Friday, September 24, 2010

How Trainning pays off.........

I start with a stomach bug in the night, night before last.   I was a sick puppy, which I am seldom.   Kids got up, I didn't, except to run to the bathroom.  I finally got to sleep about 9:30 AM and slept until 1.   I had heard NO fussing or fighting.   When I got up I did check D8 for duct tape residue or other means of keeping him quite.   I didn't find any!   This is the child that even a few months ago if I left the room would scream and yell at someone. 

I sat around a bit took a shower and crawled on the couch.  I had two others by this time not feeling well.  D11 had started about getting up time.  He was holding one couch down, but not feeling to rough as he would talk and play off and on.  D8 had said after I got up a bit his tummy didn't feel good. He just made it to an ice cream bucket before loosing it.  I praised God he got to the bucket!   He spent the afternoon sleeping and holding the couch down off and on with D11.   Maybe this was part of why he wasn't to loud yesterday morning it was coming. 

Mean while the kids did chores without me.  On one of my runs I was informed that T was "baby sitting" D11, D8 and I while the other two did chores. :)   The even managed to milk the cow!   I had been teaching MJ how.  He is strong enough to handle the milker with lots of milk.  I am glad I had taught him.  I don't really know that I could have done it yesterday.  I would have just let her wait.

I did laugh at MN. She told me it was a lot harder with me not helping.  She said it was hard with me not telling them what all needs to be done and all.  :)  She was very serious as she said that. 

Then even managed to get the supper dishes done.  I did ask them to do that. When I had went for  ice water the supper smell which was yummy when I ate it wasn't!    I didn't bother to tell MJ I wasn't going to let him cook again, since he cooked supper.  He would very much leap at that idea!   He had an awesome supper, Steak, mash potatoes, and corn.  It was good!

Today we are all much improved and ready for the day!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Then and Now..............

Oh how time flies!!!!
This is MJ about 4 months after we got them, 2005.  He could no more climb this lava flow than he could make it to the moon.  None of them could!
See the tall dude on TOP of the lave flow?  Same lava flow same kid! 
Same vacation or really whirlwind trip with DIL right after she and my son got married. 

I really thought I had one from last year of us here with S, but couldn't find it.  I took this one on my phone so it isn't the greatest.  I am disappointed about the quality of the pictures on the phone but that is another post.

Had to share.....

Would you call this having a hard day at the office?
He didn't rest well last night mom told me and to expect him to take a early nap.  He was playing in the school room while kids did school.  I went to check on him and found him like this.   I then had to go get the camera and take a picture!  OK 2 :) 

He was so asleep I picked him up took him to my bed. Discovered he was stinky went and got a diaper and changed him without him waking up.  He had a great nap and woke up in a good mood. 

Monday, September 20, 2010

Home........ no pictures ..........yet

We got home late yesterday evening.  Today has been busy with laundry and unpacking and cleaning.   We still aren't full cleaned and put away.  Maybe by tomorrow evening.  I did give the kids a day off from book school to do unpacking school. 

We had an awesome time!   Loved it all but as always Mora was our favorite.  We are already talking about next year just going up there for a week.   They are planning on having sewer in the campground so that will allow us to do it without breaking camp and going to the dump station.  I can't recommend this camp ground enough: http://www.sierracabins-rv.com/  It is under new ownership.  The new owners are Christians and even have an awesome praise and worship time on Friday night.   To make it even better they have 9 children, 5 still at home and home school!   They have 3 about the same ages as some of mine.  Our kids hit it off like old friends.   Kids spent the evenings playing tag and hide and seek in the dark.  We would drag them in kicking and screaming when the other RV's looked like they were turning in for the night.  

My camera is still in the bus so I will upload pictures when I get around to getting it out and find time and desire to do it.  I just haven't been in a blogging or really computer mood.  I have some really good books I am reading.   I think I have 5 books all on the same topic by several different authors going right now.   I have been known to immerse myself when I find a topic I really like. 

My Dh wants to plan on going back in June or July next year.  Kids said fine as long as we can do Sept. too.  He wants to go when the bears are down in the valley (campground), instead of up in the higher mountains. Personally I could care less about seeing bears IN the campground!  

We were bummed in the fact we didn't see any elk or buffalo this trip.  The two D's had never saw either.  We did see some in the zoo in Carlsbad.  That just isn't the same as seeing them in the wild though!  We did see lots of pronghorns and one coyote.  

I broke the nose piece off my glasses the first or second day of the trip.  Ever wear glasses with ONE nose piece?  I sent them in with DH today to see if my glasses guy can fix them.  I pray he can!  I do not want to buy new frames!  I don't like change!   I am making do with reading glasses and nothing for distance.  I know I am squinting some but doing good over all.

