Adopting the Waiting Child

Back to School

Yesterday was our first day of school. Wonder Boy started third grade (mostly) and Jofus was very excited to begin kindergarten. We started the day with a special breakfast at IHOP and then had a great day learning. Both boys professed that they had a great day. If only it would stay so good. I know it won't though. Homeschool, just like any other education, has its ups and downs. Some days we fly and some days we crash and burn.

The Civil War is Over . . For Now

We spent the weekend at our first Civil War re-enactment. It was so fun. Our family was blessed to meet the Schroeder family a few years ago. Memorial Day 2007 we met for the first time at Greenfield Village (a living history museum) at their annual Civil War memorial weekend. The next year I spoke to Wendi (the mama) again. This time she asked my if I wanted to try out the hobby. I said yes and then never got my act together and got things ready. This year I made plan to talk to them at Greenfield Village and we plotted when and how to make it work.

The Schoeders and their many children were so generous and and invited us to visit their camp during the day and lent us uniform for Charlie. I was worried on Friday because it was pouring buckets and the ground was so muddy in the civilian camp area. All I could think was all this work and the kids will be nuts because they can't do anything , and we'll have to go home. As Saturday went on the weather cleared and stayed nice for Sunday.

It was fantastic. People were so kind, and our hosts have two sons around the same ages as Wonder Boy and Jofus. They "shot" the confederate soldiers all weekend. I'm surprised that any survived for the men to "kill" in battles. I met a thousand people and they were all welcoming. (I was a little nervous about our clothes since I had made everything and I hoped it was accurate-- or at least accurate enough.)

It was sometimes strange. Spectators would come through and look around and watch us, but it wasn't like being in a play. There was no script and we weren't doing a demonstration. We were just cooking or taking care of children or washing dishes. There were a few moments where I thought, "so this is what the tigers at the zoo feel like." Luckily no one threw sticks at us. (side note: If you are going to throw sticks at an animal in the zoo, why would you antagonize the one that could eat you?)

When the event was over and it was time to go, the kids did not want to leave and were asking when they could go back. Charlie and I are already making plan to upgrade our wardrobe and attend another event in October.

Still Waiting

We have still not heard anything from from Kids to Adopt. I am hoping it will be very soon. If you are one to pray, please say a prayer that we will soon get our travel dates. We are all so anxious to meet our little girl.

The wait is so frustrating. Some days I want to scream "Stop holding my baby hostage!" Even though I know that no one is doing any such thing. When we started out it was possible that we would be bringing her home now, so it is disheartening that we still have not met her. I know at every passing day is one day more that she doesn't know people love her already and want her home. It is one more day she is limited by not being able to move around as she likes. One less day of having a forever family

May God protect you, my sweet girl.

Never Eat Anything bigger Than You Head

We have a rule in our house: Never eat anything bigger than you head. I so bit off more than I can chew. One of the reasons that it's been so quiet on the blog is that I made a commitment to attend a Civil War re-enactment this coming weekend as a re-enactor. I'm really excited. I get to dress up in period clothes and talk to people and learn all about the Civil War from the inside out. BUUUUUUT, in order to dress in period clothes, you have to have period clothes, and you can't just go buy them. (Or rather you can, but its really expensive.) So you have to make them. Great . . . except I don't sew. Well, I didn't before, but in the last six weeks I've learned. I've been spending several hours a day making shirts for the boys, a corset, petticoats, chemises, and dresses for myself and Pookie. Thank goodness Charlie is able to borrow what he needs.

Waiting Children at Kids to Adopt

My adoption agency, Kids to Adopt, has the most beautiful waiting children available for adoption. You can read about them at their website and they would be happy to send you more information about any of them.

http://www.kidstoadopt.org/waiting_children/photolisting.htm

Hidden Riches

Sorry I've been gone for a while, folks. My father-in-law, Lyle, died about two weeks ago. He had been suffering from cancer for a very long while and we knew he had a very little time left with us on Earth. We got a call from my sister-in-law letting us now that he was close to death. We decided quickly to pack and get in the car in hopes that we would make it in time to be there before he died. Unfortunately, he passed away before we could get packed. We were able to make the 750 mile drive with little incident, and that in itself was divine intervention because usually the drive is awful.


I was struck again and again by the beauty of our family during this emotional time and the many ways we were blessed by God.


One of Charlie's brothers had been estranged from the family for a very long time. There were periods of time where no one in the family knew how to reach him. Through the magic of Facebook he was located and other family member flew him home to see his father before he died. I know my mother-in-law believes Lyle was waiting to see his son before he died. Lyle died mere days later.


Charlie, my husband, is from a very large family. He is the twelfth of fourteen children. Everyone except for a few of the adult grandchildren were able to drop everything and race to Minnesota. Of course, everyone would come, you're thinking, but if you count his siblings and their spouses or fiances and their children and the great-grandchildren then we are talking about nearly 60 people. That is no small feat.


Even in the midst of all the sorrow our family was kind and thoughtful enough to remember Pookie's birthday, which was the day after Lyle Sr. passed away, and bought her a cake.

After the funeral, we all went back to the family home to write thank you notes and simply be together. As dusk fell I looked around at our family spread our before us. My boys and a couple of their cousins were climbing in an apple tree. My teenage nephew was playing with Pookie. Some were outside talking and telling stories. Others put out leftovers so that we could have dinner. It was amazing. If you cast a movie showing family togetherness, this is what it would have looked like.

I love my family and thank God for the reminder that I am truly blessed.