broken

I hope it just comes in three's!  My electric oven in broken, one of my kitchen faucets is broken, and one of out toilets is broken.  Ugh.  Not a good week to have to spend money on repairs.  I have to admit I miss the 2nd faucet the most.  I can't tell you how many times in a day I've walked over and pushed the handle up.  Hopefully we will get them all fixed in the next week. 

The only drama we've had around lately is from one of my usually near perfect boys.  He started working about 2 months ago.  His dad or I take him (and another brother) to work and pick him up.  Let me tell you I don't like getting out at 10:00 at night to go pick someone up from work.  But I know they need to work, and he is defineatly not ready for his drivers liscence.  I ask each boy to pay $10 per month for gas.  The first month I didn't say anything, they were just getting started.  Well, I guess I should have.  I told both boys they needed to pay out their gas money out of this paycheck.  They get paid on Tuesdays.  One of the boys pulled out his 10 right then and gave it to me.  I told him he didn't have to pay it until he got his check.  He insisted.  The other one didn't even respond, but I thought he would pay his money when he got paid.  Well Tuesday came and went.  He went to the mall with one of his older sisters.  He didn't say anything about spending his money. They actually went to see a movie.  He ask his aunt if she would go by and pay his phone bill.  She agreed.  He gave her cash and his phone number.  Well when she went to pay it he had shortened her $3.  She called me and I told her I was sure it was a mistake and just to pay the bill and he would give her back the money.  Well when she confronted him he just walked off!  Didn't say sorry, heres the money,  nothing, just walked off.  When she told me this I had a cow.  He wasn't at home.  He still had not paid his $10 for gas.  This was one week after being paid.  NOW I know these are small amounts and it's not going to break anybody.  But they have to learn to pay their bills.  If they had to call a cab, it would be $10 one way. Or maybe more. $3 wasn't much.  BUT still it was the principal.   After I got to thinking, I thought this is so unlike him.  ???????    !!!  As I thought about it a light bulb came on.  Now he drew almost $400.  I walked into the den and ask one of his younger brothers, "Did your brother happen to buy a new game system"?  Oh yea, he bought a new X-box.   OH I was livid.  He spent all his money and didn't bother to tell me.  I guess he was too embarressed.  He choose to spend his money on a game system instead of pay his bills.  Well he had to work today.  I politely told him he hadn't paid for gas and I couldn't take him.  He ask his brother in law.  However he didn't think about how he was going to get home.  I've let him sit for almost an hour.  Am I being too hard?  I'm leaving to go pick him up.  I'm still miffed.  The least he should have done was said Mom I've spent all my money.  Not act like he had done nothing wrong.  Hopefully this little wait will allow him to think about how he spends his money and about being straight forward when you mess up.  I hope he doesn't get bitter over it all.  If he does I guess he won't have a job.  Parenting is sooo hard!  (spell check won't work!)

Nothing Exciting

We are having a very laid back summer.  It is the calmest on record I think!  No drama!  NO stress!  All the kids are spending their time in the pool and playing in the yard.  This week the teenagers are at church camp.  Last week the elementary school children were at camp.  When everyone gets home Saturday two will leave again on Monday.  They enjoy the camps so much.  I use it as a threat  incentive to behave.  So far so good.  I have them signed up for three christian camps.  Two are low cost and the other they raised money for.  They come home dead tired.

Our camping trip is coming up.  We bought a new tent that I'm anxious to try out.  Somehow we lost a tent last year.  Not sure where it is , but its not in our storage building with all the other stuff.  I also have a new camping bed that will be so nice to have.  No having to get up off  the ground.

To all of the families on the mega family sight who are adopting new kids, I am so excited for you!  I go through all of the blogs and read my favorite ones.   Several are expecting new children soon.  You are so blessed and in my prayers.  Just because I don't comment doesn't mean I don't read.  Its nice to know other moms (and dads) who have the same heart  as I do for adoption.  All the large family blogs are my link to normal.  I love all my family and friends but no one can understand my life except another large family mama.  I love my life, and its good to know I'm not too far from normal. Reading all the blogs has been my excitement for the summer!  

Finally

I could not get blogger to post for a week now.  I was having some trouble and posted under edit for a little while.  Then it wouldn't let me post there either.  UGH!  I looked up everything I knew to do.  Finally I updated something and Poof!  it worked!  So I have lots to catch up on.  3

We have had a busy summer so far.  We have had a camping trip, 2 lake trips,a teen retreat weekend,  and a river float trip.   We are planning a bowling trip, and a skating outing too.  The little kids 7-12 will leave for Jr. church camp on Wednesday.  Then be picked up Friday, and the older teens will go on Sunday for a week.  It's a fantastic christian camp that fills them up while they are there.   All the kids are looking forward to going.   We have 2 more camps planned and another camping trip planned.  Keeping the kids busy is key to a good summer.

No acting out or smart mouthing so far.  All the kids have been well behaved.  I I love the summer months when everything is laid back and easy.

TRying to post

TRying to post

Ice Cream!

graduation

Well this post should have been done almost 2 weeks ago, however I've been slack and haven't sat down and taken time to write. It was a very emotional time for me, as well as the graduates. Two of the three had bio family show up to support them. Which was great but I felt sad that no one showed for the third one. In their defense the family does live out of state. BUT it was such an important event in their lives. They have overcome. Destinee left yesterday for her AIT training with the National Guard. When she gets back she is attending college. WOO HOO! Another victory. Dooreese also will be attending a college this fall for learning disabled adults. DJ is headed to the Army SOMETIME.Maybe. He still has paperwork lingering. I am so proud of these kids. Only an adoptive mom of children from the foster care system could understand. Look up the odds. They are all beautiful on the inside and out. Oh I can't even write this with out tearing up. Thank you Lord for these kids....I mean adults.