By 7am this morning, Steve had departed for Redfield. He's going to help his mom finish the scraping and priming on her house. Then all that'll be left will be painting and hopefully she can get it on the market. Riley wanted to go and help the guys work, Tayor wanted to go spend time with Grandma Sandy and I gave Steve the choice of taking either Anthony or Zeke. He took Anthony. Both boys together -Zeke & Anthony- can be a handful and I've got a lot to get done this weekend before VBS.
Brittney went 4-wheeling today with a friend so I've just got Zeke and baby Sophia. She's napping right now so I let Zeke watch SpongeBob and I finished up a few things for VBS. And took a few minutes to blog.
Vacation Bible School starts on Sunday evening and I'm in charge of the preschool portion. We've got all the major pieces in place and even the minor pieces. Now it's just the finalization of things that couldn't be done until the last minute. I'm so ready to get the kids and let them have a blast at VBS!
Ok. Babys awake and on my lap so it's a bit harder to type. We'll see how it goes!
Here are some questions people have been asking about the baby and my answers:
What is her name?
Her name is Sophia but I'm not sharing her last name.
How old is she?
She's 7 months old.
How long will you have her?
As with any foster child, we don't know for sure. She could be gone in 10 minutes or she could be here for years. We'll keep her as long as she needs us and DSS (Dept of Social Services) needs a place for her. I do think because of her situation, we'll have her at least a month though.
Why do you have her? What's her situation? Where did she come from?
I can't share any of her history. When we sign on to become foster parents, we become part of the system of confidentiality for the children and parents we serve. It's their story to tell and their choice to tell it or not. I can tell you that we are working with her to help her sit up on her own and helping her to learn to eat baby food. She'll also have a "helmet" sometime in the near future to help shape the back of her head correctly.
Is she sleeping at night?
Yep. I make sure to feed her really well right before bedtime and she sleeps 10pm to 7-8am. I can definitely live with that. A couple of quick half hour naps during the day and she sleeps all night.
Do you need anything?
We've had wonderful friends and relatives who have brought over quite a bit of baby stuff. I think we have everything we need for now. One thing I am still looking for is a little girls swimming suit (size 9 months) in case we go to the pool
G2G (For those of you non-texters, that means Got to Go)
Laundry is calling my name!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Steve in the Dog House
This Blog is written by Steve
Tonight Tricia said she would go mow the field at the church since I will not be here on Sat, so I stayed home with all 6 kids. I had very specific instructions to not let the baby sleep while she was gone. She left about 6 so I got Zeke in the bath and then Anthony. Brittney helped play with Sophia while I got the other kids ready for bed. When I got done, Sophia was just full of laughts and smiles. Then while I sat and talked with Brit on the couch, Sophia fell asleep. I did every this I could to try and wake her, and nothing. Well about 30 mintes later she wakes up. Brittney then changes her diaper and gave her a 6 oz bottle.
Then Tricia comes home and Sophia and I went to look at a possible house here in Brookings for my mom. We then got back home alittle after 10, and Sophia was not ready to go to sleep. She and Tricia were in the rocker and Tricia said I had to do the blog today. AS they say there Sophia was just making all kinds of noises,....and Tricia just look at me at said "I told you NOT to let her go to sleep"
Well its now 10:45 and Sophia is now in bed.....I just might get to sleep in my own bed tonight!
Tonight Tricia said she would go mow the field at the church since I will not be here on Sat, so I stayed home with all 6 kids. I had very specific instructions to not let the baby sleep while she was gone. She left about 6 so I got Zeke in the bath and then Anthony. Brittney helped play with Sophia while I got the other kids ready for bed. When I got done, Sophia was just full of laughts and smiles. Then while I sat and talked with Brit on the couch, Sophia fell asleep. I did every this I could to try and wake her, and nothing. Well about 30 mintes later she wakes up. Brittney then changes her diaper and gave her a 6 oz bottle.
Then Tricia comes home and Sophia and I went to look at a possible house here in Brookings for my mom. We then got back home alittle after 10, and Sophia was not ready to go to sleep. She and Tricia were in the rocker and Tricia said I had to do the blog today. AS they say there Sophia was just making all kinds of noises,....and Tricia just look at me at said "I told you NOT to let her go to sleep"
Well its now 10:45 and Sophia is now in bed.....I just might get to sleep in my own bed tonight!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Baby Sophia
The baby's name is Sophia. She is 7 months old and so cute! I wish I could show you her picture but because she's in our care through DSS (Dept of Social Services), I can't post any pictures. Because of confidentiality, I can't say much about her situation either, but I can tell you that she's been eating well for us and slept through the night last night!
The kids adore her already. Brittney and Taylor have been mothering on her since we got her yesterday. In fact, Brittney fed her last night and then wanted to hold her until she fell asleep.
Today I'm going to attempt to finish the laundry, clean the house, finish some VBS stuff, organize the baby stuff we got last night and make sure Sophia gets plenty of attention. Guess which one will have priority?
