Mother's Day 2012

Mother's Day was Sunday.  I have to be honest, I have always thought Mother's Day/Father's Day were silly.  Since I've been working in food service I find them utterly awful.  It seems to me that if most people were nicer to their mother all year long it wouldn't be so bad and restaurants wouldn't be so awful.  As it is, I refer to the as Hallmark Holidays.  The book Waiter's Rant is fantastic for many reasons, but should be read for the chapter on Mother's Day alone.

Those things said, this was my first Mother's Day to have small children in the house.  Several people wished me a Happy first Mother's Day!  While the sentiment was very sweet, and true to an extent, it made me a little sad because it's just further proof that nobody respects a stepmom.  I never see the boys on Mother's Day and until last year had never gotten a phone call from them on Mother's Day.  Maybe next year somebody will tell them they should get me a card.  I'm not their birth mom, but I'm their "mom" too - I give hugs, discipline, do homework, make meals, and cart them to practices... Those are all mom tasks... I love my boys.

Now for my first Mother's Day with the girls, there were some very nice things.  I got a card "signed" by both Baby Girl and Baby J!  Me, the Mother's Day skeptic, cried like a little girl at the scribble. I was given a framed picture of the three of us that reads "Happy Mother's Day! You are our world" and a great polka dotted snuggly blanket.  These came from the girls and my wonderful husband.  My girlfriend, Laura, gave me a gorgeous yellow and purple orchid for Mother's Day.  One of my grandmother's, my dad's stepmom in fact, mailed me a Mother's Day card; she and I have had many conversations about being a stepmom and she always calls me on Mother's Day.  After work I came home to a lovely steak dinner my fella prepared for us and we spent the evening with the girls.  It was a really lovely Sunday afternoon.

Meeting the Birth Mom

Today Baby J had a visit with her birth mom. It's her second visit since she came to our home.  She's growing and changing every day and I can only imagine how much she seems to have changed in the two weeks it's been since her birth mom saw her.  Alot of people have alot of things to say about Baby J's and other birth moms who have made poor decisions that have led to their children's placement in foster care.  It's easy for me to be angry and to judge and say those things too.  It's particularly easy to go there on the bad days as are still very frequent.  I have another view though.
I saw her birth mom that first day at the hospital and even then my heart hurt for her.  Today I was given the opportunity to meet her.  At the end of their visit I was able to go into the room and I shook her hand and we introduced ourselves.  Then she did something I hadn't really expected, she said thank you.  She thanked me for caring for her child.  God gave me the compassion and grace to give her what she needed too.  I assured her that it was our pleasure to enjoy Baby J and that we are only waiting on her to get better.
I've read so many blogs where the bio family isn't kind, that they steal the clothes or formula or whatever that you send for the visit.  Baby J's mom on the other hand sent clothes and a cute bib and socks home for her.  She left the visit with more than she arrived with.
While we walked to my car together her birth mom surprised me again and said, "I didn't know you, but I've been praying for you."  I assured her I've been praying for her too.  I also told her I'd send some pictures for her soon.  I told her that I'd just had her 1mth milestone pictures made and I'd make sure she got one of those as well.  She teared up and thanked me so much for doing that for Baby J.  I hugged her before we left.
I won't say it wasn't awkward, because it was. I will also say that I am so glad I had the opportunity and that she was kind.  I don't know how her mom will really do over the long haul, it's a tough road and I'm not sure I believe people can change.  I do however have a glimmer of hope that this child could be the strength to make her change.  If not, at least we all tried.  At least I can reassure Baby J in the future that her birth mom loves her so very much because I saw it.

Growing up!

It's amazing how fast children grow up. I remember my sweet boys when Hubby and I started dating. They were so small still and so sweet.  We had many a pillow fight at which time it was easy to knock them over with said pillow.  They are both so very big now.  Our oldest is so excited about the end of this school year and beginning Homewood Middle School next year.  We are also very excited for him! I think he will love it and I know it's going to open a new exciting chapter in his life.  I'm so proud of him for trying out and joining the band!  We went with him this week and he tested highest in trumpet and French horn.  He chose the French horn!  So excited of him.

The youngest boy wants to play football!  Hopefully we'll have a Homewood Patriot on our hands soon :)  I'll keep ya posted.  Love those boys!

Baby Girl is now rolling over and trying very hard to sit up.  She loves her Jenny Jump Up! She's growing so fast!

Baby J is now nearly 6 weeks old.  She's put on a good amount of weight and is definitely progressing.
Love those girls!

Love my family!

We Love Homewood Day

We Love Homewood!  May 5, 2012

Just the 6 of us! My beautiful family!

Here are some pictures from our We Love Homewood Day celebration.  I love this community.  I love that so many of the people we run into here grew up here as children, moved away, and returned here to raise their children here.  I think it speaks volumes to have left the nest and then to have such a conviction about the community and schools to come back to raise your family here.  I love this place.

Homewood High School Band performance

Chris Loves Capt. America

Avengers opening weekend; appropriate art!

May the 4th be with you

So that's my dork card for the day - May the 4th be with you!

With two girls, two boys, a hubby, a house, and a job I never get to blog anymore.  Here's a quick update on what's happening.

We were able to attend Art Connection last Sunday in Linn Park.  It's an annual event that I just LOVE!  I wait for it every year!  Hubby and I took the girls in our newly acquired double stroller.  It was a really beautiful day and we enjoyed the time we had looking at artwork and enjoying live performances.  Our boys weren't with us that weekend so we got them each a little prize.  Our oldest got a bookmark made from woven cloth that has a durable painted finish.  The younger got a T-shirt with a dancing skeleton money on it; a replica of a 3D art piece we saw in that artist's booth.

We attempted to get Baby J's 1mth checkup on Monday 4/30, but due to some paperwork issues we were turned away and rescheduled for Wednesday 5/2.  All turned out well because the Dr. Buckingham is AWESOME!  She really seems to care about her patients and even went so far as to give a follow-up call to me yesterday checking on Baby J's reaction to the new formula we're trying.  The new formula smells terrible... Baby J has gained a couple of pounds and is up to 8lb 12 oz.  She hasn't grown any in length and is holding at 19".  She's very sweet but is still having some issues.  She is sleeping a little longer at night and that is always a blessing.

We had our worker visits for May on Tuesday. Baby Girl's worker surprised me when she told me she was going to file the TPR paperwork! She said that there are still a couple of hurdles, but that she believes they are more formality than not. She's filing TPR concurrently just so we can expedite as much as possible. Her last words of course were, "but nothing's final til it's final." Every step closer to making Baby Girl ours makes me breathe a little easier.  She is our daughter and we love her so very much! I just want the paperwork done!  I know it's all moving VERY fast for what's typical of the system, but I want it done now :)

Tonight we're having a BBQ with friends.  I'm so excited!  It's the first BBQ of the season and we're sharing it with some of our closest friends.  We are so thankful for the love and support we have from these folks!

 Tomorrow is We Love Homewood Day!!  This is another event I wait all year for!  This year our boys are IN the parade with their karate group!  I'm very excited about it.  It's an all day affair in the community with like a carnival in the park in the morning, the parade in the evening, and it culminates with a dance in the street!  This is my "1950's date" with my husband each year.  I love it.  I love that we'll get to have all of our children with us this year.  I love that we're able to do this for the first time with our girls this year.  How a year can change our lives.



I love my life.  I love my husband.  I love my boys. I love these girls.  I am so very blessed.