My Crush...

There are some men on TV that just get to me.  They may not be the hottest guys, the best looking.  Sometimes it's just something about them.  Sometimes it's the look in their eyes when they look at their woman, the way McDreamy looks at Meredith.

Sometimes they are just hot.  Derek (Shemar Moore) from Criminal Minds, for instance, man oh man.  He is something to behold.

While McDreamy and Shemar Moore are very attractive in their own way, they can't hold a candle to the one that makes me smile every time.  He makes me shake my groove thang, improves my day, and has given me the most entertaining 20 seconds ever on TV.  He is the only one that is permanently saved on my DVR.  Behold my all time favorite (on screen) leading man: 



My apologies McDreamy...

What Isn't Working......

Oh boy... here we go. I'm airing all of my dirty laundry (literally), because in my quest to share some tips with my fellow adopters, I'm afraid I've created an online alter ego that does not represent reality. I've had people comment that "they could never do what we're doing". Nothing could be further from the truth, people. Nothing. God has not gifted me with more patience, better housekeeping skills, or any other gift than any of you. God chooses average people to do His work every day. Less than average people many times. Moses had a speech impediment, Paul had a "thorn in his flesh". Me? I'm a procrastinator big time. I'll doodle around on Facebook instead of sweep the floor, I'll not clean out the closet because, well, because I want a Coke right now. 

 You know our handy dandy Mudroom/Computer room/homework room?  The one we created because our front closet couldn't handle all of the jackets and backpacks.  The one that would allow us to use the front hall closet for guest's coats and the such.  So much for that theory, this is our front hall closet  (keep in mind, all pictures are actual unretouched photos, taken TODAY)....
We moved Nathan downstairs into what used to be the computer room, and made it his room.  The problem is, we haven't put doors on the poor boy's room yet.  It is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door.  And because there are no doors, the little ones use it as their play room, jump on the bed, drag out his video games, and strew clean and dirty clothes everywhere.  Then I feel bad for him, and let him slide instead of clean it up.  This is his room:

This my friends, is what is currently living under my chair in our living room:

Now, you may be thinking "well, okay, she may not be the best house cleaner ever, but at least her kids are always well fed and happy".  Not so much.  Friday night we had popcorn FOR DINNER.  Seriously.  And this is how we usually see Jorah, in all her sweet 2 year old tantrumness:
So, as you can plainly see, our life is not all sunshine and roses, smiles and laughter.  But we are living life together.  We are trusting God, and doing the job that He has given us to do.  I may not have sparkling floors or 'have it all together', but this is our reality... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

(Now, please know that I will probably never look any of you directly in the eye again.  This is humbling as all get out.....)

What works?

Having 9 kids share a bathroom has been working so far.  This is what 9 toothbrushes look like.
9 sponges in the shower:
We keep their towels hanging in their rooms.  That alleviates the "she used my towel" argument.
Everyone has two personalized towels (thank you to my friends Lauren and Penney for those) that way we know whose towel is laying in a wet heap on the carpet.  One hangs in their room to use, the other is in the closet.  When we wash towels we hang the clean towel up in their room, so they always use the one hanging up.  This greatly decreases the number of towels washed weekly.
This used to be our formal dining room.  Now it is the mudroom/computer room/ homework room.  We painted stripes, put up wooden boards, hung hooks and initials,  and put some shoe totes down.  Our hallway closet just wasn't cutting it.  To the left you will see Mom's mailbox.  That is where the kids put all papers that Mom needs to see or sign.  (Yes it's overflowing right now).  But it works.
This post is in answer to those of you who have asked me "so what seems to be working well for you?".  

These last few FAQ posts, I fear, have given you a false impression of me and our home.  I've received very nice compliments.  Thank you for those.  Being complimented is always nice.  Alas, my conscience will not allow me to keep you in the dark to the 'real side'.  Therefore my next post will be titled "What isn't working".  I will post pictures.

Embarrassing.  

Noah and HER Animals, a Sock Hopper and SCREAM!!!

On October 31st, Noah gathered his animals to himself to search out sustenance enough to last through the entire flood.  Otherwise read as - On Halloween Emma came home from a party and was tackled by a pack of wild animals, Stella, Beatrice, Elias, Jamison, Ishmael and Jorah. We went Trick or Treating and got enough candy to last through ANY trial, pestilence, plague or flood.
Cast of characters: Emma-Noah, Stella- Bee, Beatrice-Ladybug, Elias-Dog, Jamison-Elephant, Ishmael- Giraffe, Jorah- Cow, our friend Aiden-lion.
Nathan and his friend Caleb helped out the little treaters until they were worn out, then were released to do some tricking of their own.
Hope and her friend Paige sock hopped their way through Paige's neighborhood.
Hope sent me this message from Paige's:  Sorry, can't come home.... in a sugar induced coma...
As are we all, as are we all........

