Today's post is simply a link to my blog on Adoption.com
For copyright reasons, I cannot re-post it here, but I can sure send you there!
This post is for all of you who think I've lost my mind; it gives you a glimpse into why we do foster care and why the three "Littles" are now Tischlers!
(click on the words "link to my blog" to see the post)
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Beautiful Birthday
Can you believe it? Our little Tinkerbell, Tinker-tot, Tink Tink is three. For weeks, she's been telling people, "I gonna be three." She has had to wait through The Captain and Dear Hubby's March birthdays, The Blitz and my April birthdays and Mamaw's May Day birthday. It was finally her turn!
She was as gracious as a pre-schooler can be and did thank everyone more than once. When I finished her butterfly cake --which was much prettier in my imagination -- she said, "Oh, mom, thank you too much!"
She loved her dress up clothes from grandparents and godparents, her shopping money and play-dough from Grandma, and her pretty new dress from Mamaw and Papa. She was tickled pink over the lip gloss and girly things Sunshine gave her and has yet to receive -- but will be thrilled by -- the earrings Pepper is giving her.
Tinker is growing into a girl and leaving babyhood behind. She expresses complex thoughts in words now, if only to herself. Recently we dropped The Captain off at school and she said to herself, "I not got to school yet, no. I too little right now."
She looks after her siblings and is sleeping "dry" - no more pull-ups!! She is beginning to conquer her fear of the dark and is, in general, thriving. She tickles us to death -- she is really funny. She's got the sass too, and is learning when it's okay to be sassy and when it will get her in hot water.
We adore her and thank God, her bio-mom and the State of Texas for entrusting her to us.
She was as gracious as a pre-schooler can be and did thank everyone more than once. When I finished her butterfly cake --which was much prettier in my imagination -- she said, "Oh, mom, thank you too much!"
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| Butterfly Cake |
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| Pretty dress from Mamaw and Papa |
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| Movie Star! |
She loved her dress up clothes from grandparents and godparents, her shopping money and play-dough from Grandma, and her pretty new dress from Mamaw and Papa. She was tickled pink over the lip gloss and girly things Sunshine gave her and has yet to receive -- but will be thrilled by -- the earrings Pepper is giving her.
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| Woo Hoo - Thanks Gram and Grandpa! |
She looks after her siblings and is sleeping "dry" - no more pull-ups!! She is beginning to conquer her fear of the dark and is, in general, thriving. She tickles us to death -- she is really funny. She's got the sass too, and is learning when it's okay to be sassy and when it will get her in hot water.
We adore her and thank God, her bio-mom and the State of Texas for entrusting her to us.
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| All dressed up and no place to go |
Monday, May 23, 2011
Pulse of Life
On occasion, I will post a single photo captured in an instance in which I stopped to savor the moment. Thank you to Soule Mama for the inspiration.
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Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Shining
Saturday I went with Pepper to her awards banquet for Gateway College Prep. Following the banquet was a dance for the kids and after that, the high-schoolers had an "after party" at IHOP. The whole day was a treat.
Pepper slept in a bit and then spent the whole day getting ready for the evening. By the time she was dressed in her floor-length formal and we were walking in, she looked and felt like a princess. Because of the expense of the banquet tickets, we made it a girls night out and left all the wild and crazy people home with Daddy and Sunshine.
Like every mother in there, I was thinking, "please give my child an award." Of course she got three! The first award was a Citizenship award in Geography. This award goes to a good student who is also considerate of and helpful to others in the class.
The second was for track, "Most Improved." She earned this award by shaving 38 seconds off her mile time in a single meet. Coach Eno said, "When she came off the track and I told her that she had cut 38 seconds off her time, she cried and so did I." Isn't he wonderful?
Finally, she received highest GPA in Pre-AP Biology. This from a child that previously was not a fan of science. She appreciates Mr. Boggs and his teaching has made her love science. Her GPA in that class is over 97.
Pepper and I sat at a table with the group I call her "Posse." It was such fun to see the kids hanging out together. All the girls were sparkling and the boys were spiffed up and great company. After the awards, the parents left the kids to dance. When I went to pick her up at 1:30 a.m. (!), she was all smiles. She was shining, truly.
Photo credit: Quinn Henderson
Pepper slept in a bit and then spent the whole day getting ready for the evening. By the time she was dressed in her floor-length formal and we were walking in, she looked and felt like a princess. Because of the expense of the banquet tickets, we made it a girls night out and left all the wild and crazy people home with Daddy and Sunshine.
Like every mother in there, I was thinking, "please give my child an award." Of course she got three! The first award was a Citizenship award in Geography. This award goes to a good student who is also considerate of and helpful to others in the class.
The second was for track, "Most Improved." She earned this award by shaving 38 seconds off her mile time in a single meet. Coach Eno said, "When she came off the track and I told her that she had cut 38 seconds off her time, she cried and so did I." Isn't he wonderful?
