Time Warp

So time just keeps moving and somehow speeding up. So many things happen I can barely keep up. Last year we had two adoptions, two hospitalizations, we had a baptism, and priesthood ordination and then a long awaited trip to Hawaii. Then summer passed quickly. The kids have been working hard at school. Caleb started Jr. high and now the year is almost over.

I was talking to dad this weekend and he reminded me that I really need to write some things down.

Jessica is still a handful, but is getting a little better. She gave me the best christmas present ever, she potty trained her self. I had to work with her for about two weeks, but she did it. She loves to sing.... esp at church. most of the time it is loud and off key, but she works hard at it. At home and in the car she sings about everything. She sings about being sick and getting spankins and she really likes twinkle twinkle. She lately has been folding her little arms when she gets her feelings hurt. She tells me all about it. She tells me how spankings hurt her feeling. When I ask where her feeling are she says "in my bottom". She loves to color and to cut.

Annie is still quite drama. She is very smart and loves to count and do her abc's . She loves church and esp. primary. She is so tall and just keeps growing.

Joseph loves school and is really trying hard. He is learning to read and is getting extra help with reading and math now so he can catch up. He is such a sweet boy.

Trever is so funny. One of latest conversations was about smoking. Some how he learned that his birth mom smoked while he was in her tummy. He was truely offended due to the fact that she could have killed him. Well, a few nights later I did something he really appreciated and he was telling me what a great mom I was. In fact, I am the best mom ever. Well except for his birth mom, but I am a little higher than her cuz she smoked and could have killed him. I feel really good about my awesomeness.

Caleb is really changing into a young man. He loves band and guitar. He has been struggling with with his core classes, but hopefully he will learn how to balance his priorities and budget his time.

We have been put back into the first ward. That change has been a little hard on all. I am now relief society secretary and Jason is a teacher in the elders.

There is so much more but I am exhausted Jessica gets up so early, it is nighty night for now.

Girls

So we have been talking quite a bit lately about what the kids were like when they were babies and young. My memory is fading as there is just not enough brain cells left after 16 children for normal daily activites and remembering details from the past. I have been relying on this blog alot to tell the boys what fun things they did as babies. I know I will run into this again when the girls get a little older so I thought I would write a bit about them now for future reference.

They both love their toe nails painted and Jess calls them cutes. She always notices mine and wants hers done. Annie loves "twirly" skirts or dresses. We had a major come apart the other week when the dress I selected for her to wear was not "twirly" enough. While she was crying I dressed Jessica and then told her how cute she looked. She promptly told Annie she was cute. That made the crying worse as now Annie thought I didn't think she was the cutest. Talk about drama. We are now clear that crying and fit throwing make you Not Cute. But girlies who smile and are sweet are cute and there is not a contest on cute..... I am in trouble for the future I think.

Jess loves to sing. In Sacrament meeting she will sing along every time we sing...... we can't understand a word but everyone can hear her. Annie loves to sing too. She is getting really good at learning the words. She will hum and lead if she can't remember the words. At bed time she likes to delay going to bed by singing her primary songs. She knows mom won't shush her when she sings them.

Jessica is more of a climbing dare devil than Trever was. She is all over the place. My house was Trever proof but Jess seems to find a way to make more messes than I can get to in a day.

Annie has had her hair cut now twice by Joseph. Fortunately he only cut a little and it was easily hidden, but he really did a number on his own. It was down to the scalp in several places. He got the shortest buzz on record for all three boys.

Jessica loves Annie and wants to be a big girl too. She is constantly stripping completely to go potty...... it would be great if she knew what she was doing and was potty trained now, but no, we go sit on the potty for 10 min. wipe for 5 min. get dressed and then promptly wet or poop in the diaper.

Annie is my helper and is the easiest. Jessica can find and get into my make up or markers in a heart beat. If it is quiet she is into something. Annie likes to follow me around doing what I do. They are growing up and I am almost out of the baby stage. That comes with some relief and some sadness.

It's great to be 8

Trever had a great baptism. I forgot until the last minute that I hadn't printed the program and then the computer wigged on me so we didn't have a program. It was a great program. Alyssa played the piano and G-ma Thueson conducted the music. G-ma Palmer gave the opening prayer. Brother Hancock spoke on baptism. He talked about Trever and made it very personal, even playing hangman at the beginning. Trever only had to be dunked once. He was so excited. He told his dad in the dressing room that it felt nice to be all clean. Then G-pa Thueson gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. The spirit was very strong. Jason gave a beautiful blessing when he gave Trever the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph said the closing prayer. Trever chose the songs I am a Child of God, and Love at Home. It was a nice day and we had a great dinner back at the house with a house full of people. I am proud of my Trever.

Busy busy busy.