Mysteries Revealed, Part 4

My new friend, Angela, asked how I divide up chores and other household duties now. Angela has 2 sweet little ones at home now, but I see a houseful of munchkins from all over the world in her future... near future.

Answer: Well, our basic theory on chores is that we are a family, we share a home, therefore we all need to work together to make this home run smoothly, while remaining at least slightly on this side of chaos.  We want our kids to learn responsibility, and helpfulness.... but I don't want to be a dictator, and have little soldiers for kids.  I'm finding that it is pretty easy to fall into mean military Mom mode.  I'm working very hard to find the balance between having routines and expectations, while still having a happy, relaxing, safe harbor home.  I think that the key to this is for the kids to all know what is expected of them, and when it is expected of them.  In come our chore charts.  On our refrigerator are 6 chore charts, 1 for each child in school.  They are laminated.  When they complete a task they mark it off with an Expo marker (conveniently located in a magnetic pen holder on the side of the fridge).  I wipe off the charts each night.  Right now, we are all getting used to the charts, so no consequences for missing jobs, they just get a reminder for now.  

Here is our fridge: 

Here is Nathan's chart up close (click on it to make it bigger):
Everybody pitches in after each meal to get the kitchen and table cleaned off.  Even the littlest ones help by wiping off the chairs.  Everybody pitches in cleaning on the weekends as well.  I just take a look at what needs to be done and divvy up the chores.  In the past, I've tried to chart specific chores for each child.  That just doesn't work for me very well, because one person's job is always the toilet.  That's not fair.  Then we tried alternating weekends.  That didn't work, either.  Either we forgot what weekend it was, or someone wasn't home to do there's, or we were too busy one weekend.  'Clean Sweep' is making a loop through the house, picking up anything that belongs to you, or you got out.  It's not all that detailed or all inclusive, but for us, Keep It Simple Stupid works out really well.

So, I think that's it in a nutshell.  It's been working pretty well.  So far, so good!  Thanks, Angela, for the question!

Magical Munchkin Moments

Here's what we stay at home folks have been up to while everyone else is slaving away at work or school:

Running lots of errands (some may call it shopping, but that's just a technicality).
Going on Thursday fun outings with some good friends; parks, Williamsburg, Malls... it's all fun!
Having Munchkin Movie Mornings.  They love them some Veggie Tales!

And their absolute favorite.... dress up time!  Ishmael thinks he is hilarious with a wig on, and I have to agree.  He'll wear those itchy things for hours at a time.  (Steve thinks I should draw the line at the pink leotard, though).

Aah, rough is the life of a Mother of Preschoolers.  Really....

(Especially the 2 hour nap time they will have this afternoon)

Mysteries Revealed, Part 3

Asked by a sweet friend, Katie, whom I only knew a short time before she had to move away.  : (
What are my best money saving tips? What questions did we ask ourselves before adopting? What are my best recipes?

Answer part 1: Money saving tips? Being that I am a great lover of all things shopping, and Steve says we should put on our bib overalls and live off of the land, I'm pretty sure I should refer all money related questions to somebody far better at it than me.... Dave Ramsey. His system takes some discipline, but really, truly works.

Answer part 2: Questions we asked ourselves before we adopted: 1) Could we afford it? 2) Could we TRULY love a child not bone of our bone? 3) Could we TRULY loves a child of a different race? 4) Could we TRULY love a child that may have some "needs"? As it turns out, all of those questions were completely irrelevant. No matter how God places a child in your arms, his manner of growing your heart to love them remains the same. I will say that becoming a transracial family makes you a little conspicuous. We had never really been noticed before. Adopted a child from another culture requires you to be willing to become part of that culture. Adoption IS expensive, but in our case The Lord took care of the money issues in truly remarkable ways. Once you see that little face, all of your questions are irrelevant (or at least were for us). Once you see the need.... well, then you know the truth.... there is ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE!!!! I would say the only question that truly needs to be asked and answered is this... what would God have you do? Our answer came in this verse:

James 1:27
27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

(Katie, I do not really LOVE to cook, beyond LOVING to eat, and LOVING to feed my family. I don't have any remarkable recipes, but when I come across some, I'll be sure to post them, okay?)