t been a lot of time outside the house.

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Our two newest are starting to really settle in and we’re preparing for the likely change of Baby Girl moving on.

But that’s our life.  We’re doing what we feel we should be doing.   It’s difficult and it’s  sad, but it’s also rewarding and has left us with happy memories many times overs.   As such, we’ll continue to do this as long as we can.  Maybe one day we’ll accept a placement that will never leave.  Until then, we’ll do all we can to make life as good as we can for these little ones and hope that when they move on, they have a wonderful life.

All I Need Is . . . .

On By debweeksIn Holidays, RVing, Santa2 Comments

 

Okay, this clip may be a somewhat accurate portrayal of me as I was trying to figure out what I needed in the RV.

The RV is stocked with everything we need, except my Kitchen Aid mixer. All I need is the stocked RV and my Kitchen Aid mixer. And my mixing bowls. All I need is my stocked RV, my Kitchen Aid mixer and my mixing bowls. And the Instant Pot. All I need is the stocked RV, my Kitchen Aid mixer, my mixing bowls, and the Instant Pot. And . . . . .

You get the picture.

Seriously, I got rid of or packed most of our belongings and the things I packed are sitting in a storage unit. But the things I brought with us in the RV don’t all fit.  My Kitchen Aid mixer is too tall for cupboards, under seat and under bed storage areas.  It will only fit on the counter or in the closet space.   There isn’t enough counter space for the mixer and we need all available closet space for our clothing, because we don’t have a lot of closet space.  For a matter-of-fact, we don’t have enough closet and drawer space that will hold enough clothing for the four of us.  I brought the food we had left at our house and we don’t have enough cupboard space for all the food, so I bought a storage container with drawers and was able to squeeze it in next to the fridge and it’s now full.  However, I still have food that is sitting on the counter because the storage container didn’t provide us enough additional space and there isn’t room for another storage containers.  We are utilizing the microwave as cupboard space, which means any time we want to use the microwave we have to pull it all out.  I have a basket full of baking supplies that is sitting on the couch along with our coats, which we don’t have room for.  Our second bathroom shower is being used as an overflow storage unit and is now full.  We would put more of our things in storage, but it is full as well.  We didn’t want to pay an additional $60 per month for a larger unit, so the choices became getting rid of more belonging or getting an RV with more storage.  Everything that is in the RV has been or will be used on a regular basis, so getting rid of things isn’t a great option.  That meant one thing – ask Santa for a larger RV.  A fifth-wheel to be exact!

After looking at several units, Santa is working on granting my Christmas wish!!!!!

Today we signed a purchase order for a Heartland Oakmont OM390MBL.  If all goes well, we should be moving everything over to our new, roomier RV sometime after Christmas or maybe after the first of the year.  We are requesting something be added to the new RV and that might delay move-in by a little bit, but hopefully we’ll have the paperwork approved within the next 1-2 days and can begin to re-pack some things and prepare for yet another move.

Since the plan is to be full-time RVer’s for the next 1-2 years, we really need to have something as homey and comfortable as possible.  The new RV should do the job wonderfully and we’re keeping fingers crossed that Santa is able to give us the gift of a bigger home this Christmas!

 

 

First, Last, TWO WEEKS

On By debweeksIn Holidays, Relocating, TexasLeave a comment

We’ve celebrated 19 Thanksgivings since living in this house.  I’ve hosted about 15 of the 19 Thanksgivings, baking the turkey, ham, making stuffing, mashed potatoes, a variety of vegetables, and desserts.  This year, however, I had our Thanksgiving meal catered.  This was a first for me, but with only two weeks til moving day,

TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!

my time needed to be spent packing and cleaning.

I ordered the food from my favorite grocer, yet it was still a little unnerving for me.  Overall, the food was pretty tasty though and it made Thanksgiving much more relaxing.  Just a few dishes to do and we headed out for another first.

A movie!

We’ve never gone to see a movie on a holiday, but with all the changes happening in our lives these days, it seemed like another fun first to try.

Of course this Thanksgiving was also the last that we will spend in this house.  For a matter-of-fact, it was the last holiday that we will spend in this house.

We’ve made some terrific holiday memories in this house over the years and those memories we will carry with us always.

Typically, with Thanksgiving behind us, I turn my focus to Christmas.  I’m typically dusting off the decorations and decking the halls about now,

but instead I spent the day bagging up more donations, helping hubby dispose of our mattress and box (we really need a new one), tear down the girl’s bedrooms and get them set up in the master bedroom.  I also packed.  I do that daily now.

We made some good progress as we tackled all the things that need to be done before we pull out in two weeks.

TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!

Now time for bed, because tomorrow it’s only 1 week and 6 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An RV Christmas Project

On By debweeksIn Christmas Decor, RVLeave a comment

We have 32 more days before we’ll be living in our RV full-time and we’ll be arriving less than two weeks before Christmas.  I’m taking a small tree and decorations, which we’ll be setting up as soon as we get the RV parked.  Because I like to create wonderful memories, I was hoping to come up with a fun Christmas craft project we could do this year.

Tonight, I saw a video someone posted on Facebook and I knew I had found our RV craft project.  Even though I couldn’t understand one word this woman was saying, the projects on the video are pretty self-explanatory.  I think the girls and I will tackle the second project – some fun Christmas colored embroidery floss, water, glue, balloons and white Christmas lights (minus the blinking) and we have a cute RV Christmas decoration.

What fun projects do you have planned this holiday season?

Thru the Eyes of a Child

On By debweeksIn Holidays, Kid Stuff1 Comment

45 days until Christmas!!!!!!

Christmas is going to be quite the event at our house this year with two little boys added to the mix.

The girls have started working on their Santa’s lists and FS1 has been pretty clueless.

Recently though, as we’ve talked about Christmas we’ve begun to realize that Christmas here is going to be very different for these two little guys.

While we aren’t 100% sure, it appears that FS1 hasn’t experienced a Christmas with gifts under the tree.

Recently, hubby asked him if he has ever gone to sit on Santa’s lap and he responded, “No.”  Hubby then asked, “Well Santa still brings you presents right?”  He responded, “No, nobody gets presents.”

Because we don’t always know if he is fully comprehending everything, I talked to him a little about Christmas today.   I asked if he had a Christmas tree at his house and he said, “Yes.”  I asked if Santa came to put presents under the tree and he said, “Yes.”  I asked him what he got for Christmas and he began listing off all the toys he plays with here at our house.  As I inquired more he told me he didn’t get presents at home.

This will most certainly be different from the Christmas’s he’s known.

Christmas at our house includes a trip to see Santa 2-3 weeks before Christmas.  It means writing Dear Santa letters and mailing them off to the North Pole.  It’s sending and receiving Christmas cards in the mail.  It’s an annual trip to see Christmas lights.  It’s listening to Christmas music.  It’s watching our favorite Christmas movies.  It’s about decorating the tree together.  It’s waking up Christmas morning to see gifts under the tree.  It’s about smiles, laugher and excitement as gifts are unwrapped.  It’s baking and decorating Christmas cookies.  It’s spending time with family.

Over the next 45 days, we’ll begin doing those things we do each year in the World of Weeks.  It may be the only Christmas the boys experience in the World of Weeks and I hope we can make it a happy and memorable Christmas for all.