Finally, she received highest GPA in Pre-AP Biology. This from a child that previously was not a fan of science. She appreciates Mr. Boggs and his teaching has made her love science. Her GPA in that class is over 97.
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| Pepper and a friend |
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| Sparklers |
Monday, May 9, 2011
Surrendering
Yesterday Puddin' went to breakfast with her soon-to-be forever parents. Yesterday was the first Mother's Day that her forever Mommy got to celebrate Mother's Day. I'm an old hand now -- it was my 15th -- but looking at the joy and disbelief on her soon-mommy's face made it all new again.
We have been talking a lot to Puddin' about her new family and her new home. As adults, we can see that permanence -- that magic word -- is what she most needs. She however, is anxious and ambivalent right now. In two consecutive sentences she will say "I go to Mama/Daddy's house" and in the next, "I love MeMaw house." She wakes crying in the night. Last night she was restless and could not sleep. Finally we just brought her back out to the sofa and let her drift off out here. She truly is so sweet and I do love her.
Herein lies the challenge in fostering. I think that I am the kind of person who can get along with any child, and I seem to have a knack for getting all the kids moving in the same direction. The hard part for me is in handing over those reins of parenting completely to someone else. Even when, as in this case, it's a happy ending. It's hard to not give advice or tips. Although I know full well that a child who eats green beans or watermelon in my home may never eat it in another. And although our bedtime routine works for her, it is mostly because it works for me, and another routine all together may work equally well. I think it is something I will grow into with experience.
Tomorrow will not be easy; we get teary just talking about it. We will all miss our Puddin' Pop -- and The Captain will surely miss his now-best-friend. Yet there are many things to be grateful for, like the wonderful parents and future awaiting her. It will be good for Sunshine to have her room back and the logistics with 25% fewer "Littles" will be simpler. In all, I am surrendering to the experience of loving and letting go. I am so grateful for our springtime together and am curious as to what the summer will hold!
We have been talking a lot to Puddin' about her new family and her new home. As adults, we can see that permanence -- that magic word -- is what she most needs. She however, is anxious and ambivalent right now. In two consecutive sentences she will say "I go to Mama/Daddy's house" and in the next, "I love MeMaw house." She wakes crying in the night. Last night she was restless and could not sleep. Finally we just brought her back out to the sofa and let her drift off out here. She truly is so sweet and I do love her.
Herein lies the challenge in fostering. I think that I am the kind of person who can get along with any child, and I seem to have a knack for getting all the kids moving in the same direction. The hard part for me is in handing over those reins of parenting completely to someone else. Even when, as in this case, it's a happy ending. It's hard to not give advice or tips. Although I know full well that a child who eats green beans or watermelon in my home may never eat it in another. And although our bedtime routine works for her, it is mostly because it works for me, and another routine all together may work equally well. I think it is something I will grow into with experience. Tomorrow will not be easy; we get teary just talking about it. We will all miss our Puddin' Pop -- and The Captain will surely miss his now-best-friend. Yet there are many things to be grateful for, like the wonderful parents and future awaiting her. It will be good for Sunshine to have her room back and the logistics with 25% fewer "Littles" will be simpler. In all, I am surrendering to the experience of loving and letting go. I am so grateful for our springtime together and am curious as to what the summer will hold!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Thrift or Craft? You Decide!
There are a lot of girls in this house and we are all fond of pretty things, particularly pretty hair things. I don't know if you've noticed but pretty hair things are expensive. The local discount store wants $3 - $5 a piece for these little treats. Since most hair clips around here are either dissassembled by Puddin' or end up in The Blitz' mouth, I am loath to spend that much; might as well throw the money directly in the trash and save a step!
Yesterday my number one crafter, Pepper, asked for a stop at the fabric store. Since we only had The Captain in tow, I acquiesced. I found plain hair clips for 10 cents a piece and grabbed some super-cheap self adhesive ribbon, and took flowers from the sale bins. Last night Pepper and I sat down in front of t.v. and created these guys for about $0.15 each. I figure the whole tray cost less than $2.50.
Please consider this my May Day offering since for the first time in my life I forgot to commemorate May Day by leaving flowers anonymously on my neighbors' doorsteps. Oopsie.
Yesterday my number one crafter, Pepper, asked for a stop at the fabric store. Since we only had The Captain in tow, I acquiesced. I found plain hair clips for 10 cents a piece and grabbed some super-cheap self adhesive ribbon, and took flowers from the sale bins. Last night Pepper and I sat down in front of t.v. and created these guys for about $0.15 each. I figure the whole tray cost less than $2.50. Please consider this my May Day offering since for the first time in my life I forgot to commemorate May Day by leaving flowers anonymously on my neighbors' doorsteps. Oopsie.
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