Dentist,Dr,Therapist, Psychologist, etc. etc.

I had 5 at the dentist today. For some reason it seems this month is full of appointments. I haven't had a totally free day in such a long time. DJ was sick Sunday and had to go to the ER for fluids. Scared the life out of me. It sure seemed a lot more serious than a stomach virus, but he is fine now. I have a DR appointment myself tomorrow, and then we have a psychologist appointment on Thurs. And then another Dr. appointment on Friday. I have a school conference on Wednesday. That's another week with no breaks. I don't feel physically tired when I have lots of road trips for weeks straight but I can tell it mentally. I forget and I'm more irritable. I can't wait for Christmas Break. I'll surely get some rest then as I don't make appointments when everyone is home so I don't have to worry about a sitter. I don't know of any one else who wants to sit home with 18 kids to get a break. LOL

Home Visit

Tomorrow we will have a home visit to update our home study. I still haven't gotten all of the paperwork done that needs to be completed. I've been busy with shopping and decorating. I love the Holidays! I especially love it when everything is tidy and in order. The only time I can enjoy a clean house is at night after all the kids go to bed. During the day as soon as one room is complete and I finish another the first room needs cleaning again. The kids have played in the house most of the day today with the boys going out just a little while this afternoon. The girls are more content to sit and color, or do lite brite, or sing on the karaoke while the boys want to be out side where they can burn off energy. Oh if I just had that much energy I could get all the house done in a matter of minutes! Oh well, slow and steady.

I so hope we have more luck with being chosen for children this year than we had in 2009. All of the children presented to us were just not good matches for out family. I'm praying the right ones will come along all in God's timing. God Bless all the children waiting for families.

Boys Boys Boys

This past weekend we totally cleaned out the 6 oldest boys rooms. Oh My! I don't know what else to say. I couldn't believe it when we got everything out. We painted walls and scrubbed floors, cleaned light fixtures, fixed drawers, folded clothes, emptied toy boxes and THREW away a ton of stuff. We also found the last 40 or so pair of socks that nobody knew what happen to. Usually after the kids turn 14 or 15 I don't clean their rooms. I go nosing around in them but not really cleaning. The last overhaul these rooms had was back in the early spring. I guess I will continue monitoring the 17,16, and 15 year old rooms. They are pigs! The girls also painted their room. It got the beds rearranged and comforters washed and things a bit more organized but it was nothing like the boys. The sad part is they could not understand why I was so upset with them. What? It's not that bad. That is honestly what they said to me. Well it looks great now, but how long they keep it that way depends on how much I harp about it. I guess I'll be hoarse for a while.

Injuries

My boys have gotten hurt more in the last year than all the other years combined. DJ has pulled a muscle in his side wrestling along with hurting his hand that we thought was broken. Daivon hurt his shoulder/collarbone in football. Anthony broke his finger during football practice and ended up having to have surgery on it. During the summer Isaiah broke his arm on a bicycle. Austin jumped on a small hot wheels type airplane and punctured his foot that required an ER visit over the Thanksgiving holidays. Marvin came in today and said his knee was hurt from falling on a cement floor during wrestling. We have gotten to know the ER doctor pretty well. So far nothing serious has happened but I cringe at what could be.

Most all the highschool kids are involved in sports so I know some injuries with 7 kids active is bound to happen. I don't know if it is because I'm older or what but it seems like I worry more with these teenagers than I did with my other ones. The middle school kids coming up aren't as likely to play as much as this group has. Selena loves basketball but is short so she can't make the school team. She is playing rec ball this year but this is the last year they have a team. John has CP so he doesn't excel at sports but does well academically and is in band. Cora has some delays and is in special ed, she doesn't even like sports . Robert might play but the school doesn't let 6th grades try out and I didn't get him signed up for rec ball this year so time will tell if he will make the 7th grade team. Kieanna is playing basketball and runs track so I'm sure she will play in high school. So for the time being everyone is really really busy. I'm looking forward to everything slowing down.

where did it go?

