The WAIT is over

The wait is over and I am happy but also sad.

A few months ago we were asked to consider a special needs baby. He had some issues we were not familiar with and really didn't know if we could handle. Many hospitalizations were ahead of this little guy and with three other little ones we weren't sure how to deal with everything.

After much prayer and thought we decided at this time it was too much for us. We also said, "let us know if he doesn't find a home soon."

So I prayed for him. Jake started this round of testing and was passing with flying colors. Although he still has delays there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Baby's social worker came around again.

Maybe now we would be able to say yes. Once again earnest prayers were sent. Not only for us and baby but for the entire family. Lots of medical issues would make for an adjustment of schedules.

The answer at first was wait. So I waited. I prayed. I waited. I prayed.

Then a few nights ago Blake and I both agreed the answer was not now. We were both sad but knew it was right. When I got back in touch he had a new home!!!

Yes baby has a new home. I am so happy for him.

Sometimes the hardest part of waiting is not knowing. I know he will be fine now that he has "found" his family.

We are still not sure why we were told "not now" but all things will eventually work for the good.

WAITING

I haven't posted much. I have been praying about something. Several times each day I prayed for an answer and I didn't get one. In my way of thinking there are only two answers, yes or no.
God showed me tonight there is HIS choice for the situation. WAIT.
I am not sure why I didn't hear it before. Maybe I was too caught up in listening for yes or no or maybe this is the first time Wait has been uttered.
Either way, tonight while loading the dishwasher I was told in no uncertain terms to wait. To be honest, I don't know what I answer I am even waiting for but I am sure God will tell me when the time comes.
When will that be? I wanted to know that too. The response was still the same. Wait.
So I will be waiting knowing that God's plan will be so much better than anything I could dream up.
Now I know how my children feel when they want to ask me something and I sait, "Wait a minute." UGH!

Marvin and Anabeli were playing up in her room.
I am not sure what happened but she came stomping down the stairs with Marvin mumbling after her.
The only part I heard was, "Stupid."
ME: "Marvin that is not nice. I told you to be nice. You don't call her that. I am listening to you. "
Without missing a beat or even thinking twice he said, "What? I forgot her name."
Miraculously he remembered it when I suggested a time out on the sofa while he tried to remember her name.

I just read something I really like.


"I used to have a handle on life but it fell off."

hahahahaha.

A good laugh is great medicine even if nothing is ailing you.

TAKING TIME

Today I went to the bottom of the driveway to wait on Jake's bus. Just me. All alone.
As I turned off the car, the radio went off and I experienced the most beautiful sounds.
God has given us a symphony of sound but we are often to noisy and too busy to hear.

As I sat there and heard the birds sing, the wind blow and the crickets chirp I heard something else, the silence of peace.

God has created this beautiful song. It is restful and uplifting. It is majestic and simple. It is His creation for us to enjoy.

All the stress of the last week slowly disappeared. As it was quiet I prayed, really prayed without the interference of children, tv or unnatural noise.

By the time the bus arrived I was refreshed and ready to take on the afternoon. Never could I have guessed the small gift of silence God gave me today would be as restful as a good night's sleep.

We need to stop. Turn off the noise around us and enjoy the symphony God and His world provides for us.

TIMES ARE TOUGH

What a crazy mess the past two weeks has been.
The short version:
Jake had surgery on the 24th for a guy issue and for another guy issue and he was miserable for almost 10 days. I felt so bad for him. He would lay and just say, "hurt mommy."
But he is up and moving again.
Two weeks ago I went to get the clothes out of the dryer to fold but to my surprise they were still really wet. The guy couldn't come until Wednesday then he had to order the piece which did not come in until this Monday. THEN... he couldn't get back out here until Wednesday to fix it.
Thank goodness for me parents who were able to help me keep up with necessities. Also thank God the weather started to change and we could wear the new fall clothes. This helped keep us all in clothes.
He was to come on Wednesday and Monday night the washer broke. It didn't just break down. It quit for good. But of course I didn't find out until Wednesday. But the good news is the dryer is working again.
I ordered a new one Wednesday night to be delivered on Thursday but I am not sure why Lowes couldn't seem to get it to pull up for delivery so it didn't get here until today!
THEN when they hooked it up they found out there was a hole in the pipe and water sprayed everywhere.
So Blake ran out and got the part and our plumber will hopefully be here Monday to get us hooked back.