Over all it was hot for this time of year in Mora.  Days were warm enough to sweat. Nights were down about 45!  It is nice when you have to shut up the camper and freeze if you forget to turn the heat on.   Of a morning it would warm up as soon as the sun came over the mountain. 

Fishing was great!  Or so I was told!  They caught enough to eat!  I am just glad it was warm enough to fry them OUTSIDE the camper.   They smelled like fish!   MN said they were good if you put enough ketchup on them. 

We spent one afternoon at my favorite place, Morphy Lake!  It was awesome!  So beautiful! So peaceful!  I did take a picture and email it to some people on my phone.   I really could have spent the whole day there or the whole vacation!   It has camping but, not for LONG campers.  I think 18 ft is the  max length.   It also has no hook ups, it is pack in and pack out.  They didn't catch any fish there either.  The chipmunks weren't very active.  I didn't find any that wanted my crackers.  I had brought crackers just for them.  MN said that that was all they were good for.  I liked them!

Seems washer is beeping at me again so off to change it one more time.  I think then I just have bedding from the camper.  

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Vacation.........

"I can't wait until Friday" is the theme song around here!   Friday we leave for vacation.   We have reservations the first night in Roswell.  Hope the UFO's don't get us!    We moved the camper to a friends house Monday evening since we were suppose to get 2-5 inches of rain.   Instead we got POINT 2- POINT 5 inches of rain!!!!  It still would have been muddy leaving.  It does make last minute packing harder.   In moving it DH discovered the 7-point light plug was messed up so he took it on into town today.  He will leave it there until Friday.   I will finish buying the last minute stuff tomorrow and fill it and an ice chest.  IF it doesn't fit in the frig.  

MN has requested we eat and Smoky Bear Restaurant in Capitan NM the first morning out.  So we will have to get moving to get there to have strawberry pancakes!   She raves about them!    From there most meals will be in the RV.  We will eat a few meals out just to enjoy NM food.  I do plan on a bringing home a few cases of roasted green chilies.  I may buy some gloves and peel and freeze some during the trip instead of waiting for the last day.   :)  

Each child that has been has a favorite place or thing.  They are all different.   It is interesting listening to them tell the 2 new ones what they like.  The new two are starting to get excited but still not sure about all this.   They have never done things like this.  

Other news MN changed her blog name.  Instead of "My Daughters Poems" it is now A Servant's Blog.  She came up with this as she says she is now Christ servant and wants to change lives with her blog.   I sit and watch her blog and read her blog with wonder and amazement.  Her message is very powerful and very strong.  It does not reflect the thinking of most 12 year olds.  If you read it and like what she has to say please let her know.  If you disagree, be gentle she is only 12.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Where Would You Be........

There is a song with those lyrics.  The other morning as I got up I was thinking of that as it applies to my life.  Where would we be today if we had did what people told us and 5 years ago had an empty nest?  Five years of not dealing with kids or kid issues, or adoption issues or abuse issues.  As I thought about how blessed our life is having loved these kids.   Not how "blessed" they are to have been adopted, but how they have enriched our life.  I just wonder how many blessings are missed because we go with what others suggest. 

I really can't imagine life without them. I can't imagine 5 years of no kids!   It is just so beyond my ability to think.   How empty would our life be?  I am so very thankful that God called us to adopt!  I can't even begin to describe how blessed I feel to be allowed to parent these kids.   It isn't easy!  We spend lots of time battling one issue or another, but I do know I am a better person for parenting these kids.

I look at the past 5 years and 6 adopted kids.  Even the heart aches and tears has been times of growth and maturity for us.   I know my walk with God is stronger.  I know that my believe in His healing is stronger.  I have saw Him do many, MANY amazing healing things in these hurt children.   Even when things don't work out the way "I" plan I can still say no regrets.  I would do it over again!  I have done what God called me to.  I have sowed seeds where He placed ground for me to sow.  In time He will bring in the harvest.  Not my job!  

As I watch as God turn our home upside down and the dynamics change much like bringing a new child into our home.  MN has become a new child.   The dynamics have made it interesting around here.  While she is still working to understand why and what God is doing in her.  Her spirit has been transformed in ways that no human could do.  Instead of being the ring leader of confusion and chaos she is a peace maker.  She stops the fights, the picking on others.  It is interesting and amazing.  I marvel at God's amazing grace and love I see being manifest in her.  I see the power of prayer more and more all time. 

As I start my day I just want to leave you with one thought/question, "Where will you be ........" Don't listen to the world!  Walk the walk that God is whispering in your heart, not the walk the world is telling you to do.  You will be better for it!  Those around you will be better for it.  You will change lives and change the direction of History!   Just do it!   Just step out in Faith and tell God you ARE willing!