Tomorrow is the Big Day!

Well I've been quiet on my blog for quiet some time.  Sometimes it was on purpose, sometimes not.  Life is flying by.  It seems there isn't time for anything anymore.  Hurry and get up, get the kids on the bus, get showered, get dressed, dress Rebecca, feed Rebecca, rush to some kind of appointment,(pediatrician, dentist, therapist, psychologist, orthodontist, school meetings,) rush home, fix dinner, feed everyone, take someone somewhere(dance, basketball, football, drama, band) go pick someone up, get everyone to get a bath, put everyone to bed. Start all over.  On weekends, we have ball games usually at least 2.  Sometimes 4.  GO GO GO!  My New Years resolution is to S L O W   D O W N.  I've made myself a nervous wreck trying to do too much.  I know the kids all want to be involved in something, but we are just too consumed with stuff to do.  Kids need a break too. 


Our adoption with my newest family members will be final tomorrow!  Kids are really excited. Me too! That's one thing off my list.  No more visits with our caseworkers.   (Sorry guys, we do love you though.) That's 2 appointments off my calender a month.  With Christmas right around the corner, and school our for a while maybe we can all have a rest.  Although I've kept us busy as a family too.  We all went to Stone Mountain.  It was sooo crowded!  It was pretty and the kids had fun, but we will not go on a Saturday ever!  Also went to a free kids carnival.  Kids had a blast at that too.  Wasn't too crowded, and lines weren't long.  Got pictures of all the kids with Santa.  Cute, cute, cute.  We have tickets to The Nutcracker Ballet.  A family gift from all the grown kids.  I'm sure we'll all enjoy that. Especially the girls in ballet.  I have a gingerbread house party planned for this Friday.  This is the 4th year we've done it and the kids LOVE it!  Someone judges who's is best and they get a small cash prize.  Big imaginations.  You see why I'm tired.  I've over done it.  We are going to the mouse pizza place (CEC) for our adoption celebration!  I think the kids are mostly excited about the celebration.  So after this adoption I have one more. (technically 2) to complete.  Both are private.  Then who knows.  I think I'm through.  I think I'm ready for old age.  That is until I here about another kid who needs a home, then I'll think again.  LOL

   

Introducing.........

Mrs and Mrs. Daniel J Ledford.

I know, 2 post in one day after 2 months with nothing.  BUT  I just had to post these pictures, I just got today.

Living in the City

When I grew up here as a little girl, we had a cow pasture behind our house and woods in front of us.  The road was a highway, but you could walk to the mailbox and back without seeing a car.  Raising my birth children here was basically the same way except the traffic picked way up.  Now however it's all changed.  There is a subdivision behind me and a subdivision in front of me.  The traffic in non stop.  I have a Pub*ix 2 miles down the road and a Doll*r Gener*l in the other direction.  There is many eating places just a few miles away.  A new F*mily Doll*r is being built not 2 miles away.  I now live in the city.  I have to admit there is pro's to this new place I live.  The girls take dance and the studio is only 3 miles away.  When some of the older girls took dance we drove 11 miles.  Running to a grocery store is now convenient.  Running out of milk or bread is no big deal.  The grocery store was also 11 miles away.  Now I have my choice of two major chains with in 5 miles of me.  The schools have always been close, the only difference is there was only 1, then 2, now 4. Pre-k thru 2nd, then 3rd thru 5th, then 6 thru 8 then high school.  Still they are all with in 5 or so miles of me. The high school being the farthest.  But even with all the convenience, I prefer the country.  At least once a week we hear a siren.  When before it was crickets.  The lights from my neighbors burn in the dead of night, when before it was only the stars.  When we use to have family ball games and scream, yell, and play no one was near to hear.  Now, someone actually called the police for the kids playing outside and being too loud.  The officer was very nice, but jeez we were here first.  I can't throw out scraps now either. When I was a little girl we actually had pigs on this property.  Now you can't have any farm animals unless they are pets.  So I now live in the city.  Even though I haven't moved my entire life (we did move around a bit after my dad died when I was 11, but moved back) I sure live in a different place.  The older kids have memories of catching lightning bugs, playing outside after dark, screaming to the top of their lungs while dancing in the rain, playing in knee deep mud in a garden and being totally free.  I wonder how this group of kids will remember their childhood?