The kids adore her already. Brittney and Taylor have been mothering on her since we got her yesterday. In fact, Brittney fed her last night and then wanted to hold her until she fell asleep.
Today I'm going to attempt to finish the laundry, clean the house, finish some VBS stuff, organize the baby stuff we got last night and make sure Sophia gets plenty of attention. Guess which one will have priority?
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
We've Added One
Why is it that when I have the most to say, I have the least amount of time to say it? I'm giving you the short version while Brit's got the baby.
This morning started with working on some VBS at the church and then heading to Sioux Falls since it was my day to drive for the gymnastics car pool. At three o'clock, I received a phone call about taking care of a foster baby. So I picked her up when we got back into town at five and then my brother took us all out for supper. After he and his family left, I headed over to my sister Heather's for a party. Which turned out to be a good thing for a number of reasons. My sister has an infant car seat with a base (social services gave us one but it doesn't have a base) and a few other things that will come in handy. Then my friend Susan said she had lots of clothes/bottles/toys etc that we could use. Steve drove to their house and when he arrived back at home, she had sent lots of adorable clothes and awesome baby things for us to use.
And, by the way, the baby is adorable! More on that later. I can't give any specifics about her situation or post any pictures of her so you'll have to trust me :)
Now I'm headed to bed because, as usual after a night talking with my brother, I didn't get much sleep last night.
This morning started with working on some VBS at the church and then heading to Sioux Falls since it was my day to drive for the gymnastics car pool. At three o'clock, I received a phone call about taking care of a foster baby. So I picked her up when we got back into town at five and then my brother took us all out for supper. After he and his family left, I headed over to my sister Heather's for a party. Which turned out to be a good thing for a number of reasons. My sister has an infant car seat with a base (social services gave us one but it doesn't have a base) and a few other things that will come in handy. Then my friend Susan said she had lots of clothes/bottles/toys etc that we could use. Steve drove to their house and when he arrived back at home, she had sent lots of adorable clothes and awesome baby things for us to use.
And, by the way, the baby is adorable! More on that later. I can't give any specifics about her situation or post any pictures of her so you'll have to trust me :)
Now I'm headed to bed because, as usual after a night talking with my brother, I didn't get much sleep last night.
Monday, July 26, 2010
We're Back!
I'd love write about the great experiences at Camp K but right now I've got quite a few children who had a weekend of disregulated late nights and add to that we stopped to see Anthony's foster parents on the way home.
I've had quite a bit of chaos since we got home last night. Right now, I have one kid at gymnastics, one sitting right beside me in time out, one taping papers on the walls all over the house, one crying/screaming in his room and one playing battleship with the neighbor girl from down the street. I came home to a wonderfully clean house - thanks to my amazing mother-in-law- and my kids have managed to make it into a disaster in just a few short hours.
Hopefully I'll get a bit more computer time after the kids are in bed tonight :)
I've had quite a bit of chaos since we got home last night. Right now, I have one kid at gymnastics, one sitting right beside me in time out, one taping papers on the walls all over the house, one crying/screaming in his room and one playing battleship with the neighbor girl from down the street. I came home to a wonderfully clean house - thanks to my amazing mother-in-law- and my kids have managed to make it into a disaster in just a few short hours.
Hopefully I'll get a bit more computer time after the kids are in bed tonight :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thunderstorm
I'm sitting at the computer in the middle of a thunderstorm at Camp K. We turned on the computer to check the doppler and I decided to blog for just a second. It was a great night at camp so far but I'd tell you much more interesting things if I hadn't just had to calm 5 children and get them to sleep in the midst of thunder and lightning.
They told us we were in a flash flood warning and the kids panicked again. I explained to them that we're basically on a hill and water runs downward not upward. A little while later, it started raining really, really hard and then water started pouring in under our door. We used our swimming towels to try to stop the flow and I think it might be calming down a bit now. Or maybe not. We still have power anyway. Which is more than I can say for my folks at home. My mom just texted me saying they were in the basement and their lights had just gone off.
I guess I'll go to bed now that the kids are all asleep. That way, when the power goes off, I won't even know the difference!
They told us we were in a flash flood warning and the kids panicked again. I explained to them that we're basically on a hill and water runs downward not upward. A little while later, it started raining really, really hard and then water started pouring in under our door. We used our swimming towels to try to stop the flow and I think it might be calming down a bit now. Or maybe not. We still have power anyway. Which is more than I can say for my folks at home. My mom just texted me saying they were in the basement and their lights had just gone off.
I guess I'll go to bed now that the kids are all asleep. That way, when the power goes off, I won't even know the difference!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Love & Marriage
A brief thought from one of my friends. I'm not sure who originally said it and since she posted it on facebook, it could have come from anywhere.
"If love is a commitment & marriage is an institution.....who wants to be committed to an institution?"
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Camp Adventure
I just dropped Zeke off at Camp Adventure. What is Camp Adventure, you ask? Let me tell you. It's awesome from a kid's perspective and a parent's perspective. It is a week-long day camp for children with special needs. I drop him off every day this week at 9am and pick him up at 4pm. Here are the activities that they participate in:
Monday - They went to the SDSU horse barn and rode horses. In the afternoon, they had a scavenger hunt at the park. Later, they made some really cool crafts and then played in the gym.
