A few quick photos

I have more I want to write about, I just can't right now though, so here are a few photos instead.

Last weekend at the Science Center

I forgot to take my camera, but thanks to my cell, we still have something for the memory books:-)

I love being with these kids and helping them learn and grow!!

Huh??? Do I know my name??? Let me think....

If you think your day was wild.... This might make you feel better!

I was 2 paras short staffed. All my students were at school. ALL of them... including the ones who had not slept well last night and who were cranky bears....

I actually rode in a school bus to the library and back with the heater on full blast and the windows open because the driver truly did not know how to turn it to air conditioner... It was on red and on number 4...... I tried to explain it to him and it went right over his head. He insisted it was right. I gave up!! We did make it back to school safely though. We were just all VERY hot and sweaty!! It was a good excuse or popsicles though!

Then a sub para quit because he saw student in the break room, when a "vampire" para ( since he thought that my regular staff and I were all vampires) was taking the student with her to make a copy. It infringed on his duty free lunch.... Poor guy! NOT! I never even made it to the bathroom all day, let alone eat lunch and definitely NOT student free, because I was responsible for them not just sitting and watching someone else take care of them.... He was ranting something about Lizzie Borden before this and I had tuned him out.... I never even knew what had truly offended him, since I had sent him out for another break to make up for what he thought he lost and then discovered he had stormed out. I guess I was in a confrontation without even knowing it.... Not good at all.

My sweetie Sera had a tough day and her heart was heavy when she came home and could let it all out.

I need a drink and I DON'T drink:-)

So... I am just going to laugh about the crazy stuff, share it to hopefully let someone know their day might have not been s bad as they thought, maybe make someone smile, hug my sweet little one and PRAY for saner day tomorrow!!!!

Red Threads

Many people in the Chinese adoption community will refer to the red threads which have connected them to their child. They are referring to a Chinese belief that children are connected to those who will love them in their lifetime by invisible red threads which will never break.

Sera and Andy came into our lives in round about ways. Both were brought to my attention by friends who had adopted previously. I fell in love with them, but did not search for birth date commonalities with people in my family or other commonalities which could be seen as red threads. The only red threads were that I loved their sad little faces in their photo and knew that I wanted to know them and love them, enough to commit to them. They did not know each other in China. Our red thread story is not elaborate or full of special connections before we met, but it is ours and it is what connected us and will always connect us.

Another family who is adopting right now, has a much larger red thread connecting them to their new son. This thread is actually the love their daughter has for this boy, since they were friends before she was adopted. She has prayed diligently that David would have a mom and a dad of his own to love him as much as her new family loves her. It has been hard for her to accept that she is loved, while he has waited alone... This family really hadn't planned on adopting again so soon, and did not have the fees saved up yet when they found David on a list. They could not pass up trying to bring him home, though, since his SN would make him very difficult to place. Trying to reassure Maddy that he head a family while knowing he didn't was not possible. They loved him already and had even met him and spent time with him while bringing Maddy home. They are the perfect family for him.

Right now, though, they are having trouble fundraising to get their dossier sent off in a timely manner. They are having a raffle on their blog For the Journey to help bring him home. If you are lucky, you will win 500 bucks for just a 10 buck donation. I know that funds are tight everywhere, but once you see this boy, I will be that many of you will be willing to gamble a bit and enjoy seeing this sweet boy come home! Personally, I cannot wait to see Maddy hear about the fact that David is going to be her brother. She doesn't know yet!

Check out their blog to read this wonderful story about this little girl's love for her brother!

Storms

Storms seem to bring out the unusual.... In my classroom, seizures and meltdowns are much more common to see increase, but so does the "crazy". Folks trying to work together in a small space with needy little people, start to get on each other's nerves a bit more easily. My kids at home are a bit more clingy, or they are more energetic and loud. Kind of the same effect as on a full moon.

Today must have been a full moon and a storm!! I actually had a sub para decide that another para had been "touched" and was a vampire..... A student was seeing ghosts and panicking the tables were floating. Several kids were sleep deprived from the thunder last night and melted down with frustration and exhaustion for the tiniest of things, like a milk cap falling.

