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me (mom to 6)
we fooled even ourselves…
Now aren’t we cute?
Don’t we totally look like a family capable of taking their 6 beautiful children to a minor league baseball game and fireworks?
I thought we did.
I was wrong.
We loaded up our crew with great precision. Everyone was excited and in a good mood. I had the bag packed with diapers and wipes and snacks and sweatshirts.
It was a combined effort including Andy, myself and Dawson to get everyone in their car seats and buckled up.
After we drove the 45 minutes to the ball park, I looked back at Kora who was whining about her arm.
I didn’t see anything on her arm, but did notice she had NO shoes.
OK, our first strike, but we can still do this. I put her in the back pack carrier and named her the child that would be carried all night.
We made it into the ball park and I do believe we sat for a couple minutes.
Then the constant whining about the arm. Which I am now worried about because she is not using it all.
Then the liquid poop. I’m sorry I don’t know what to say. That’s what it was.
We made it over the 5 elderly people who had to get out of their seats so we could make it to the bathroom 3 times.
And on the third time. I was done. IT was all over her clothes. And probably all over me.
I cleaned her off as well as I could. Stripped her down. Put her in the back pack. Told Andy to hand me Zeke. And told him I was going home.
They are in bed now. I am wondering if tomorrow holds a trip to the ER to check out the arm…
I hope the boys and Andy are enjoying the game and the fireworks. And really, I am glad they are. I want them to be able to do as many of those things as they can.
We did at least do something right by taking two cars. I think I knew this was my fate…
We’ll get this figured out someday.
For now, I think I’ll just go to bed.
sorry. i couldn’t pick one. you try.
if this isn’t a vision of things to come….
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is it possible?
to not smile when you look at him??
cause and effect.
Here’s a really cute girl and a stack of books…
And because of the really cute girl, I will likely not get to read the stack of books for another 17 years…
new day.
It was this:
Plus this:
That had me whining a bit yesterday.
But after some sleep. A talk with my husband…who it turns out, I still adore. And an email that put in perspective just exactly what kind of miracle we are living every day.
I am much better today.
Feeling renewed strength to meet the challenges.
And so incredibly thankful.
I do believe several of the kids on are on the mend from some mysterious bug. That helps.
And we’ll begin to tackle the other stuff on Monday.
For now. We are going to enjoy the day.
Happy 4th.
The 4th of July.
“To whom much is given, of him much will be required.” (Luke 12:38)
I’m still smiling occasionally…I promise.
We have some sort of pandemic going on around here. 5 out of the 6 children are down.
We are now doing stool samples for 4 children.
Good times. I’m quite the professional. And so very proud that this is where my life has brought me.
Our health issues are becoming more complicated by the minute.
I feel the need to scream–I actually tried and the children all laughed at me.
It’s almost comical. I keep saying, “This doesn’t happen to real people. Only people in the movies.”
I don’t think anyone is in a dire, emergency state.
It’s just each of us…with different health histories and backgrounds…and somehow I need to keep it straight and get everyone as healthy as can be. Juggling it all with a number of different doctors and professionals.
And it’s not going to get done anytime soon.
It’s going to be a series of complicated and uncomfortable tests and things.
So here we have another piece of an African adoption that has been more complex than I was prepared for.
YOu always know it’s a possibility, but it’s one of those things you say, “we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” (hoping you don’t have to).
And so here we are. Crossing the bridge. ONe step at a time.
With grace enough for the moment.
I am trusting it will be there for the next.
But darn it, this certainly has not gotten more ‘comfortable.’
Will it ever?
Do I really want it to be?
I don’t think I do.
But on days like this, “easy” and “comfortable” sound rather enticing….
and zeke’s.
which was staged so I don’t like nearly as much….
but there is something about him….
photo.
After dancing, I caught Kora sitting in the rocking chair with the Africa we put on it.
I kind of like them.
zeke dancing.
kora dancing.
update.
So in the midst of all the pictures, I wanted to document some of our progress too.
In listed form, because well, that’s all I have time for.
1. Kids are sleeping better. Bedtime and naptime are down to about 20 minutes versus the 2 to 3 hour ordeal it was a month ago.
They still wake a couple times during the night, but all it takes is a voice in the dark…a “Go back to sleep” and they settle down. It’s like they just need to know we are still there.
2. They are starting to use more English words. They will attempt to repeat almost anything. We are starting to pick up words here and there that they use on their own.
3. They are starting to call me “Mommy” regularly. For a while it was “You.”
These were their favorite phrases…and what they mean.
“You. Toilet.” which means, “mommy, take me to the bathroom.”
or “You. Water.” which means, “mommy, can I have a drink?”
or “You. Bread.” which means, “mommy, I’m hungry.”
4. Boys are still doing really well. Our biggest issue right now is just how much they want to be around them and carry them and get in their face. Zeke has a loud, rather annoying scream that he uses frequently when it is all too much for him. That right now is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
5. I’m still tired, but doing much better. I still don’t quite feel like myself. I haven’t really left the house other than to go to the doctor’s office or the boys’ baseball games. And I have had probably a total of less than an hour without children in a month. I recognize it as part of the deal and process, but I’m not going to say that it’s easy. 
6. Andy and I are ready to kill each other.
7. We promise not to.
8. And it was like this every time we brought a baby home from the hospital…so we are not surprised.
9. Still waiting on further blood work for Zeke.
10. We have his appointment for the hernia consult in August.
11. Still eating good. They like cucumbers. We found that out yesterday.
That’s all i can think of right now….
it’s about to rain….
And you know what that means!
It clearly means we should all start collecting bedding from around the house, and drag it to the tree house, so we can sleep in there during the storm….of course.