Tuesday - They wore their swimming suits and went to Sioux Falls. First they played at a park, then they played at the Spray Park. After a sack lunch, they attended a magic show followed by a couple of hours at All American Gymnastics Academy.
Wednesday - Today they are doing some crafts and playing in the gym until they leave for a Trent farm. Once there, they'll have hayrides, fishing, horses, a petting zoo and a campfire lunch complete with s'mores.
Thursday - Tomorrow they'll get some more time to play in the gym and then head to the swimming pool. After lunch, they'll go on a nature walk, followed by arts & crafts and kite making. Later, they'll fly the kites they made and then play kickball.
Friday - The last day is Pajama Day. They'll play in the gym, do arts & crafts and then have breakfast for lunch. After eating, they'll watch a movie and have a popcorn party. Finally, they end the day with a dance party.
What a great week!
Zeke is again at a stage where his determination, strength and size make him want to do things he sees others do. Sometimes this is a good thing, like when he's determined to play soccer with his siblings. And sometimes it's a bad thing, like when he's determined to try to use the stove when I'm folding laundry in the bedroom. I'm finding that I have to keep an eye on him all the time again like I did when he was younger.
So Camp Adventure is an especially welcome break for an overworked mom :)
Monday - They went to the SDSU horse barn and rode horses. In the afternoon, they had a scavenger hunt at the park. Later, they made some really cool crafts and then played in the gym.
Tuesday - They wore their swimming suits and went to Sioux Falls. First they played at a park, then they played at the Spray Park. After a sack lunch, they attended a magic show followed by a couple of hours at All American Gymnastics Academy.
Wednesday - Today they are doing some crafts and playing in the gym until they leave for a Trent farm. Once there, they'll have hayrides, fishing, horses, a petting zoo and a campfire lunch complete with s'mores.
Thursday - Tomorrow they'll get some more time to play in the gym and then head to the swimming pool. After lunch, they'll go on a nature walk, followed by arts & crafts and kite making. Later, they'll fly the kites they made and then play kickball.
Friday - The last day is Pajama Day. They'll play in the gym, do arts & crafts and then have breakfast for lunch. After eating, they'll watch a movie and have a popcorn party. Finally, they end the day with a dance party.
What a great week!
Zeke is again at a stage where his determination, strength and size make him want to do things he sees others do. Sometimes this is a good thing, like when he's determined to play soccer with his siblings. And sometimes it's a bad thing, like when he's determined to try to use the stove when I'm folding laundry in the bedroom. I'm finding that I have to keep an eye on him all the time again like I did when he was younger.
So Camp Adventure is an especially welcome break for an overworked mom :)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Looooong Day!
Today was a tough day. My friend took Anthony and Taylor with her to visit her brother. I dropped Riley off at the Club, took Zeke to Camp Adventure and then took Brittney to the church to clean toys. Once everyone was taken care of, I drove to the Social Services office for PPRT meetings. The meetings ended up lasting from this morning until 3pm. We worked right through lunch but we got a lot accomplished.
I've mentioned it in the past, but just as a refresher, PPRT stands for Permanancy Planning Review Team. I'm on the team the reviews each and every case of children who have been in foster care for longer than 6 months. We meet once a month and go over each case individually. Those of us on the team are included in each case but various other people come and go depending on the meeting. Anyone who has a vested interest in that particular case is invited to that meeting. So, for example, one meeting might have a lawyer for the mom, a lawyer for the dad, a lawyer for the child, a CASA worker for the child, therapists, mom, dad, foster parents, any relatives that want to participate and the child's social worker. The next case might have just those of us on the PPRT and the social worker.
Sometimes the cases are so heartwrenching that I just wish I could wave my magic wand and go back in time to help these kids before it's too late. By the time these kids reach 16-18 years old and have been bounced around without a loving environment, it's pretty much too late. I have too much faith to say that it's ever officially too late, but the older the child, the less chance they have of making it in society.
I wish I could share some of the stories that I went through today but because of confidentiality issues, I can't. What I can say is that all of the kids touch my heart but there was one especially that nearly ripped it in two. It brought up so many feelings in me because of my boys adoption and also my own adoption and struggle to find my fit into my own biological family.
Steve and I have committed to keeping our boys in touch with their biological relatives as much as we can because we both feel that it's healthier for them both now and in the long run. And no matter what a piece of paper says about a "termination of parental rights", a grandparent is still a grandparent and a mom is still a mom at heart. To me, it's not a legal issue so much as it is a heart issue. If a person wants to be a grandparent then they should remain a grandparent. Adoption doesn't change that. And if an adoptive parent thinks it does, then that parent might be in for a shock someday when their child grows up.
That being said, a child can never have too much love. What a great experience for a child to grow up in a safe and loving environment and still know there are others out there who love them. No matter what the law says or what a piece of paper says, you know who loves you, whether you have the same blood or not.