I am not sure why but my pictures went on backwards. I am also not sure who still follows this blog, but I am using it as a journal of sorts so I must write what we have been up to since we adopted Annie in October. First, right before Thanksgiving 2010 Trever had appendicitis. He started with symptoms on Friday night. Monday morning I took him to the E.R . He was in so much pain that he couldn't walk. His appendix had ruptured. Ogden Regional didn't want to risk surgery on a small child when we had Primary Children's Hospital so close so Monday afternoon Trev and mom got to ride in an ambulance to Primary's. Trev had surgery that night and we spent a week there. It was a long week, but we are very grateful for such a good hospital. Then we had Thanksgiving here at our house. It was a good day. Next Jessica had tubes put in her ears. It went well, but it too was a long day. A week later Annie had her tonsils and adenoids removed. That too went really well. Girls are tough... tougher than boys. Then came Christmas. In January we had Jessica's 2nd birthday. March brought Trever's birthday and baptism. That went really well. It was a great day. He is really growing up. On March 30th we will adopt Jessica. In April we will have her sealed to our family forever. And in May, Caleb turns 12 and will receive the priesthood. In the midst of all these events, life marches on. Joseph has been learning his letters and learning how to read. Trever has been struggling with headaches. Caleb has had problems with his knees. (Patella Tracking Disorder) We have had a few illnesses this year, but not as bad as in years past. For Christmas Jason and I gave each other Le Mis tickets. We are looking forward to going to the Capitol Theatre in May, and in June the adults in Jason's family are taking a trip to Hawaii for a week. I think I have sitters for all the kids and the dog. Life is keeping us busy, but life is very good. Can't believe Caleb is getting so big. Time really does fly.
There's our Jessica.
It's great to be 8.
Ambulance rides aren't nearly as fun when you really need them.

Annah Marie

October 26th Annah is legally our daughter. We had such a great day. November 6, we sealed Annie to our family for eternity. It was a beautiful day. We enjoyed the day with family and friends.
The Temple was beautiful. Annie was quite shy of everyone looking at her, but she did just fine. Her dress was made from my wedding dress, and she was so beautiful. We are unspeakably happy to have our daughter.
The sealer talked about how special the children of today are. The spirit was so strong. He talked about how blessed we are to have them a part of our family. He also talked about how we would know how to care for them and how to teach them. I need that. I know all parents are biased on their own children, but my children are so special and I love them so much. I need all the spirit can give me to help them be all they can be. Annie, thank you for being my princess.

Kids

This picture didn't make it on to the Adoption announcement, but I really like it. As you can see from Caleb, it was taken in the morning before school. Notice his eyes. Do NOT suggest however that he looks tired and needs to get to bed earlier. That could not possible be it. Just ask him..... I dare you. Trever is the most photogenic of the group. I love his pose. Someday he will melt some poor girls heart. Annie and Joseph forget that I really don't want a picture of the inside of their nose. And Jessica is holding relatively still and even hinting at a smile. My kids. I love 'em.

Reasons

So this picture is out of date now. We had baby Sianne for a week, had a week break and now we have Jessica with us. She is 18 months old and is a cute blond hair light brown eyed cherrub. I have been feeling lately like everyone thinks we are crazy and can't understand why we have taken another child into our family. Some people have said I am a saint. I think I would admit
to being crazy long before I would consider being a saint.
I know that I shouldn't care what other people think. But is causing me some stress and worry, so I thought I would try to explain here... at least for myself and for my children someday when they wonder. (if I was crazy that is, they know I am not a saint!)

When Jason and I were first married right around the time I was expecting Caleb, I saw a commercial for Foster/Adoption. They showed teenage children needing a home and family. It struck me at that time, the need these children have and how so many of us are so blessed that we should be able to give. I thought that we would one day look into doing foster care, but not at that time. Little did I know how my life would change in the following two years.

When Jason got sick and we had to rely on so many for help both physically and financially I leared alot about needs and giving and recieving. I haven't put all that I learned into words, but the feelings will always remain. Jason and I did discuss at length the fact that when we could we would repay all that was given to us by giving to others.

Then there comes the long old story of how we tried to continue our family. There is alot of old baggage there too, but the end result is that we began Foster care. I do believe Heavenly Father had a hand in it. We also at this time moved into our home. It was so much bigger than we were used to and we both commented that we would fill it up with children.

Well, we now have had 15 children and we have 5 currently living with us. They have all been my children since the phone call was placed saying yes we would be able to take them. I have had a certain attachment with each of them and a piece of my heart resides with each where ever they are. A little over a year ago, before Annie came to us, I was beginning to think about Joseph entering into school and what I would do with no children at home. I knew I could not just stay at home and be the duster of dust bunnies all the rest of my days, but defining who I would be or what I would do was so very illusive. I called it my mid life crisis. I love and miss teaching band, but my heart just wasn't in it like before. Plus I would not be able to juggle football games and such and stay with my family like I want. I know I could go back to school and become a nurse, but that idea still just doesn't sit right. A friend told me I should just get a fun job, like at a craft store or something. As I tried to make that fit, I realized that I have always wanted to make a difference in peoples lives. I feel like I did that with band. I gave kids options and broadened horizions. But now is the time for something else.

Well then we got the call and Annie came to us. She is a light and truely a blessing just as they all have been. We thought we were finished. And yet Jason and I both kept feeling like someone was missing. So we put ourselves back on the list. Throughout this time I have come to realize that this is my passion. I feel strongly that these children deserve a chance. They teach me so much and make me feel like I am not so indebt. Heavenly Father has given me so very much... more than I deserve and I feel no more deserving that those who have so little around the world. I would truely be selfish and ungrateful if I did not share. I have love to spare and room in my home, Jason has a good job that pays well. He was spared for a reason, and until we find out what is was Heavenly Father spared him for we will create a reason.... to help his children. I know that not everyone can do this job, and I know that not everyone should do this job. I don't judge anyone for not doing it. But I do know that I can do it and so I will.

We are waiting for all the court stuff to be over and we will then make Annie a permanent part of our family. We may or may not make Jessica a permanent part of our family, it is still too early to tell. We may or may not be done adding children to our home and to our family. I can't see the future. Sometimes we feel so old to still be changing diapers and having little ones underfoot. Right now however, this is something we can do, something we feel we are supposed to do, and Heavenly Father will help us.