FTDM - fostercare

Nothing like sitting in a meeting concerning two little people's welfare and being constantly referred to as "THE STRANGER" the young parents desperately want their children to avoid living with. Yes, being placed in fostercare is traumatic, Yes, it's unfortunate that the relatives have decided not to take care of the children anymore, but  parents, just think, who brought them into this unlovely situation to begin with? It's tough to go to those meetings. I am not particularly articulate on the fly - never mind in such a stressful environment. I tried to assure them we would love their children and work with them towards reunification.

Drugs and alcohol is at fault here. Interesting family dynamics. Some relatives showed up at the meeting. Great grandparents, aunts.... Great grandpa is a big mouth with lots of threats. There is much anger against the first set of foster parents which is a lovely way to get started.

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The twins were invited to play at Peyton and Gracie's house. Such excitement. Invitations don't come often....  Unfortunately Missy was having a hard time being a part of the family yesterday. She wasn't listening, she was arguing, and manipulating.  I kept trying to salvage the situation but just as we were leaving the lid blew off Mount St. Helens.  That's not much of an exaggeration, either. Vanessa and I were done in by the end of it. I ended up taking her coat and boots back in the house and buckling her in the car without them. I had no choice but to go to the mtg and I had no one to leave her with. Taking her boots and coat would discourage her from doing something stupid like jumping out of the car. Vanessa and I took turns sitting with her. James played in the snow with Peyton and Grace on runner sleds for several hours. They live about two miles from us and we haven't a flake of snow at all, but around the corner in the canyon they do.

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Brianna is in Florida with friends. Some people are just lucky.  :-)

Getting Organized for the New Year

 I'm a real pinterest fan.

It's not just about decorating and finding recipes.

Need help getting organized?

There are tons of ideas and photos to play with.

I have been spending all my spare time getting this family more 

ORGANIZED!

Brianna leaves for Florida and the GYC today... then she'll be back for a week or so

and then she's off to Africa for 5 months,

THUS the clock idea. . .
And I think it's a great one since so much of our family lives over there anyway. 

Don't look at the times. I still need to buy batteries.

The other clock is labeled our town

and I figured if you don't already know which town that is you don't need to :-).

 we have refined and refined James and Missy's schedules and check off pages 

to the point I felt I could make them pretty permanent now.

It has the afternoon schedule on the back.

 It was out with the tree already. 

I love our stick tree... and because there are no needles dropping we usually hold onto it for awhile, but with new babies coming and all... it was time to put the harp in it's proper place.

BUT we couldn't part with the twiggy stars Brianna made for it, yet, 

so we hung them all over the wall.

 If I told you we have well over a hundred geranium plants in various stages of developement

in the house

it just might give you a glimpse into how this strange mind of mine works.

They will be for sale in the spring. :-)

That is the plan for Christina's plane ticket to YFJ this year.

In the mean time, I am making the most of their blooms.

The twins have been great.

It's hard to believe they can be this easy going after the way things were in November.

They can be little stinkers, but as long as we are able to work with them

and redirect them

IT's ALL GOOD.

I received a fitbit flex for Christmas.

So having fun with that.

Trying to make 15000 steps my daily goal.

I found out what a crazy sleeper I am.... 

It's nuts to see that I'm so restless and awake so much 

on a graph!