This was pretty rambly and I'm not even sure it accurately says what I was wanting it to say. But after the emotionally exhausting day that I had, I'm not going back to delete it now :)
I've mentioned it in the past, but just as a refresher, PPRT stands for Permanancy Planning Review Team. I'm on the team the reviews each and every case of children who have been in foster care for longer than 6 months. We meet once a month and go over each case individually. Those of us on the team are included in each case but various other people come and go depending on the meeting. Anyone who has a vested interest in that particular case is invited to that meeting. So, for example, one meeting might have a lawyer for the mom, a lawyer for the dad, a lawyer for the child, a CASA worker for the child, therapists, mom, dad, foster parents, any relatives that want to participate and the child's social worker. The next case might have just those of us on the PPRT and the social worker.
Sometimes the cases are so heartwrenching that I just wish I could wave my magic wand and go back in time to help these kids before it's too late. By the time these kids reach 16-18 years old and have been bounced around without a loving environment, it's pretty much too late. I have too much faith to say that it's ever officially too late, but the older the child, the less chance they have of making it in society.
I wish I could share some of the stories that I went through today but because of confidentiality issues, I can't. What I can say is that all of the kids touch my heart but there was one especially that nearly ripped it in two. It brought up so many feelings in me because of my boys adoption and also my own adoption and struggle to find my fit into my own biological family.
Steve and I have committed to keeping our boys in touch with their biological relatives as much as we can because we both feel that it's healthier for them both now and in the long run. And no matter what a piece of paper says about a "termination of parental rights", a grandparent is still a grandparent and a mom is still a mom at heart. To me, it's not a legal issue so much as it is a heart issue. If a person wants to be a grandparent then they should remain a grandparent. Adoption doesn't change that. And if an adoptive parent thinks it does, then that parent might be in for a shock someday when their child grows up.
That being said, a child can never have too much love. What a great experience for a child to grow up in a safe and loving environment and still know there are others out there who love them. No matter what the law says or what a piece of paper says, you know who loves you, whether you have the same blood or not.
This was pretty rambly and I'm not even sure it accurately says what I was wanting it to say. But after the emotionally exhausting day that I had, I'm not going back to delete it now :)
Riley
Riley got in trouble for fighting yesterday at the Boys & Girls Club. And it wasn't just a friendly wrestling match. But I can't stay home with him today and be a good parent because I've got meetings all day. Although I just got a phone call that our first two meetings were canceled, so instead of starting at 9am, I don't have to be there until 9:45.
Maybe I'll be a good parent tomorrow. Now that I think about it, it's probably better that he's back at the Club today. It gives me a day to cool down and process how to proceed with him.
He brought me a note last night that said:
to: mom From: Riley
Sorray for fighting
bdo you Forgive me
yes/no
I (insert the heart he drew here) U
***********************************
What's not to love about that?
Maybe I'll be a good parent tomorrow. Now that I think about it, it's probably better that he's back at the Club today. It gives me a day to cool down and process how to proceed with him.
He brought me a note last night that said:
to: mom From: Riley
Sorr
yes/no
I (insert the heart he drew here) U
***********************************
What's not to love about that?
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wonderful Friendships
Sunday, July 18, 2010
2010 Manuel Torres Memorial at Black Hills Speedway
Parts of an article from the Rapid City Journal about my grandpa:
Manuel 'Mel' Torres loved racing, and he loved watching his sons and grandsons behind the wheel. It was two years ago today that Torres, 77, of Rapid City, died of complications from cancer, and tonight the Torres family will honor its patriarch with the Mel Torres Memorial at Black Hills Speedway.
The event is a tribute to Mel's generosity to the racing community over the years, said oldest son Dennis, of Rapid City. This race is not about us. It's about him. If anyone knew Dad, he helped out a lot of people. If anyone needed a part or something they could always come to him. He'd been around there for so long and people knew him because of that.
Mel Torres was also instrumental in the local boxing communiy. He won the 1949 Golden Gloves state championship and started the Rapid City Boxing club with his brother John.
They coached seven RCBC teams to Midwest Golden Gloves State Championships over their 23 years of coaching and were inducted into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.
Mel started his racing career in 1964 as a pit crewmn for driver Jim Esmay. He later teamed with Bob Mallow and Jasper Rioux and raced until 1971.
The first Torres race car was a Studebaker originally driven by Esmay and carrying the number 99. Torres added a "1" to the number, and 199 became his trademark.
In later years, with Mel's health deteriorating, he still helped the family's racing efforts and didn't hesitate to inspire the boys to greater efforts.
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The kids watching the cars warm up.
They loved wearing their T-Shirts honoring their great grandpa.
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Some of the family waiting for the races to start.
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Riley & the Duck
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My cousin Branden's car.
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My cousin Tim's car.
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Brittney by my uncle Toby's car.
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Can you tell my brother Jody worked on cars in the pits?
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Riley's first time in a race car .
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Brittney Says
Proof that my pre-teen still needs me:
Brittney: "Mom. I need your help."