I also heard about a disruption of a child I had followed on his journey to his new family. He is just a preschooler and had been reported to already have serious problems. He had only been home about 6 months. Not long enough for any real changes to happen in attachment or bonding for both the parents or the child.

I remember only too well how stressed we all were 6 months after Andy came home. He was still grieving the loss of his foster family and was VERY sneaky in finding ways to destroy things in order to make me not love him. He was so afraid of being loved and rejected again.... We have had many struggles and while I admit to having entertained the thought of giving up, it only lasts fleetingly and I remember why I need to hang in there and never give up! These little ones we have brought home through adoption have faced so many huge losses in their lives. Who could possibly expect them to "fit in" to a family without issues. I know that I can't!

I just cannot wrap my mind around the all "crazy" I have encountered since this most recent bout of thunder storms ( the past 2 days). I cannot understand how a child can not receive unconditional love just for being them, any more than I can begin to understand how this sub para can think my other para is a vampire...

As much as I love listening to the thunder and rain, I want the storms to go away!!

Never, never, never.....

NEVER leave a little boy alone with ANYTHING that comes apart and can be broken, jumped on or used as a weapon!!!

NEVER work so hard without getting enough sleep all week that your body literally stops when the adrenaline wears out and you have no energy left to keep a little boy busy!

NEVER expect a little boy to just play quietly with his toys without an adult structuring his day to keep him from getting bored!

NEVER leave your son with his grandfather who forgot to NEVER leave a little boy in a room with his hearing aids and a stapler full of staples, when the little boy has closed the door and can be heard banging around in the room!!

He was trusting him, which I rarely ever do anymore....

I have to be able to see him at all times. It is a panic I cannot escape from. I am always worried he is doing something destructive before thinking about the consequences...... He has taken so many things apart and broken them. I even have dreams about him having taken our house apart. So does Aubri.....

You would think I would have learned by now how to prevent this..... but NOPE!! Not me. This kid seems to always be able to find an opportunity for destruction, especially when I am worn out and cannot keep up with him!

Sigh.......... yes, I bet you can guess what happened tonight!!! I was so tired that I literally felt sick. The kids went to grandpa's for dinner to let me have a few minutes of quiet, since Andy had broke Sera's bed this am while refusing to stay off it and stop trying to wrestle with his sisters....

Andy decided to empty a stapler by shooting the staples all over his grandpa's study and to climb up on the desk and take grandpa's hearing aids out, take the batteries out and break the battery cover off of one....... Just because he wanted to put them in his ears and find out what they do. He told me that he ran out of things to "wiggle" and did not want to make a mess, so he thought he should just see what the hearing aids did. He also said that he did not think about what he was doing, but quickly admitted that he did know what he was doing, because he did not want Grandpa to catch him. He thought he could pick up all the staples.... but the hearing aids distracted him. Sad thing is, I do believe him! They were calling to him from the top shelf of Grandpa's book case. They must speak more clearly than I do, since he never seems to hear me so well!

I don't get it!!! I just don't!!! I never wonder how anything works, I just like it when it does. It's only when it doesn't work that it even begins to cross my mind to try to figure out how it works, and fix it. My girls never do this. They both love making and building things, just like Andy also does, but they just don't take things apart, especially when they know they are not supposed to even be touching them..... Why Andy cannot respect other people's things is still a mystery to me. Since I am a single parent, I cannot blame it as a trait he learned from his dad :-) I know his grandpa doesn't do things like this and if he did as a kid, my grandma would have never put up with it long. I have dated several guys who had to take computers apart, but since they weren't mine and were not something I needed, I never thought much about it before Andy arrived and has dismanteled everything he sees. He sees things I never see too!! Although I have learned to scope some of these things out when we are out and tell him to not touch them, just seconds before he starts to take them apart.... Most of the time though, I have no clue what he is going to be thinking about taking apart!! Is this desire to take things apart and break them beyond repair the difference between boys and girls? Does it ever get better???? Don't answer if it doesn't PLEASE :-)

I love this little boy so much, but WOW, I have no clue why he does these things!!! Maybe when I am not so tired it will seem comical, but Grandpa really needs his hearing aids to hear!! GeeZ!!!

It is a good thing that he is so darned CUTE!!

Whew!!

Sera's stitches are out, we are home and school has started! This week is really testing my endurance levels!! I am definitely feelin' OLD and out of pep!

