Still On-Call!!

I think that's what you'd call us.  A (safe) family "on call".

Shortly after I wrote the last Safe Families update the Minneapolis area Safe Families went through a bit of restructuring.  So....knowing that it would take a bit for all that to be settled, we put Safe Families in the back of our minds....and moved on with our normal hectic but very fulfilling lives.

The past few days, however, there has been a flurry of phone calls our way.  Three actually.  The first one was for two toddlers.  That decision is mostly on the mom and where she would like her kids to be placed.  She has time.  The other one was for three older children....and it could be long term.  Jason and I prayed and knowing the full situation decided it wouldn't be the best for us to take them.

Today, we received another call.  This time from a mom sent unexpectedly to the hospital and needing care for her two sons.  This mom wasn't familiar with Safe Families and how it worked and was really scared to allow her kids to come to our home.  She feared her kids would be taken by the state and not knowing who we were she had many reservations.  I was asked to call her and talk to her.

This was my first Safe Families interaction, so I was a bit nervous.  I prayed before I made the phone call, and left it up to the Lord.  I was able to reassure her about our family and our home, and that we are here to care for her children and give them back, not to keep them.  After hearing about our home she was then scared (I believe jokingly) that they wouldn't want to come home.  I reassured her that they would definitely want to be home with their mom.  I told her that the kids would be occupied enough to not be worried about her.  They would have a little mini vacation while she was able to heal.  She said she believed she would say "yes."  But we haven't heard back.....so.....

Again...another "leaving in the Lord's hands" scenario......He knows what this mom needs and what the children need.  I've been praying for her all evening.  How scary...to be in the hospital and no one to care for your children. 

I suppose I'm writing tonight to get the word out on Safe Families.  This mom had never heard of the program.  She thought we would take her kids away.  But that is not the intent at all.  In fact it's the opposite.  We want to help her so she doesn't get to a place in her life where her children would need to be placed with the state.  We want to help her and her children.

It may take awhile for the word to get out in our area, but I hope it does.  I hope more families come forward to help.  Is there room in your home?  In your heart?  Maybe you aren't in our area.  Safe Families has offices across the US....check out their website to see if they are near you!!  God Bless!!

Shameless plug...

I know I don't have many followers, but maybe somebody will stumble upon this and vote before September 30, 2011.  My daughter is in a photography contest....like her photo here!!    Thanks so much if you voted for her!!  Hugs to you all!:)

TODAY.....This was my life......

Hoping and praying tomorrow will be happier....for you my little man and your tired Mama.  Sleep like an angel Sweetie....:)  Mama's excited you are walking now!!  Love you bunches!! 

Munsinger Gardens Photo Shoot

I'm finally getting around to posting the kids pictures from Tuesday.  Here are the pictures they each picked out as their best shot.   I'll let you pick out which one belongs to who. A hint....one them is on my daughter's blog. 

Baby Signs????

 

While I was at the library yesterday I began looking for American Sign Language books/videos.  Mainly for my sophomore who needs a language requirement, but doesn't really like "languages" per se.  BUT....I also thought if she began learning sign language we could use it with Baby C.  We've used it with the past 2-3 children and love it.  Wished I'd done it with my second.  Anywhooo....

I was reading the book Sign With Your Baby: How to Communicate With Infants Before They Can Speak last night and I read that when you nurse you should show the sign for "milk".  Since I didn't nurse J.J. I hadn't thought to use it for nursing.  I was telling Jason this when Baby C was getting really sleepy and Jason was bringing him to me to put to bed.

But you know what Baby C did????   He picks up my Kindle on the bed and hands it to me!!!  That was his signal that he was ready for bed.   We have this routine where I find my kindle, and nursing pillow, and turn on his sleep machine and close his shade and, and......you get the picture.  I do the same routine every time I want to put him down for a nap or to bed.  My kindle has a lighted cover so it works perfect at night for nursing.  He watches me turn it on and open it up then he leans in to nurse.

So much for BABY SIGNS!!!!  I wonder if they should add "hand mom her kindle" to their signs book!??!:)  Also....as I was editing this post....I realize that signing "milk" for nursing is really unnecessary.  Baby C make's it pretty clear he wants to nurse.;)  I do see it being helpful in other areas though....he really likes to scream to get my attention.  I can at least try to teach him a better way to communicate with me!:)

Day One SUCCESS!!! SCORE ONE FOR MOM!!