Me: "Oh."
Brittney: "I sent you a request."
Me: "Really? What do you need help with?"
Brittney: "I need you to answer questions on Family Feud on Facebook so I can win."
Brittney: "Mom. I need your help."
Me: "Oh."
Brittney: "I sent you a request."
Me: "Really? What do you need help with?"
Brittney: "I need you to answer questions on Family Feud on Facebook so I can win."
Saturday, July 17, 2010
38 Hours and Counting
Now up to hour 38 with no more sleep. I'm starting to fade into extreme tiredness but I had a great day. I think I shall go watch the storm now.
I'm Just a Bit Tired
Half hour of sleep in the last 30 hours and now I'm off to Minnesota to lunch with some great friends from long ago. Lots of pictures and stories from the last 30 hours that will be posted later. Thankfully, Nan is driving this morning!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Trivia
Just thought you'd like to know, I learned yesterday, thanks to my friend's husband and his texting, that there is only one letter difference between my name and a collection of insignificant or obscure items/information.
T r i c i a
T r i v i a
Pastor Rick Says
Thoughts worth sharing from Pastor Rick:
*Has God given you a dream?
*Are you living that dream out? Or have you put it on hold? If you've put it on hold, why? Are you on the path to that dream?
*Are you in the position that God has for you? Are you influencing those around you? Are you using your gifts to spread grace?
*Are you pursuing what God has for you, or wasting time filling your life with trivial pursuits?
*Has God given you a dream?
*Are you living that dream out? Or have you put it on hold? If you've put it on hold, why? Are you on the path to that dream?
*Are you in the position that God has for you? Are you influencing those around you? Are you using your gifts to spread grace?
*Are you pursuing what God has for you, or wasting time filling your life with trivial pursuits?
Road Trips
Busy day tomorrow. I'll take Zeke to school by 8am, drop Anthony off at my sister Heather's place, meet Taylor's Flip For Friday group at the church to drop her off, pick up Zeke and take him to the Boys & Girls club and then be back at our house by 9am to meet my friend Jen. She's offered to roadtrip with me to Rapid City for the day/night.
It'll be a really quick trip. We should be in Rapid by mid afternoon and be able to catch up with some friends and relatives and then we'll head to the Black Hills Speedway in the evening where they're having the Manuel Torres memorial race. Some of my relatives are racing and the evening is in honor of my grandpa (My biological mom's dad) who passed away. Lots of relatives are getting together so it should be a fun evening, even if I can't stay too long. Jen & I will need to head out of town by 1am so that I can be back home by 9am to head with another friend to Minnesota. (More on that trip later)
My brother left this morning for Rapid with 3 of his kids and Riley and I'll catch up with them tomorrow. Early Saturday, Steve's heading to his mom's for the weekend to help her scrape and paint her house. (More on that later, too!)
Summer is killing me as far as blogging goes. I still don't have a working battery on my laptop so I have to keep it plugged in. I used to be able to take the computer outside and work while the kids were playing but now I'm tethered to the office so I try not to spend too much time in here.
It'll be a really quick trip. We should be in Rapid by mid afternoon and be able to catch up with some friends and relatives and then we'll head to the Black Hills Speedway in the evening where they're having the Manuel Torres memorial race. Some of my relatives are racing and the evening is in honor of my grandpa (My biological mom's dad) who passed away. Lots of relatives are getting together so it should be a fun evening, even if I can't stay too long. Jen & I will need to head out of town by 1am so that I can be back home by 9am to head with another friend to Minnesota. (More on that trip later)
My brother left this morning for Rapid with 3 of his kids and Riley and I'll catch up with them tomorrow. Early Saturday, Steve's heading to his mom's for the weekend to help her scrape and paint her house. (More on that later, too!)
Summer is killing me as far as blogging goes. I still don't have a working battery on my laptop so I have to keep it plugged in. I used to be able to take the computer outside and work while the kids were playing but now I'm tethered to the office so I try not to spend too much time in here.
Playground Fun
I let the kids play on the school playground while Zeke had his hour of therapies this morning.
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David
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Anthony
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Taylor & Kassy
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Anthony
Family :)
My brother Jody running the grill while Steve looks over his shoulder.
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Riley & cousin Alex playing baseball
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My nephew Jake putting together a puzzle
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No family get-together is complete without watermelon!
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And the next morning, Uncle Jody got up early and made bacon, hashbrowns, and made-to-order omelets for everyone.
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Yay!!!
Yay!!! My brother's coming back tomorrow! And he's bringing his kids! He's only been gone a week and I miss him already. :)
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Also, we received some great meat from some special friends and some blueberries from grandparents. Thanks God for providing the special people in our lives who help provide for our needs. It's amazing how people come along side us at just the right moment.
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Also, we received some great meat from some special friends and some blueberries from grandparents. Thanks God for providing the special people in our lives who help provide for our needs. It's amazing how people come along side us at just the right moment.
