Correspondance with Sonja's Dad

Sonja's dad emailed me today. His name is Paul (the pics are of him and Sonja and him, Sonja and Sonja's mom's mom). He is a "computer guy" in Austria. He seems very nice. It's great to get to talk to the parents! I can only imagine the position they are in. Sending your child to live with a stranger for a year. Heck, I have a hard time sending my kids to my friends' house for the afternoon! Although, that's mainly because my children are crazy and I'd like to continue having friends! BWahahahah!

Having done this exchange program twice now, I get the impression that teenagers are a bit more "grown up" in every other country. By 16 they should know what they want to do and have their lives planned out. The moment they turn 18 they should have their college started and careers on track. Carolina is off in college already! Living hours away from her parents. Other countries don't seem to "baby" their kids like we Americans do. The kids have been in school since 2 or 3 years old, learning to write and academics (multiple languages!!!!! hard math from early on! You should see these kids' report card and course loads!)-not just play. Ben is 9 years old (will be 10 in October), I can't see him deciding his life and being ready to support himself and/or a family in just 7-8 years. Are they too hard on their kids? Are we to easy on ours? The girls are expected to work and be just as productive and successful as the guys-which I think is good.

I personally just always expected to grow up and be a mom and wife. NOW! There are times I wish I enjoyed my single life, instead of searching for a husband. I wish I had enjoyed my childless days. Instead of being overwhelmed by chores and daily tasks that take forever, because everyone needs multiple things all at once. There are days I dream of peace quiet, no fighting, sleeping in, etc. I tried to urge Maialen and Carolina to take their time. Enjoy life, don't seek to rush into marriage or family life. I can only hope they listen! I hope Sonja sees that too.

I really enjoyed my time with the teen girls. Talking after kids went to bed, helping with homework, them working with me in the kitchen and introducing them to making gingerbread houses and cooking, and playdoh and goop, waking up and running out in your PJS after a night of snow and throwing snowballs. It was a little overwhelming with two...so I'm really looking forward to doing these things with Sonja one on one. Having one on one time from the beginning! I hope I can bring honor to her father and her mother's memory! And I hope too, that it will help me appreciate Christianna being little. Soon Christi will be a teenager!!!!! As much as I want to kill her several times a day, she is sooooooooo adorable and little and cuddly. Free with the kisses. I pray for a good experience this year and that Sonja and we are all truly blessed. That God is honored and Sonja's dad is at ease with her placement in our family. That the family meshes well together and Sonja's adjustment is easy. Please pray for us as we enter this endeavor.

4th of July!

Happy Birthday America! "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" Proverbs 14:34. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 Pray for our nation-leaders, our church, ourselves. God can use HIS people to make our nation great. The sin of individuals affects the entire nation. God's people must take responsibility for our nation.

Today is another one of those "bittersweet" holidays. Fourth of July, I believe, truly was my dad's favorite holiday! The fact that they are illegal in Illinois, was of no consequence to him. He was a pyromaniac! We would go to the parade in the morning and watch him blow off fireworks in the night (then run from the cops!). My darling husband, loves it just as much!

A few days before hand, our friend Lea mentioned going to Haysville to watch fireworks (we'd never been!) and did anyone want to join...well, David is home (not deployed and it's a Saturday, so he he doesn't have to work) to do the driving (30 minutes), so I said we'd love to join them! We had no other plans. Then another friend asked our plans a couple days after that, so we told them about Haysville and said we'd love if they could join. So Saturday we had a leisurely morning and then worked on the basement (where we listened to patriotic and "Indepedence day themed" songs on the radio all afternoon). About 5pm (time to start getting ready to go out for the evening), I came upstairs and Lea had messaged me on facebook saying her cat went into labor, they weren't gonna make it. We called the other set of friends and asked if we could meet later (we were working hard on the basement). They made it about 7/730pm and we joined about 830pm. We stopped at a fireworks place on the way!!!! They allow everything in Haysville! So we arrived in Haysville...the sky was lit up. The citizens were having huge parties and doing their own shows. It was amazing to see their "stash" strewn across their yards! We just went to a public park to watch the town fireworks. It was not busy or crowded at all. It was like we were transported to a whole different place! It was awesome! Why wouldn't EVERYONE flock here?

