Top 5 Questions (and answers) People Are Asking Me Lately
1) How much longer will you have those foster kids (Curly Sue and Dewey)? Due to the nature of foster care, we don't know. A lot depends on the progress made in the case...right now there is progress being made, but it could still take us into the summer, or even longer if necessary. Is that hard? Yes and no...we went into this (foster care and this specific placement) know it was temporary, even if by that they meant long term temporary. We knew the kids were not going to be staying. Will we miss them? Of course! But for now we enjoy the fact that a family is being built up and growing together in a healthy way. We enjoy having time w/the kids and do what we can. I have a lot more to say about all that, but feel free to ask me if you really want to hear more. Are you going to take more placements after this? Yes and no. We recently submitted another application to adopt so most likely our next placement will be w/the goal of adoption. After that, we'll see!
2) Have you started your garden? Nope. Only in my mind! Shoot, it was only about a month or two ago that I was pulling frozen Brussels sprouts out of the garden! I know I need to do a few things differently this year but I am intent on finding non-GMO seeds that Monsanto doesn't own, so I know it will take a lot more planning and such. Any new chickens? Nope. Again, I would really like to add to the flock, but the timing is just not right. Hopefully after spring break there will be some Barred Rocks available nearby and we can bring them here. Lately we've been finding poor Pippa's eggs frozen and cracked - the weather has been so wacky that we just can't get out there fast enough! Lois pretty much quit laying in the fall when she seemed to start molting...I think I've gotten 2 eggs out of her since then.
3) How are the goals coming? Good! I've been faithfully going to the Y and seeing results. The morning Bible Challenge seems easy after last time and I am so blessed to be a part of it. Practice for the play is trucking along and I marvel at everyone's talent. Not only that but God has already done some amazing things in me, the cast and the community b/c of it. I'm still working on the 'homemaker' duties...but the hot breakfasts are always a hit and I'm slowly getting better at other stuff. I am falling short in some of the areas, of course, but I think it's part of the process. Plenty to learn from the mistakes!
4) What are you most excited about/inspired by right now? All of the above! The play, adoption, starting the garden, spring break...but also seeing people hold Life Is Precious signs by a local 'planning your life as a parent - or not' place near my house, sitting next to my 7yo as he works on the Purple Book while I do my morning Bible study, reading what my friends post about non-GMO stuff and healthy clean foods on that social networking site, talking w/friends about summer camping, some friends' pending adoption, hearing my 5yo read and spell her sight words, and many other things! Aren't you busy? Yes, but as I tell the little old ladies who see me out and about w/4 kids in various places and then remark, "My, you have your hands full!" - better full than empty! That, and - full hands, full heart!
5) Anything we can pray about? Glad you asked! This is what I wrote on Facebook today - "**I NEED A FAVOR** - in 6 weeks minus one day (EEEP!) will be our first performance. The closer we get to practicing the end of the play (really - the coolest part!) and our first performance, the more we feel under spiritual attack. >>>>PLEASE PRAY<<<< for all of us, our families and for those attending. If you have a small group or bible study, ask them to pray. (If you meet once a week, that's only 6 times you have to remember to pray for us. Of course we'd love it every day, but we'll take once a week!) Put a note on your calendar, in your phone, on your fridge, write it w/dry erase marker on your mirror, whatever you need to do as a reminder! Beyond that, invite people to attend! SHARE THIS EVENT on your own FB wall. Ask people to pray, even if they can't attend! This amazing play was written by one of the cast members. There are people from multiple churches involved which makes me extremely happy and proud to be a part of something bigger that supersedes my small circle of friends, influence and experience...THANK YOU for your prayers! I know many of you have already been praying =) Keep it up!" Yes, as one of my cast-mates says, I can be a bit dramatic! But in all seriousness, we would greatly appreciate your prayers. Besides that, please pray for our family and our foster children's family. Transitions are never easy on anyone, but for small children they can be so hard to process. One final thing as my free time is winding down...please pray for Dave's heel. When he broke his ankle a few years ago, we knew it wouldn't be the same. He's been struggling w/plantar facilitis (sp?) and since he's on his feet all day, it's not getting better. He has the shoe inserts, the pain meds and the goofy contraption you wear to bed at night, but even those and icing and putting it up in the evenings are not helping. Pray that the heel be healed! (Had to slip that in there...) Also, the goofy contraption he wears at night causes him to sleep differently, causing him to snore more, causing me to sleep less...frequently I wake up thinking someone is sawing logs, or maybe there is large unhappy jungle cat in our room or something...the less sleep I get, the more panicky and odd things I think of when I wake up! It's sort of funny when you think about it, but not when you're tired =) Anyway - since you asked! =) Or since I pretended you asked...those are some of my prayer requests. Thank you for your prayers!!
Finally, if you are w/in driving distance and would like to come to the play...email me or leave a comment. There is no cost! And the audience gets to pick the ending! Well, even if you are farther away, you are still invited! Let me know and I can get you more information...and now I'm needed. A messy basement awaits. I can procrastinate no longer...