When Baby C woke me up at 4 am I didn't think my plan was gonna happen!! Really didn't!! When he does this I'm usually wiped out the next day. But all the more reason NOT to sit inside with "SCHOOL". It was a good day for a field trip.

I began the day by gathering them and reading the Bible. Then asked for prayer requests (many had to do with SCHOOL...said in a long drawn out negative sort of way)....we prayed, then I began to write the agenda on the white board. I began with "have a good attitude". Then I wrote "library cards". That was enough for them to get excited. By the time I finished my list a few had already scattered. I did get the "Can I take a shower?" question, but no real dissenters. When I asked if it was o.k. we were going somewhere one of them responded "Who wouldn't want a field trip on their first day of school?" Like DUH, Mom!!!

The library didn't disappoint. I love how the entire first floor is the kids section.  Baby C could crawl, climb, scream and it didn't seem too obnoxious....mainly because there were other kids screaming too.

The Munsinger Gardens were also really nice. The kids made a choice between bringing their sketchbooks or their cameras. They decided on cameras...J.J. borrowing one from his sister. I overheard him say "This is funner than I thought it would be.":) We all got some great shots. Their assignment tomorrow is to pick their best one and edit it, so I will hopefully post some tomorrow or the next day!

NOW.....

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TOMORROW??????? ( JUST kidding......)

First Day of School

Oh the excitement of school starting up again.  I loved going back to school when I was a kid.  The new books, new clothes, new shoes, new school supplies....all of it!!  Well, I didn't like thinking about the nervousness of having a new teacher and not knowing people, but loved the rest.

My husband on the other hand absolutely hated going back to school.  Would rather cut off his fingers and toes than go back.  I suppose that's a typical ADD boy response.  To him school was a prison.

Well, I get the privilege of introducing a first day of school to my kids every year.  (Whatever "first day of school" means in a homeschool???)  I suppose for us, we try to get more disciplined with our time, and try to move forward with whatever we are working on.  Maybe start new math books, maybe not.

When the kids were little I'd always start out the "first day" by making a batch of cookies.  It was fun.  I talked about all the ingredients that go into learning....that the ingredients need time to "bake" to become a full fledged "cookie"....and so on.  They liked the end result!!

One year it was in the 90's on the "first day".  So we headed to the beach!!  It was great!!!  All the public school kids were back in school so we had the whole beach to ourselves.  I brought a book to read-a-loud while they ate lunch and they had all day "physical education".    

My plan for Labor Day weekend was to get my "schedule" nailed down for the kids.  Thursday I realized I was way to behind to get any sort of schedule up and running by Tuesday.  On Friday I read the first line of the curriculum I had purchased this summer.  It told me to read The Three R's by Ruth Beechick.  So I did.  And I am extremely thankful I did.  She gently reminded me of my teaching style....natural and relaxed.

So....what are we doing for the first day of school?????


FIELD TRIP!!!!


We are going to the BIG library!!!  The first time we went I overheard one of my children say, "Wow!!!  This is better than an amusement park."  Anyway.....the BIG library and Munsinger Gardens.  I figure in one fun day we'll cover Language Arts, Fine Arts, Science, Math(they'll work on that in the car!) and History in the evening when their Dad reads to them!  Plus whatever fun and interesting subjects they find at the library.

My kids don't know it though....they think they're starting the DREADED "school schedule"!!!  I sure hope my plan doesn't backfire.  I think I might have some dissenters.....who think they are overloaded this year and can't get it all done.  Or others who will scream "But I didn't get a shower in....I can't go without a shower."(ummm....child....you take three a day...you'll be fine!)  So who knows......we may end up here....staring at a blank schedule!!

Either way.....thanks to Ruth and my relaxed, natural approach we'll have a good day.  But I sure hope they let me go to the BIG library!:)

Carson 11 Months

I couldn't resist putting up pictures of Carson today as I think about him being 11 months old!!  I know some people would call him our "oops baby"....but I like to call him "Our Surprise Blessing".  God knew I had more to learn, so He gave us Carson.  I am so thankful God brought him to us.  Happy 11 months Carson Sweetie!!