Shortly after we arrived and started doing a little bit of fireworks, the friend who's cat went into labor and had 5 kittens...arrived! YEA! So we talked about kitties and then continued with fireworks. I was trying to take pictures and the kids and David were doing the Roman Candles and Sparklers and such. Everyone's kids were wanting in on the action...which I don't mind, but David was just handing them fireworks, without asking their parents permission, or watching them! The kids were waving the flames around, not watching chairs, clothes, people or boxes of fireworks. It seemed no one else was bothered by this but me. I told David he can't just allow other kids to handle them, they really need to ask their parents AND they they needed to be WELL supervised! He understood and things got better from there...UNTIL Christianna, who was allowed to have a sparkler alone...placed the sparkler on her chest!!!!! She got multiple burns on her chest! I poured bottled water on her burn and had David run to the car and get the first aid kit and immediately put burn cream and a band-aid on it. (It looks terrible this morning!) She was detoured from fireworks after that for a while. But was begging to do more later. The rest of the night went along just fine. The "city display" was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It lasted about 40 minutes and we were right under them...just across the street from where they were setting them off!!!! The kids barely watched the show! They were playing on the play ground with all their friends! Other friends that we weren't expecting to see, also showed up. Who knew this was the happening place to be? (I say we set up a big "to do" next year!)

Our friend Jennifer is coming for our wedding from Arizona, and she asked if we were gonna get fireworks to do while they are here...we did! Our exchange student will be here and my mom and Jennifer and her boys. It will be so fun!

Happy Birthday America! I thank God, Christianna did not get hurt worse and for David being home and for the wonderful night and so many blessings in my life! God bless America!

New Exchange Student

It's official...we got our confirmation of placement email(June 29) and we've been contacted on the phone and by email (July 1) from our new exchange student!!!! We're so excited!

Her name is Sonja Mueller. She's 15 (will be 16 on Nov. 1). Crimeney, she was born in 1993! That is just a few months after I graduated high school and she could be our kid!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooooo old! LOL. Anyway, her mom passed away when she was 10 and she's been raised by her dad. She's an only child. She is from Vienna Austria. She loves kids and animals. She doesn't like fish to eat (neither do we-except David). We're going to put Shanndon and Christianna in one room (currently looking for bunk beds!!!!) and Sonja will have Christianna's room. She is fluent in German (home language) and Latin, French and English. Her emails are perfect and her English seemed really good on the phone! She'll go to Derby H.S. and be bussed. I'm really hoping she mixes well in our church youth group. They are very active and several kids go to to Derby HS, so she'll have a couple weeks to get to know church kids before school. She seems pretty easy going. I asked her favorite color, to do her bedding, towels and room...she said she doesn't have a favorite color and she's happy with whatever, as long as it's not too flashy.

Today we had a leisurely day for the most part. I had a one on one lunch date with a friend. It was so nice! We met just after 11am at Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse. We were sat with two other ladies and cooked for by the owner. It wasn't the big spectacular show that it normally is, but it was nice none the less. We sat around talking for a quite a bit after lunch. It was so quiet and peaceful. I brought home a bunch of leftovers and ate them throughout the day. I LOVE Japanese Steakhouse!!!!!!! The only minor exception to the bliss, was a daycare client calling 5 times over lunch...the 3rd time the phone rang, I answered and told her I was out to lunch and I'd call her when I was done. The 5th time I answered and said, "I'll call you right back" and hung up...CRIMENY! She didn't have a certain time she had to o stuff and I said I'd call her when I was done. So, I picked up two daycare kids on the way home. Only watched them 2 hours.

After kids woke up from nap, we went to the McConnell AFB "Beach Party". They had delivered a parking lot full of sand, had games and activities, inflateables, Radio Disney was there too. The kids had a blast! Daddy even met us for "lunch break". Then we headed off to church for Missionettes. We're taking the next couple weeks to work on "projects". Today the girls did a "Traits of a Godly Woman" Collage. Next week we're doing a "group sculpture"-they have to work together to create a sculpture with recycled materials (and we'll have an "Art Show" after that with their various art pieces they made during that badge). Then we'll finish up puppets and perform a puppet show.