Our adoption is going great, we hope to finalize in December.  The kids have been busy involved in sports. And we've been busy running them back and forth.  My oldest who lived next door, bought a new house 6 miles away and my youngest bio who lived one house up bought a house across the street (traitor)LOL.  So two of my other daughters and one son is moving in to the two vacant houses. (one is a mobile home)  DJ got married.  He's not yet 20.  He leaves for the army Nov 13.  That's going to be tough.  Everyone is doing very well.  I have no complaints.  All of my grown children have jobs. (except DJ) They are all standing on there on with a little help from us now and then.  I expect the two boys who graduate this year to do great.  They are two of my easiest boys.  Then I'm counting down.  I plan on retiring to the mountains.  Just a couple hours aways, but back to the lightning bugs, and stars.  10 years is not that long.  The last 10 sure have flown.  I'm sure in 10 years I'll really be living in the city!  Mountain Top here I come.

Oh and my camera cord won't work , so I can't post pictures:(

no title ..

I have a thousand thoughts floating around in my head.  It just doesn't seem like I can get them all organized.  Sometimes when I have a minute to actually think, I come up with all these great posts I am going to write.  I think I will do it just as soon as I get home, or finish homework, or finish dishes.  I just never stop and put my thoughts in writing any more.  I am busier than I was back when I started my blog.  I have two grand babies who are here most every day.  Really four, but the two that are 6 and 11, I hardly know they are here.  Kadie, who is 18 months has me totally wrapped around her little finger.  Totally.  And Kyson, well he's a mess all on his own.  So I want to post more often, I just don't or can't.  So I guess I'll just play catch up and hit the highlights of my Crazy, wild life.

One reason I have been busy, is we have added to our family.  I thought I would do this wonderful post, but that was 3 months ago and I still haven't posted about them so now I'll just have to say we adopted again.  It has been a surprisingly easy time.  I'm still holding my breath though.  We all know about the honey moon period.  SO far so good.  I have definitely fallen in love.  That part was easy.  Having them return that love.....maybe.  Older children are always harder than babies.  In my experience the older the harder, although some older kids really try to fit in, and some have been bounced around so much they could care less. They think you are just another stop. And of course mental illness plays a factor.  Over all I'm very pleased.  I guess I just expected the worst and got the best.  It's hard to form your own opinion when you have all this paperwork and social workers giving you all the negative information.  The children's ages are 12, 10, and 9.  Beautiful, beautiful kids.  Fits right in with all my other beautiful children.  Will these be the last?  Maybe, Maybe not.  I have ask the Lord to quench my desire to keep raising children.  I'm getting older and ALL my grown children won't let me forget it.  I so love to be a mama.  I have the ability to love.  Not to expect love in return so much , but just to love them.  So, I have started dreaming of what I'll do in 10 years when they are all grown,all but the baby, who's 2.  Just dreaming. Right now I have 5 in dance, 2 in soccer, 2 in cheer leading, 1 in cross country, 1 in football, and a special needs tumbling group which starts soon. So, I don't have much time for dreaming.  But being Mama, keeps me smiling as well as busy:)     

Our Fourth celebration

Hello everyone.  I almost didn't want to post anything because it has been so long since I've done so.  An email I received gave me the incentive to post.  Everything here is going well.  It has been record breaking HOT!  To have temps over 100 in Georgia in June is unheard of.  Kids have been spending time swimming, bowling, and skating.  I hate the B word.  BORED.  I do try and keep them busy, but they need some down time too.

I think of all these great post I am going to write.  I think of all this at night, when I'm by myself.  Sometimes when I can't sleep, or sometimes when I'm just thinking.  I have all kind of stuff floating around in  my head.  Topics on older adoptions verses babies,  grown children,  Adopted kids and the way they deal with loss, RAD,  birth family's and more.  I just never make it to the computer with the posts I think up in my head.  After 18 years of parenting adopted kids plus the other 14 of birth parenting, I can really tell some tales.  So one day, I'm going to get up in the middle of the night and do one of those post.  One day soon.  But for now I'll leave you with pictures. Some of which we were celebrating the 4th!

Time keeps on slipping into the future

I don't know why I can't keep up anymore.  Grand kids maybe.   I'm so lucky to have mine living close by.  Theres never an outing with out them involved.  I love it, memories we will never forget.  We've been up the the mountains for a fishing trip, to the strawberry patch for strawberries, and to the park several times.  And that's just with school being out for 2 weeks.  We have lots more planned along with several camps for the kids. Everything is so easy lately.  Maybe I should watch out, the calm before the storm? 

 I have this long serious post planned out.  As soon as I have take time to write it.  We've had 2 birthdays this month.  Staisha turned 23, and Doreese turned 20.  WOW!  That's 9 kids graduated high school.  9 kids moving on with their lives.  I'm looking forward the the next 20, or 40 years with them.

more pictures

pictures from easter

MORE TO COME...........