If that wasn't enough my laptop screen blew and now I have to use the kid's computer. I am stuck in the office. Bummer.

Next week is a new week and a new opportunity for things to get better!

Marvin: "If we set a mouse trap what are we going to do it we kill Mickey Mouse? How will we go to Disney World?"

Me: "Marvin go back up to your room and STAY in the bed until morning."

NOTE

Note to Marvin and Jake....
Occasionally, beyond my control, I am required to go potty. I can promise you I wait until I just can't hold it any more. I don't go just to make your life a party. Your party makes my life miserable.

With that being said.....

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are you to sneak a jar of peanut butter into my room and eat it with your fingers. You DO NOT then try and wipe off the evidence of my carpet. This tends to really upset me and make me angry.

Then after I get the floor cleaned up and the peanut butter back in the kitchen, DO NOT come running to me with peanut butter all over your hand and say "Do you want me to wash my hands?"

Yes Please!!!!

Maybe, just maybe I can understand the fascination to a three year old but a five year old???? Just don't get it. Never have. Never will.

HERE'S YOUR SIGN

For some reason today I feel prickly. I don't know why. Maybe it is lack of sleep. Three hours just doesn't get it for me.
Anyway, remember that Bill Engril (spelling of last name might not be right) who did the "here's your sign" routines?:

Lately I have felt like I should have signs. Does anyone stop to think before they talk? The rule around here is think before you speak. I say it about 50 times a day.

1- Do you love your "real" kids more? DUH. All my kids are real. No imaginary kids here. I love all six of my kids. Days and days go by and I even forget I have two types of kids. To me they are all our real kids and we love each of them for their unique ways. Adoption does not qualify for second rate.

2- Do you think they know they look different? My word I hope so. I am blond and hazel eyes. Blake is grey and blue eyes. The three older ones are also shades of light brown and either brown or blue eyes. The three youngest are coal black hair and eyes and beautiful brown skin. By the way, ask them. After all Marvin is 5 and Bell is almost five. Jake constantly plays with my hair and says pretty. He knows. Just so you know. Our house also has lots of mirrors so I am sure they have seen their reflections once or twice.

3- Are the Mexican? Technically Mexican isn't even a race. People from Mexico are Hispanic. Guatemalans are Latinos. They were born in Guatemala, another tip off they aren't "Mexicans".

4- How can the two oldest ones not be twins? Well they each have a biological mother and father, not the same mother and father. They are five months apart. If they don't look like me and you know they are adopted, figure it out when I say they are five months apart.

5- I bet they really like it when you go to a Mexican restaurant right? Yeah but so does the rest of the family. I have been eating Mexican food all my life. It is not a cultural thing.

6- Do you eat burritos and tacos every night? Nah sometimes we mix it up and have tacos and burritos.

7- When they grow up are you going to send them back to Guatemala to live? No. They are US citizens. They will live here. After all, this is what they know and love. How about we send you to a deserted island to keep you from spreading your "stupid"?


8- Do they speak only Spanish or do they understand English? Or a variation can be "How did you know what they were saying when they were babies? Did they speak English?" No they spoke baby. Marvin came home at 8 months, Bell and Jake both at two years. Bell had the best language skills of the three and even then it wasn't much. I knew what they needed because they were MY children. Refer back to answer 1 if you find this confusing.

THE MOST BIZARRE QUESTION TO DATE:

9- What do you mean they are from Central America? I thought you said they were adopted from another country? GEOGRAPHY... learn it. Central America is south of the US. It does not mean sitting the in middle of the United States or centrally located in the U.S.

So there you have it. The nagging questions of our society. Sad but true.

Looking at the airline prices to Guatemala City. No real reason except I have done it for so many years it is just what I do.
I am so wanting to go back. The food, the wonderful people and the beautiful brown babies.
Such a change from a year ago when I didn't ever want to go back and relive the horrors of Jake's first two years.
It is amazing how God and time heals all wounds.