Hello

Angela, thanks for checking on me.  We are doing okay.  One little one still has more issues than any of the other children in our house.  It makes it difficult some days in our home. 

I typed a post last week, but I haven't had time to finish writing it. 

I will finish it as soon as I sit long enough without interruption. 

Gotcha Day 2013

We were blessed by the addition of

Haylee and Hannah to our family

three years ago today. My, how they have

changed in so many ways in three years.

 

 

What an amazing difference!!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

A New Driver

I can't believe my oldest child is old enough to have a drivers license.  I am very proud of him.  He is taking all of the kids to swim team this afternoon.  I hope I don't have a nervous breakdown!!

Father Daughter Dance

 

My girls went to the annual Father Daughter Dinner/Dance last night. 

They love dressing up and going with their daddy.

They had a wonderful time!

My how they have grown up.  I enjoyed looking back at this post
to see how they have changed.
 

. 

The sweet side...

I read this blog today, http://ouralabamaadventure.blogspot.com/.  Sharon wrote a great description of what we deal with as parents of older adopted children. 

You can link to the blog above and/or read a portion of it here.  This is what I wish people would understand about us instead of judging us.


One of the biggest frustrations we all face, though, is the judgement we get from those around us that don't understand RAD. And let me stop right here and say - if you have done this, don't beat yourself up - everyone does, you are not alone. Heck - >> I << did it, to other parents of RAD kids, before we got ours!!

But our kids' behaviors often come across as sweet and cute to those who don't know them well, or, even, sometimes to those who DO know them pretty well, but don't understand their 'issues'. And our responses, as parents, to those 'sweet and cute' behaviors will often come across as somewhat harsh. It's so tiring to know that people whom I care about sometimes judge me to be part of the problem because I am being 'too harsh' with them. It's a TOUGH style of parenting, and not our first choice of ways to have to treat them, but there are indications that it WORKS, we have SEEN it help in our own kids' lives, so we DO it because we want what is best for our kid. Please don't judge us.

It's also TIRING. And often people don't understand just HOW tiring it is, because when they (KINDly) take our kids for us for short periods of time, the kids are angelic! "What could possibly be so hard about parenting these wonderful children?" But the kids save their 'behaviors' for when other people are not around.

The human spirit is incredibly deeply programmed for survival. And when the psyche is injured at a young age, it becomes VERY defensive by nature and VERY capable of manipulating and playing the situation to it's best advantage. These kids are PROFESSIONALS at this process. They are generally very sweet in public and to those who they do not see on a daily basis. They save their 'behaviors' for those who are trying to get the closest to them, because, deep down inside, they know that we hold the most power to hurt them again. So they work VERY hard at making SURE we can not get close enough to have that power.


Also, Hannah is really wanting to see her birth parents to ask them some questions.  Our counselor suggested she start a journal of what she would like to ask them.  Of course, we are not going to allow her to see them anytime soon.  I hope this journal doesn't become a big ordeal.  She made a few comments about it last night that I am not sure how to take. 

When she first came, if she got in trouble, she would ask to call her foster mother.  We eventually ended that.  Now, if she is in trouble or in the middle of a punishment (ie: no TV) she will tell me she is going to write in her journal to her BP.

Update

Sorry I haven't posted in so long.  We have been really busy around here. 

We finally had Tucker's Eagle Ceremony.  It was a very special time for all of us.  Tucker is in the middle and his brother Alex is next to him.  I believe he will have his Eagle within the next year.

Haylee is trying contacts.  Poor girl, her glasses are so thick for her left eye.  We are trying them for 30 days to make sure she will keep up with them before we purchase any more.  So far she is doing great!  She loves not having to worry about glasses. 

Hannah is doing really well.  We went through a difficult phase, but we are coming out of it, I think.  She still struggles with nightmares.  She only grew one inch in one year.  We did hormone testing and she passed.  So, slow growth and no hormorne deficiency.  Interesting.

Some exciting news is that my parents have purchased a house in my city.  They have sold their house in the city three hours from us.  We are very excited.  My kids are very excited!  I am thrilled because I have never lived in the same city as my parents since I graduated from college.  I am sure they will be a big help to me.

Morgan had her 12th birthday.  I can't believe she is already twelve!! 

Overall, we are all doing well.  We are staying very busy, so I haven't blogged much. 

Tucker is preparing to take the ACT again for college entrance.  I can't believe he only has two more years before he graduates.  He will be sixteen in about a month.  I am not sure I am ready to have a new driver!

My husband is in his new office building which is beautiful.

This is Morgan's birthday cake.  She came up with the design from looking on the internet.  I think is turned out very well.

 

She and her friends made duck tape clothes, purses, crowns and earrings.  They were pretty creative!

 

Below is my mother and my new nephew.

 

My brother and his wife.

 

Tucker, my oldest son.  He just loves taking pictures.

 

Alex and Hannah

 

My dad and Morgan.  As you can tell Morgan loves pink and zebra right now.  The zebra blanket was a birthday give from a friend.  It has an M monogrammed on it. 

 

     My husband and Haylee without her glasses.  She is doing so well.  I believe she is attached and very happy.  She always keeps us laughing.  She is such a joy!