First of all, have I mentioned how much I despise having to be patted down and "wanded" any time I think about setting foot on a plane....? If not, just know that security is NOT my favorite part of traveling, especially in the Chicago Midway airport, where there are literally hundreds of people behind you pushing you to move faster and/or just flat out pushing you out of their way. ( I am discovering that China is not unique to doing this! It seems to be very common where folks live together in crowded spaces...... NOT what I am used to at home, but will adapt to in order to get Sera's surgeries done!) My metal knee requires that I be checked out thoroughly each time. At least this trip, Sera had figured out that it really was OK and knew to just get her little backpack, watch security get our other things and not to get near me until they gave me the all clear :)

Hanging out at Shriner's is not miserable. Sera had plenty of toys and videos. It just felt like I was wasting time. Time that was pretty scarce to get things ready for school, get thing done at home etc... I know that it is worth it though! Sleeping at Shriner's is another thing entirely, however. Sera's bed would inflate and deflate every time she moved. This meant that it buzzed and hummed each time she turned over, which would then wake her and she would start to rock... and well, then it drove the bed absolutely NUTS! The parent chair to sleep in is a trundle chair, where your butt is at least 4 inches below your torso.... No joke! I am a bit spoiled and like to sleep on even surfaces, so I fight that trundle all night. I finally decided it is easier to sleep sitting straight up, since the chair does not recline. The back stays in place and does not move at all. Definitely not a huge problem, but not a good way to start the first week of school for me, since when I am sleep deprived, I have mush brain....

Sera's stitches came out quickly and she was a trooper going in to surgery. She keeps winning hearts, where ever she goes. Dr. Patel was not able to open all of her tear ducts and we will go back in a month to find out what the plan is for them. He is going to try to create new ducts. He is amazing!!

Sera woke in a horrible state, however and tried to hurt herself and everyone trying to calm her for almost a full hour, before the anesthesia left her system. I do not want this anesthesia again! the last time was much better! She even fought so hard that she scared the nurses and even the hospital director walked though to see what the commotion was. It is obvious that she was terrified and totally angry with all of us who tried to help. She would recognize me on and off and start to settle down, but then they would try to get her vitals and she would come uncorked again. Then once she settled down, she insisted on walking back to her room to put on her dress and jewelery :-) She was fine. She didn't want Sprite or any of the juices they offered her, she wanted to go to the cafeteria herself and get PINK lemonade :-) That's my girl !!

She has to wear tape on her lip when she is at home, to keep the scarring down and we have to massage her lip often. The tape is not a favorite thing for her, as you can probably guess, but she is doing it without too much fuss. The lip looks great! Now, she just needs to learn how to move it and use it :-)

After she played and shocked her nurse at how quickly she rallied, we left for the airport to try to catch a stand by flight and get home earlier. Well..... best laid plans.... We got home on our originally scheduled flight, which was over 2 hours late!! We got good doses of people watching, and even had some lady get bit nuts and the airport staff had to have security take her away when she started cursing Sera. Yep. Somehow Sera's skirt, a longer tiered, twirly skirt, offended her. No clue why! She screamed and ranted while trying to pull at Sera's skirt and shaking her finger at us. I blocked her, and that just made her madder. Sera got a bit scared, but handled it well. She ignored the lady, instinctively did not make eye contact with her, and just clung to me. But believe me, she wasn't the only unusual sight we saw! I think we lead very sheltered lives, and must also have very boring lives compared to many folks we saw. I am truly happy to come home to our own life!! Home sweet home!

I finally fell in bed at 1 am ofter driving home and getting the kids all loved on and settled to bed, getting household stuff etc... done. Up again at 5 am ....I had to have my classroom ready for the meet the teacher event from 6 to 7 pm. It was great to be back to work, but I craved a nap so badly.... Maybe this weekend!

School is started and Sera and Andy had great first day! They were so excited! I was short staffed, but our crew worked together and were able to enjoy the day with our students also. No major melt downs!! Aubri starts band and art at the middle school tomorrow.... no wait, today!