Monday, July 12, 2010
New Arrival
Congratulations to my cousin Kerry, her husband Luke and their son Josh on the arrival of the newest member of the family!!! Rachel was born yesterday and, from the pictures I've seen so far, is definitely adorable!
This is my aunt Patsy with her newest grandchild Rachel :)
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Sunday, July 11, 2010
My Argument with God
It's been three weeks of workouts at 5:30am on weekdays. That means that on the weekends my body is generally awake by 5:30 just because I'm used to it. Church doesn't start until 9am, so I guess that means you'll have to bear with me as I blog for a bit.
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Brittney was having a good day on Friday. By good day, I mean she was fun-loving and getting along with her siblings and parents. She needed to get a gift for a birthday party she was attending on Saturday, so I took her to Walmart. On the way into the parking lot, we passed a man standing behind his car with a sign that read, "Stranded. Trying to get home to Willeston, ND. Will Work."
I wanted to do something to help him but I have very little money. There was a mental discussion/argument running through my head that went something like this:
God: "You really should help him.
Me: But I'm not sure I have enough money to put gas in my own tank.
God: I've asked you to help others in need.
Me: But I'm sure someone else will help him. Someone with more to give.
God: I'm not asking someone else. I'm asking you.
Me: But what about the bills I have at home?
God: Freely you have received, freely give.
Me: But I hardly have anything.
God: Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.
Me: But my mom says strangers can be dangerous.
God: Don't you trust Me to take care of you?
Me: But my mom says he probably won't use the money for gas anyway.
God: What he does doesn't concern you. What you do concerns Me.
Me: He probably won't even be there when we come out of Walmart.
God: There he is. Waiting.
So Brittney and I drove up to the stranger from North Dakota. As we were pulling up, another young man walked up and handed the man some cash. That would have been my perfect excuse to drive away. But I didn't. I rolled down my window and asked if he needed gas. He responded with a shy smile and a nod. I told him to follow me to the gas station down the street and I would fill up his tank.
I used my debit card to fill his car with gas. As he pumped the gas, we visited. He was a christian and on his way back from Florida. His fuel pump had gone out and the parts and labor to fix the car had taken up the rest of his money. We had a great visit. Before we parted, I gave him some bottled water I had in the back of my van. He thanked me, said "God bless!" and went on his way. And, as it turns out, another good samaritan had come along with a can of gas and put it in his tank right before I came out of Walmart. So the fill up was only $21 on my card.
.
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Brittney was having a good day on Friday. By good day, I mean she was fun-loving and getting along with her siblings and parents. She needed to get a gift for a birthday party she was attending on Saturday, so I took her to Walmart. On the way into the parking lot, we passed a man standing behind his car with a sign that read, "Stranded. Trying to get home to Willeston, ND. Will Work."
I wanted to do something to help him but I have very little money. There was a mental discussion/argument running through my head that went something like this:
God: "You really should help him.
Me: But I'm not sure I have enough money to put gas in my own tank.
God: I've asked you to help others in need.
Me: But I'm sure someone else will help him. Someone with more to give.
God: I'm not asking someone else. I'm asking you.
Me: But what about the bills I have at home?
God: Freely you have received, freely give.
Me: But I hardly have anything.
God: Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.
Me: But my mom says strangers can be dangerous.
God: Don't you trust Me to take care of you?
Me: But my mom says he probably won't use the money for gas anyway.
God: What he does doesn't concern you. What you do concerns Me.
Me: He probably won't even be there when we come out of Walmart.
God: There he is. Waiting.
So Brittney and I drove up to the stranger from North Dakota. As we were pulling up, another young man walked up and handed the man some cash. That would have been my perfect excuse to drive away. But I didn't. I rolled down my window and asked if he needed gas. He responded with a shy smile and a nod. I told him to follow me to the gas station down the street and I would fill up his tank.
I used my debit card to fill his car with gas. As he pumped the gas, we visited. He was a christian and on his way back from Florida. His fuel pump had gone out and the parts and labor to fix the car had taken up the rest of his money. We had a great visit. Before we parted, I gave him some bottled water I had in the back of my van. He thanked me, said "God bless!" and went on his way. And, as it turns out, another good samaritan had come along with a can of gas and put it in his tank right before I came out of Walmart. So the fill up was only $21 on my card.
.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Rejection
REJECTION: Keeping You In and Others Out
Henry W. Wright
"Rejection says that you are not accepted of God, and in order to be accepted of God you have to be accepted of men first. It sets man as your god by declaring that who you are and who you are not rests on a human who accepts you or does not accept you.
When people are delivered from rejection, they remember when they were rejected but they no longer have the feeling or the pain. When you have not been delivered from rejection, you have the memory and you have the pain. You think it in your head and you feel it in your spirit."
The Lemonade Stand
I took one look out my window this morning and decided that I better head to the church to get the mowing done in case it rained. I fed the two kids who were awake already and made it to the church by 6:30am. Meanwhile, a couple of hours later, back at the house, Riley and Taylor decided to have a lemonade stand. They were shut down rather abruptly by Steve, who wanted to help mow at the church.
