Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Crazy

Life is crazy.  Let's just start with that.  I won't go into everything but my stress level is near an all time high and something's gotta give.

I haven't blogged in two weeks so here are a few things that I jotted down typed in my phone.

We were talking about Brother Silas (that's what the kids call him), chatting about what he might be doing at that moment, and then Griffin asks, "Who is Brother Silas's mama?"  Wow.

Griffin had a week long stomach bug and Kinley had a 10 day virus that led to pneumonia.  They then so conveniently switched illnesses and Kinley ended up losing several pounds with the stomach bug.  And Griffin's virus gave him a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection.  Good times.  Er, I mean, bless their hearts! ;)

I've been watching Pioneer Woman recently and the kids like to watch with me.  Kinley especially.  As you may or may not know, Pioneer Woman lives on a cattle ranch and in the episode we were watching they were working cattle, herding cattle, doing all kinds of cattle stuff.  This was the conversation while watching.......
Kinley:  I want to ride horses when I get bigger!
Me:  I want to be a cowgirl.
Griffin:  I want to be a white boy!
WHAT???  Oh my goodness!  I laughed so hard!

Speaking of Pioneer Woman.  She made me cook this.  MADE ME, I'll tell you.
Best. breakfast. EVER.

On day ohhhhhhh approximately 21 of the kids' sicknesses I asked the kids if we were going to survive the day and without skipping a beat Griffin says matter of factly, "No."

Long story short, we were supposed to briefly host two Chinese students.  We went to pick them up at the airport today and they ended up not needing to stay with us.  The kids and I had fun at the airport though so whatever.  It was fine.  But tonight when I was tucking Griffin into bed, I asked if he had fun at the airport and what he thought of the Chinese girls we talked to and he says, "They looked like Omma."  Omma is Griffin's foster mom!  He has never used that word without me first pointing to her picture and asking who she is.  He was young enough that he wasn't talking when he came home and he never talks about Omma.  Anyway, it blew me away!  Love that boy.  And we also love Omma.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Happenings of the Week

We always send our baby toddler monitors to my parents' house so they can easily keep on eye on the kids when they're sleeping.  One of the monitors was half dead, and when it came home from my parents it was completely dead.  I had heard good things about a certain monitor and asked Blake to read up on it and see what he thought.  Sounded good to him so we ordered it from Amazon.  It wasn't really a welcome expense, but I do love gadgets. :)  It's a pan and tilt which is knew for us, but now I can see all of the kids rooms instead of just their beds.  And the monitors have two way audio which means I can hear them AND talk to them through the monitors.  It was pretty fun testing that out and watching their reaction.  They thought it was hilarious.  Also, instead of two handheld monitors, I can see both rooms on one screen.  So far we love it.


Both Kinley and Griffin really and truly love sports.  They are always getting out the soccer goal and ball or the t-ball bat, ball, and bases all on their own.  But I've decided if either of my kids excel in sports it will be for different reasons.  Kinley seems to have a natural athletic ability.  She's always been an active kiddo, constantly running and jumping.  And as she's gotten older and started playing sports, we've gotten comments from coaches and other parents about how she seems like a natural and they can tell she's an "athlete."  We shall see.  I'm not getting my hopes up, but I think the potential is there.  Griffin, on the other hand, has fortitude.  Fortitude:  mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously.  Yes, Griffin has fortitude.  And focus.  And when he decides he wants something, he goes after it.  He's also stubborn but I'm not sure how that's going to help him in sports.


Kinley:  Griff, can I play with your Lightning McQueen?

Griffin:  Sure, Kinley.  FIVE MINUTES!  Just five minutes!

Wonder where he heard that? :)


My favorite chicken right now is chicken breast marinated in Italian Roasted Red Pepper dressing and grilled until it has some nice grill marks.  Mmmm mmmm good!


I'm glad my kids have each other.  I'm not one of those moms that can play for hours and hours.  It doesn't come easy to me.  There's only so much forced pretend play I can take before I walk away and turn it over to the professionals, my kids.


I got an email from our church yesterday asking for families to volunteer to host international students.  Five hundred international students will be arriving 1-2 days before the university housing opens so they need a place to stay until then.  I registered to help and requested a Korean student.  Fingers crossed that we get lucky and make a lifelong connection.


My Instagram picture and caption from yesterday...
We worked on reading, handwriting, and some other fun stuff.  Now she's getting a little computer time on abcmouse (dot) com.  Meanwhile, I'm taking some headache medicine and working on my deep breathing. #shesaspaz #imimpatient #idontknowhowhomeschoolersdoit #loveher


And from today....
I wish I could tell his birth mom how incredible and loved he is. #sorryforthemush #sorrynotsorry #lovehim


Mom Fail Continued...

After we left the doctor's office on Thursday, we had to make a decision about Kinley's last (we thought it would be her last) t-ball game.  She wasn't really running a fever and we didn't have the results back from the chest x-ray, but we honestly thought she did not have pneumonia.  The PA had listened to her lungs, said they sounded clear, and really felt it was viral.  She was fever free at that point so we decided to let her play her last game.  And my mom and dad were coming to watch the game and they wanted to take the kids home with them afterwards.  I was sick of Kinley being sick and was ready to get back to our regular routine of going and doing, so we also decided to let them go home with Grandma and Papa.


Griffy wearing Papa's hat.


This girl had a great first season of t-ball.


I'm so proud of how much she improved.


Griffin took this picture of Papa.


After the game with Papa and Grandma.


The kids left with my parents that night (Thursday) and we were going to go pick them up on Saturday.  The kids love my parents and love being at their house so they were way excited.  I was a little nervous to send Kinley, but I knew she was in great hands.  And she had her antibiotics so she was good, right?!  Sure!

The PA called me the next day and said Kinley had a spot on her right lung that indicated pneumonia.

Whoops.

Needless to say, I felt terrible.  For a variety of reasons.

I checked on her by texting mom way more than usual and my mom always said she was fine.

I still felt terrible.

Mom fail.

Anyway, Blake and I enjoyed our day and a half without kids.  We went to a movie, dinner, and to our favorite sporting goods store and bought some workout clothes (one of our favorite things to do).

When we picked up Kinley and Griffin on Saturday, Kinley was fine.  Kids are tough, right?

Sure! ;)