I need to get busy since it is 5 am now! Hopefully tonight I will have some energy left and post the photos. If not it will have to wait until the wee hours of the am :-)

Positive Message Tees for Kids

Check out the new t shirts Wild Olive is selling. They are really gorgeous. They definitely don't advertise being rude or disrespectful as many t's seem to today. Some of the proceeds will also go to Love without Boundaries. I am hoping we can win one, since right now, thanks to the car situation, new t shirts are out of the budget.... I keep having to remind myself that God never promised this life would be fair, only that it would be worth it. Thanks for reminding me, McKenzie!

Rivalry??

Since Sera has continued to insist that we call her " Cute Little Muffin Girl What Has Sprinkles" due to her new smile and being a "different girl", Andy has been asking what his new name should be since he lost his front tooth and his smile is different too. I kept telling him that I did not rename Sera and don't want to rename him. I like their names.

Well, tonight Sera was teasing with me and trying to bounce on me, so I started to call her a Banana Nut Muffin.... You can guess who wanted in on the name calling and rough housing!
( Aubri slept through it all- she has really been tired!) So... since he is such a long and skinny little guy, he is now our Chief Noodle Boy! Two of my favorite foods!!!

I found this photo below online while looking for a photo of noodles. It looks so much like Andy did as a baby, from photos I was given of him. I wonder where that precious pudge went! You can purchase it by clicking on the link, should you feel so inclined. I am sure the photographer would be pleased. I mainly linked it so that someday I just might need to purchase it myself to remind me of the fun we had tonight, my little Muffin girl, my Noodle boy and I.

Hinesburg, Vermont

Would who ever reads this blog from Hinesburg please give my Aunt Marion Davis a hug for me if you ever see her? She lives there and I know that it is definitely not a big town. I have wanted to get up there to hug her in person, and time to travel there just has not allowed it.

THANKS!!!!

Planning meals on an increasingly smaller budget....

We are tying some of the recipes on the Once A Month Mom site. I am not able to cook everything we will eat for a month in one day, the way they have very clear recipes and shopping lists created for those folks who can spend a full day cooking and have that much freezer space, BUT we are doing some of them!!

Today we made bacon, cheddar potato pancakes for lunch boxes and on the run breakfasts. We are going to make cheesy chicken fingers, mac and cheese in cup and pizza muffins later this afternoon. Can you tell that my kids like cheese?

I am discovering that Aubri is a wonderful cooking partner. We may make a few more things tomorrow, to prepare for the exhaustion that is no doubt going to hit me hard as I get ready to go back to work on Wednesday, just due to being overwhelmed :-) Sera will be in Chicago on Sunday and coming back on the 11th... Then kids start. I have to plan a head!

Can you feel my panic!!?

With my salary not going up at all this year, adding in new payments for a car I didn't want, looming medical bills for Andy's upcoming surgery, all of our very needed dental care, as well as all other bills increasing, including school breakfast and lunch prices going up, my routine of just letting the kids eat at school is going to have to stop. It would run me a bout 150 a month to have them eat at school. If I pack pre packaged food, it will run me even more.... So I am going to have to get creative and see if this is an area I can cut costs on..

I bought the kids Disney Bento boxes on clearance and I am going to learn how to pack Bentos with kid friendly foods, also easy on the budget! I found a neat site Maisy Eats Bento and am hoping I can mange even half as creative lunches for my kids, so that they do not get mad that they have to take a sack lunch and actually eat what I pack. It is a good thing they love rice!! I got a few rice molds and Aubri is going to be in charge of making the rice and molding it and freezing it. I think I am also going to have her help plan some of the foods and help cook them while she is home with Grandpa and has finished her school work.

BTW, She is doing home school this year using the K12 Online program. We are excited about it and I think she will be able to learn so much more. Especially if she learns some good life skills in addition to her academics! She can take band at our local public school and is even getting to take Chinese! Having more time with Grandpa is a big plus too!

In any case I am going to commit to share some of the stuff we are trying to make, mostly to keep me honest and not slack off and just buy the prepared foods or school lunches :-) I know there is NO WA?Y that I will be able to take any photos and post them... That is just not me. I will share some of the things that are big hits, though, just in case anyone might find them useful. If you know of any good ideas to pack for school lunches, freezer meals or other good recipes that might freeze, please share them in the comment section. I am going to need help with this! :-)