When I finished mowing at 11:30, we all came home and the stand started up again. I wasn't really paying much attention to them since I was busy making lunch. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered what they were using to serve the lemonade. I asked Brittney and she said they were using our cups. I looked out the window, and sure enough, they were serving the lemonade in our plastic kid cups. I was about to holler out the door and tell them that they should be using disposable cups when I noticed a car pull up. The customers ordered two glasses of lemonade. Taylor poured the juice and Riley took the cups to the car. Then he patiently waited until they drank all their lemonade and asked them for the cups back.
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At that point, I was ready to splurge and buy them some styrofoam cups for a dollar. But before I could say anything, Taylor turned on the garden hose and started hosing down the cups they had been using! She was getting ready for the next round of customers.
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That was the fastest HyVee run I've done in quite a while. All in all, they had a pretty good day. They had lots of customers and made a little over $24.
When I finished mowing at 11:30, we all came home and the stand started up again. I wasn't really paying much attention to them since I was busy making lunch. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered what they were using to serve the lemonade. I asked Brittney and she said they were using our cups. I looked out the window, and sure enough, they were serving the lemonade in our plastic kid cups. I was about to holler out the door and tell them that they should be using disposable cups when I noticed a car pull up. The customers ordered two glasses of lemonade. Taylor poured the juice and Riley took the cups to the car. Then he patiently waited until they drank all their lemonade and asked them for the cups back.
.
At that point, I was ready to splurge and buy them some styrofoam cups for a dollar. But before I could say anything, Taylor turned on the garden hose and started hosing down the cups they had been using! She was getting ready for the next round of customers.
.
That was the fastest HyVee run I've done in quite a while. All in all, they had a pretty good day. They had lots of customers and made a little over $24.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Taylor Says
Taylor is a seven year old girl who has told me daily for the last week that she is growing up because "there is hair growing in my armpits."
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Trust me, there is as much hair under her arms as there is on Steve's head. And that's pretty much nothing :)
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Trust me, there is as much hair under her arms as there is on Steve's head. And that's pretty much nothing :)
Riley at Camp
Riley headed out to Kids' Camp in Rapid City on Monday.
He got to go out a day early with Grandma & Grandpa since Grandma had to be out there early with the councilors. Riley's having a great time. He's not going to want to come home.
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Grandma Connie sent me some camp pictures from her phone.
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Here's one of Grandpa Larry and Riley.
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The famous Miss Deb and Riley
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Having fun playing some kind of game.
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I can't believe you're taking my picture again!
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Ground Breaking
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The following is a note from my sister Heather.
I thought I'd share it in case anyone in the area can help out:
Dear friends,
My husband Dan and I have been fortunate to qualify for a habitat home and are asking for your help. Construction should begin around the 3rd week of July; we are behind schedule a month because of rain.
Would you help us by volunteering your time? We need to have help from 9 am-4 pm or 5 pm-9 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday and Saturday 9 am-4 pm. Habitat needs 2 weeks lead time for their scheduling, so call me with your possible scheduling times. Projects include reading a 10 minute devotional when the Care-A-Van'ers* (see note below) are there, providing meals for the workers and working directly on the house, which all counts toward the 100 hours that family and friends can contribute to habitat on our behalf. Dan and I need to complete 500 hours total.
*Care-A-Van'ers come the first two weeks of each month from 7 am-3 pm, so during the month of August or September (whichever month they work on our home), we'll only need your help from 5-9 or on Saturday.
If you can commit to some of these times, would you email Heather at heatherdubro@yahoo.com or Dan at dubrodaniel@yahoo.com by July 16th.
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Zeke's Appointments
Our son Zeke had SDR surgery in the fall of 2008. I could go into a lot of detail but basically, the surgeon made an incision in his spine and stimulated all the nerve endings in his lower back. Any nerve that didn't do what it was supposed to was severed. He and I spent 7 weeks in the hospital with spectacular results. Before the surgery, his leg muscles were so tight that it was hard for him to walk correctly and he couldn't stand by himself. Now he continues to amaze us with his abilities.
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We went back to St Paul for a gait analysis a year after his surgery to see how he was progressing and to possibly schedule his orthopedic surgery. Although he was doing really well at that time, the doctor wanted him to be a bit stronger before attempting the next surgery.
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The next step is that Zeke and I are headed to St Paul in August for a two day Gait Analysis. The physical part of the analysis is on the 12th and then we'll meet with the surgeon for a review and consultation on the 13th.
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Yesterday I received the call scheduling his orthopedic surgery. It will be on Wednesday September 29th at 8:00am. The previous surgery helped with the tightness in his muscles, while this surgery will correct the bone issues. He will have 2 pediatric orthopedic surgeons, one on each side of his body, who will work on his hips, knees, ankles and feet. It will require a 5+ day hospital stay (which is nothing compared to our 7 week stay last time :) and then he will most likely be in a half-body cast for 6-8 weeks. We'll be renting a wheelchair from Sioux Falls again when we get home.