It seem like I was planning for Thanksgiving for weeks, looking forward to seeing all of our families, eating, and enjoying the holiday. Well it went by too fast. This year it seemed like everything was on fast forward. Jennifer was here for 5 days and I couldn't believe it when she said goodbye. We cooked a lot of food. I think everyone enjoyed it. My electric stove went out four days before Thanksgiving. I called Sears thinking it was only a heating element and they would fix it the day they came out. Well they came out promptly to tell me the part had to be ordered and it would be another week before they could fix it. BUMMER! I still had my gas stove so I thought I could pull it off. Well, after making out a list of foods to cook and where and how, I quickly realized I could not pull it off! Thankfully my sister in law was here and said go get my stove. So Keith went and got her stove and we put it in the LIBRARY. Yes, the library. At one point I said " Krishawanda check the pies in the stove in the library. " Jennifer replied with "mom I know that is the only time anyone has ever said that. You just don't have a stove in a room with shelves full of books. Well it worked. We got everything cooked on time. Our Library is what use to be the old Kitchen. The electric outlet for the stove was still there. I originally wanted to put in a washer/dryer closet there. Keith didn't like that idea so I came up with the Library which works out great. It is another place for the kids to watch a movie, or play a video, or just read. I prefer the latter.

It has been a while since I've posted. Having a new grand baby next door, I just want to spend my extra time sitting and rocking and holding Kyson. Staisha has needed a little extra care too. Her husband is great, but works 2 jobs and goes to school full time. He will graduate in May with a bachelors in Criminology. I'm so proud of them both. They are really good parents. Amid all of Staisha's issues Kyson became jaundice again and had to go in for a heal stick. He's fine and shes on her way to being fully recovered.

All the kids are doing really well. They are all excited for Christmas. Sometimes they have a moment when they reflect on the what ifs. We talk about it, and sometimes argue about it but I think it is a normal feeling. I too wonder about some what ifs. Destinee who is 17 wrote me the most beautiful letter. I cried the whole time she read it to me. It was on what she was thankful for. It was a true reflection of how she felt. Someday I hope I can share it with her bio parents in a happy time. Life in this big family is full of surprises. Some, I should say most, good.

For those who are asking about pictures I promise to post lots soon. The kids are all growing so fast. I think I have all their Christmas outfits ready. We usually do pictures on Thanksgiving but with all the people this year we didn't have time, so I hope we get to it soon.

I know Christmas is close but I sure hope it doesn't go by so fast.

where did it go?

911

911.That's what I was dialing at 8:00 yesterday morning. Staisha had some serious complications from giving birth to Kyson and passed out. She called me and I told her I would be right up to take her to the Dr. Before I could get there Josh called and said she had passed out. Oh My Goodness! She did come to, and I got her Dr. on the phone. He said to take her straight to the emergency room. Well I was afraid to move her, so I called an ambulance. The paramedics that got there first were fantastic! Everything went well. They loaded her into the ambulance, Josh road with her and the baby and Tanya (her aunt) and I followed in the car. They did admit her, but later let her come home as she stabilized. Whew! They teased me and told me I was a nervous wreck. Well I don't remember being shaky, but I do remember barking out orders. Which they agreed with, just that I was shaky while I was doing so. Well, who wouldn't be? While we were in the ER, she was freaking out because they told her a baby could not stay with her on a surgical floor. She was really upset. Finally they agreed to let her keep the baby with her, if someone else stayed to take care of the baby. Well DUH! Did they think we would leave her in a hospital brought in by an ambulance with a tiny baby? She has to take it easy and stay in bed for a few days. Kyson never new anything was amiss. He still got to eat his belly full and sleep in someones arms and that's all he cared about.

She is feeling some better today. What a way to spend my birthday! It is sure one I will never forget! Thank goodness for 911.