Week One

 Ava loves to retreat to her own space for a while. We have a recliner in the dining room set up with books and a few special activities like a Leap Pad. One person in that area at a time is my rule. Of course the three bigger kids seem to know how to really annoy each other by trying to hang out there anyway. My sister and brother would probably disagree, but I might have been annoying like that too : )  Sometimes I wish I had some time to curl up in the chair with the rule that no one could bother me while sitting there!

One week in:


So our "new friends" have been with us for one week (In someways it feels like much longer!) I can say that I have learned a TON! I didn't get my weekly cooking time with Ava, but I think with a little planning it can still happen! Each day we get a little more organized. 


Highlights:

• Establishing a routine that helps the day run fairly smoothly
• Learning how to prepare meals for 5 hungry kids and actually being able to sit and eat all together without getting up 500 times
• Having everyone in bed by 8:30 PM (A whole new appreciation for quiet evenings!)
• Sitting down for dinner and seeing our newest little guy (1 1/2) smile and start clapping to the beat of our dinner prayer.  
• Witnessing Ava and Dominic adjust to a very different situation then they are used to. 
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Challenges:

• Keeping my own children's lives as normal as possible with 3 additional children (who require a lot of attention) in our house
• Remembering that I cannot change 4 years of learned behaviors in a week. 
• Having to listen to multiple tantrums a day 
• Our "new friends" love to wake up between 5:30 and 6:00. Ava has spoiled us with all the times she has slept until 8:30. I used to think Dominic woke up early at 6:30! 
• Dealing with homesickness. As a child, I was always so homesick. But, I knew I could always call home, have my parents pick me up, or at least would know why I was away from home and when I would be returning. I can't answer any of those questions for my kiddos. All I can tell them is that we promise to take really good care of them until mommy is able to bring them home. It's so sad. 

Just gotta laugh moments: 

Our first outing was going to mass. 5 kids, 5 car seats. When the last child was buckled, we were on our way. As we were driving Kyle asked if we locked the door. We hadn't even shut the front door. Oops. 

That same afternoon I opened the microwave to find the veggies we never served with dinner the night before. 

Our 1 1/2 year old foster child loves hugs and always wants a hug from Dominic. Dominic can't stand it and makes it known. I think Mr. Huggy does it on purpose. It is really kind of funny.