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It'll be interesting to see how it will all work out but the goal is for this to be the final surgery.
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We went back to St Paul for a gait analysis a year after his surgery to see how he was progressing and to possibly schedule his orthopedic surgery. Although he was doing really well at that time, the doctor wanted him to be a bit stronger before attempting the next surgery.
.
The next step is that Zeke and I are headed to St Paul in August for a two day Gait Analysis. The physical part of the analysis is on the 12th and then we'll meet with the surgeon for a review and consultation on the 13th.
.
Yesterday I received the call scheduling his orthopedic surgery. It will be on Wednesday September 29th at 8:00am. The previous surgery helped with the tightness in his muscles, while this surgery will correct the bone issues. He will have 2 pediatric orthopedic surgeons, one on each side of his body, who will work on his hips, knees, ankles and feet. It will require a 5+ day hospital stay (which is nothing compared to our 7 week stay last time :) and then he will most likely be in a half-body cast for 6-8 weeks. We'll be renting a wheelchair from Sioux Falls again when we get home.
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It'll be interesting to see how it will all work out but the goal is for this to be the final surgery.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Truck Fire
My brother had a little excitement yesterday. He's been helping my friend Jen's folks get their hay finished. While Jen and I were running an errand out of town, Jen received a picture from her mom which freaked us out a little. The big truck that they were using started on fire. Jen's dad had been driving it home when the fire started. He was able to jump out when he saw the flames and tried to put it out with the fire extinguisher. Thankfully, no one was hurt but the truck was a total loss.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Brittney Says
When my nephew Coby comes over, all the kids love to play with him. Brittney was getting frustrated that they were all crowding right behind him all the time. She finally said, "He's not Jesus! He doesn't need 12 followers!"
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Isn't Parenting Fun?
When Steve and I mow at the church every week, we usually let the kids play on the playground. Today Brittney was on the computer and Taylor was shopping with Grandma Sandy, so I took just the three boys. Steve came a hour later and was using the push mower when Riley and Anthony came running up to him. They told him that Zeke had broken a window. Turns out that all three boys had been throwing rocks (which we've repeated told them not too) and Zeke hit a downstairs church window. Since they were all involved, they all three got in trouble.
*They weren't able to play on the playground while they waited for us to finish the mowing.
*They'll have to apologize to someone in charge at the church.
*They'll need to ask how much a window costs and work at the church the equivalent number of hours in order to pay for the window.
Isn't parenting fun?
*They weren't able to play on the playground while they waited for us to finish the mowing.
*They'll have to apologize to someone in charge at the church.
*They'll need to ask how much a window costs and work at the church the equivalent number of hours in order to pay for the window.
Isn't parenting fun?
Brittney Says
The kids love it when Grandma Sandy stays with us because, among other things, she makes them eggs for breakfast. This morning after Riley had eaten his two eggs, he requested more. But he said that he was going to be sick because he had eaten too much yolk.
Brittney responded with, "If I was magic, I would turn you into a baby duck inside an egg because all they have to eat is yolk!"
Brittney responded with, "If I was magic, I would turn you into a baby duck inside an egg because all they have to eat is yolk!"
Friday, July 2, 2010
Tough Stuff
One of the hardest things about blogging about my life is that it intersects with so many other people's lives. I feel comfortable sharing about what I think and feel yet I want to be very careful about revealing too much of other people's private lives. That being said, a few people in our lives are going through extremely tough situations right now. I was just made aware of another one today. And it might mean some more changes in our lives. But that's ok with me!
Anthony Says
The discussion in the back of the van on the way to Zeke's school this morning had to do with being fat. I'm not sure exactly how it got started but the ending was great. Anthony claimed that he wasn't fat. Zeke asked him what was fat and Anthony responded by saying that it's when your tummy sticks way out. He then proceeded to list people who were fat. I won't name any names :) But then he said, "I'm skinny, Riley's skinny, Brittney's skinny, Taylor's skinny and mom's skinny."
"Bless you, Anthony!"
"Bless you, Anthony!"
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Great Day
The day just kept getting better and better! It started with my mom bringing over a container of fresh cherries, which the kids devoured today. After Zeke was done with school for the day, all the kids except Brittney went to baseball camp for a couple of hours. Then we invited Anthony's best friend from preschool over to play so I took everyone to the pool after lunch.
My brother gave me grocery money, so along with my regular groceries, I bought him the ingredients for his Seafood Tortillini with Alfredo. Which he made us for supper tonight! I can't even begin to describe how incredible it tastes. He even made a plain linguini alfredo for the kids that didn't want the 'good stuff''. Now Jody and Steve are out fixing the soffet on our roof over the front door.
Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my brother?!!
My brother gave me grocery money, so along with my regular groceries, I bought him the ingredients for his Seafood Tortillini with Alfredo. Which he made us for supper tonight! I can't even begin to describe how incredible it tastes. He even made a plain linguini alfredo for the kids that didn't want the 'good stuff''. Now Jody and Steve are out fixing the soffet on our roof over the front door.
Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my brother?!!
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