Had to share these super cute photos!
Best one of "Cupcake", age 3.5 years.
Best one of "Bubba" age 2.5 years
Life as we know it has returned. As hard as our visit seemed to be this year, we really miss Granny. Cupcake has been moping around for days now. We finally had to call Granny today and just talk to her on the phone.
The last few weeks have been so busy! I seem to have less time now that the kids go to pre-school three mornings a week. It's crazy. What will I do when I actually have ten hours a week of clients? I have got to get organized. Because the first things that suffer are housework and eating. Food costs just continue to rise here and I have to make menu plans and then stick to them. And, let's face it, we all function better in a clean and organized house.
My Bible study is going well. There are 12 of us. Twice as many as I had last term. That's nice. I seem to be developing a following of women age 50-65. Oh well. I love them and maybe I need some NZ mothering. My oldest sister is 53, so it's not far off really.
I preached last Sunday. Yes, I did. The men were at camp and the women's ministry team asked me to preach. I agreed and then got a wee bit nervous. I think it went well. Of course Sunday was the hottest day we've had in weeks and I sweated the whole time. The lights up there are hot. I don't know how the pastors do it. It was really hard because I usually have two little people following me around all morning. Bubba didn't want to leave my side and had a huge meltdown. The creche ladies weren't there on time so there was no one to leave him with. Then this German lady who comes to church with her three kids, but always just sits in the creche came in and sat. She kept saying "I don't watch other people's children" and no one had asked her to. She said "What's w-r-o-n-g with him?" As if it would be abnormal for a two year old to have a tantrum. But those kinds of questions always get my fur up. Then she saw Cupcake's pull-up and said "your daughter is STILL in nappies?!," with a mouth full of disgust. I said, "no, she's wearing a pull-up. She has a bowel problem and just to be safe we wear pull-ups in public so there are no accidents." She said, "oh, s-o-m-e children are just slow." I said, "no, she's not slow--she can use the potty. She has a bowel obstruction disorder that requires her to take very strong medicine, so to avoid in accidents she wears a pull-up when we are out." I wish I had just said from the beginning "it's really none of your business?" Or responded with "your little boy is 2, why doesn't he talk." UGH! No--I could never do that, but I hated that I felt the need to reveal personal information in order to respond to her ugly remarks.
What else? Supervision is going well. My second client flaked out, but I still have one steady client. I am now going to the big annual conference for Christian counsellors in May. That should be fun. Hoping that I get my registration in June or July. Everyone keeps saying I will have more than enough clients. I hope that is true--we need the money.
We were planning on a trip home next year for Christmas, but my oldest sister being who she is has now planned a family reunion in July. Which means if we have any hope of seeing all of my siblings and cousins we need to go home them. They won't make a second trip to Texas in one year. That means we have 6 months less time to save the minimum of $8,000 NZD we will need to get there. I hope we can do it. I need some Texas-ness.
Our adoption process seems to be moving along. We completed the application, references, medicals, and police check forms last week. This week we have our first all day training. There are three of those to complete. Hopefully they will come once every two weeks. Trying not to get my hopes up, but it is exciting! We could be parents again this year?! I am really hoping for a sibling pair--one about 1.5 and a newborn. That would be great!
Bubba is doing well. He is trying to say more and accomplishing some of it. He loves to go to school. We have gotten his referrals. The pediatrician is 3-6 months. The audiologist is 3 months. And the opthamologist is 6 months. No word on the child psychologist, but maybe that happens after the pediatrician. We'll see. In the mean time I try to stay positive. He does seem to be doing better. I get a little bit tired of people saying "oh look, he's playing with that train, isn't that wonderful." When what he is doing is laying on the floor studying the wheels. I want to say "yes, but that could also indicate autism or a developmental delay." But I don't. It will be what it's going to be. In the mean time we wait and we try to help him as much as we can. He loves the routine at pre-school, so we are going to use that here as well on our off days or at least try to. I am also working on our own PECS cards. For instance we have picture cards on our pantry and he can point to what he wants--then we reinforce it with the word.
I think that's everything...I made my first successful loaf of homemade wheat bread today! It looks pretty, now to have the taste test.My Bible study is going well. There are 12 of us. Twice as many as I had last term. That's nice. I seem to be developing a following of women age 50-65. Oh well. I love them and maybe I need some NZ mothering. My oldest sister is 53, so it's not far off really.
I preached last Sunday. Yes, I did. The men were at camp and the women's ministry team asked me to preach. I agreed and then got a wee bit nervous. I think it went well. Of course Sunday was the hottest day we've had in weeks and I sweated the whole time. The lights up there are hot. I don't know how the pastors do it. It was really hard because I usually have two little people following me around all morning. Bubba didn't want to leave my side and had a huge meltdown. The creche ladies weren't there on time so there was no one to leave him with. Then this German lady who comes to church with her three kids, but always just sits in the creche came in and sat. She kept saying "I don't watch other people's children" and no one had asked her to. She said "What's w-r-o-n-g with him?" As if it would be abnormal for a two year old to have a tantrum. But those kinds of questions always get my fur up. Then she saw Cupcake's pull-up and said "your daughter is STILL in nappies?!," with a mouth full of disgust. I said, "no, she's wearing a pull-up. She has a bowel problem and just to be safe we wear pull-ups in public so there are no accidents." She said, "oh, s-o-m-e children are just slow." I said, "no, she's not slow--she can use the potty. She has a bowel obstruction disorder that requires her to take very strong medicine, so to avoid in accidents she wears a pull-up when we are out." I wish I had just said from the beginning "it's really none of your business?" Or responded with "your little boy is 2, why doesn't he talk." UGH! No--I could never do that, but I hated that I felt the need to reveal personal information in order to respond to her ugly remarks.
What else? Supervision is going well. My second client flaked out, but I still have one steady client. I am now going to the big annual conference for Christian counsellors in May. That should be fun. Hoping that I get my registration in June or July. Everyone keeps saying I will have more than enough clients. I hope that is true--we need the money.
We were planning on a trip home next year for Christmas, but my oldest sister being who she is has now planned a family reunion in July. Which means if we have any hope of seeing all of my siblings and cousins we need to go home them. They won't make a second trip to Texas in one year. That means we have 6 months less time to save the minimum of $8,000 NZD we will need to get there. I hope we can do it. I need some Texas-ness.
Our adoption process seems to be moving along. We completed the application, references, medicals, and police check forms last week. This week we have our first all day training. There are three of those to complete. Hopefully they will come once every two weeks. Trying not to get my hopes up, but it is exciting! We could be parents again this year?! I am really hoping for a sibling pair--one about 1.5 and a newborn. That would be great!
Bubba is doing well. He is trying to say more and accomplishing some of it. He loves to go to school. We have gotten his referrals. The pediatrician is 3-6 months. The audiologist is 3 months. And the opthamologist is 6 months. No word on the child psychologist, but maybe that happens after the pediatrician. We'll see. In the mean time I try to stay positive. He does seem to be doing better. I get a little bit tired of people saying "oh look, he's playing with that train, isn't that wonderful." When what he is doing is laying on the floor studying the wheels. I want to say "yes, but that could also indicate autism or a developmental delay." But I don't. It will be what it's going to be. In the mean time we wait and we try to help him as much as we can. He loves the routine at pre-school, so we are going to use that here as well on our off days or at least try to. I am also working on our own PECS cards. For instance we have picture cards on our pantry and he can point to what he wants--then we reinforce it with the word.
Yay for the preaching! lol Why is is those so against it always sound so rabidly full of hatred. They remind me of insecure children who must show others up in sin to prove how good they are. So pleased it went well for you. Should have let me know. I should so have loved to pray for that one! ☺
ReplyDeleteYour kiddies are so super gorgeous. End of story.
You are sounding happy. That's so nice. ♥
Dang, my kid is 4 1/2 and still in diapers. What's w-r-o-n-g with her that she doesn't have a little grace for people who have problems?
ReplyDeleteI think the PECS will be very helpful for Bubba. AND if he decides not to say the word right now, at least you know more about what he wants, etc. I hope you are able to save the money in time to see your family. July would actually be better travel-wise than Christmas, even if your sister is just being who she is by arranging it so. :)
YOU are AMAZING! The fact that you are adopting kids in pairs. Everyone always asks me how I do it. I say "One kid at a time". I looove that you are growing into a big family. :D Don't worry, on our rough days, let drink coffee and encourage each other. Tee hee.
ReplyDeleteI get comments about my son Chaz at times. One time he finally got invited over to a friends house. He started panicking and was crying on the couch about an issue. The lady started picking on him really bad. She passed out popsicles to her kid and then told Chaz he's not part of the family so he couldn't have one. Then she called me to come get him and he can't go back. The reason he was crying? The boy was picking on him and refused to share any of his stuff. He was scared and feeling bullied. He's also emotionally immature for his age. I was embarrassed and furious. I forgave the mom and moved on but it broke my heart.