After church, I picked up Stephanie's 2 dogs (they are going out of town) and we came home. Steph had a big tomato come ripe today and it would rot before they got home, so she gave her "first fruits" to David!!!! I came home with en egg carton of cherry tomatoes and one big tomato...SWEET!!!!! :) We miss our garden! :(

What is it?

What is it about a time frame/deadline/boundary? If I have nothing to do, or no pressure, things go smoothly. Tuesday's at 6pm, my son is due to be at church for Royal Rangers, Wednesdays at 7pm- me and the kids are due at church for Missionettes and Rainbows. This Friday, we were due at church for Ben to go on his campout by 4pm. Yet, it never fails SOMETHING always happens. We are ALWAYS late! We had a car full of cement pavers, rather then drive across town with this load-while I was finalizing Ben's packing for the camping trip-I asked David to remove the pavers. At the time I had asked he was sorting socks, Ben was low and I wanted him to have an extra couple pair. I had to have Ben at church in an hour-it's a 25 minute drive. Many minutes (15 or so) went by, no David. I had originally thought he was just getting socks and shoes on, etc. I called to the other room..."David, what are you doing?"..."socks", he said. I said, " I need pavers removed, you already gave me 10 pairs of socks (only needed a couple), I need to go". He thought I didn't need to be there til 630pm, so he just thought he'd do it later. (My thinking was, you can do socks when I'm not here, you can't remove bricks if they aren't here). So I checked the time, it was 330pm. EEEEK. I said never mind, I gotta go now...He insisted on doing it. So then I couldn't get Ben to church on time for him to ride the church van out there, I'd have to drive him to Lake Afton myself. Well, I wasn't prepared to take everyone out to Lake Afton...so then I had to gather swim suits, towels, snacks, extra clothes, bug spray, sunblock, etc. for me and the little ones. (might as well stay and hang out and enjoy a couple hours if we're gonna drive all the way out there right?) Then I get a message from our community representative with the exchange student program, saying she was missing one of the papers (we had had our in-home interview Friday morning)...so I scanned and tried to send that "real quick", it scanned in 4 pieces and I don't know how to "stitch" items together. So, did it with another program, but when she tried to print it, it was too blurry! Besides all that, I had made plans to run errands after driving Ben to church at 4pm, so that all now got pushed back. I ended up being 4 hours late for the camp out! Seriously, if I had had nothing pressing to do...NONE of the issues would have surfaced! Every Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly without fail...SOMETHING happens!!!!!! Whether it be I get stuck in construction, traffic, accident, kids get hurt, something goes wrong with the car, Ben forgets his bag, a dog gets out and we have to find them before we leave, one or BOTH of the little ones have to "potty", a kid I pick up is running late, or a parent gets chatty, an errand runs longer then expected, etc. I tell ya. I just don't get it!!!!!!!!!!!

June 24, 2009

So I really miss blogging! I will continue to back blog...but I'm going to start keeping up with my blog as much as I can-hopefully a nearly daily basis.

Today is June 24th, we woke up later then usual-930am (I'm not complaining, being is we are 2nd shifters, this is a great time, but my kids don't like to sleep once the sun is up-GRRRR, lol.) We had our 2nd to last Family Support Specialist appointment today at 1030a. The family support specialist is the "counselor" we've been working with for the year that we've been in Marriage for Keeps. I gave her a wedding invitation-only fitting as she's been such an intricate part of out growing, and healing process I figured-but she told me since she's a counselor, she can't come. :( I was in tears. I mean I understand why...mentally, but emotionally, I was heart broken. I asked if I could appeal to her bosses or something. She said they had a meeting later today and she'd talk to them about it. :( We have one more appointment...July 8th...It's been one year in the program! David and I have come such a long way. Mostly I feel DAVID has come a long way. I was telling Jamie today (our FSS), a year ago, it was like I was living with a mannequin, or another kid. Today, I feel like I have a friend, a partner. He gets, NOW, that I want to hear his opinions and thoughts and he communicates with me. I did not go into Marriage for Keeps, thinking anything was "wrong" with me, I went thinking it was all him and "he needed to learn to communicate". Boy was I wrong. I've learned so much. They don't teach you this stuff in school or growing up. How do you get a generation (our parents') where "kids are to be seen and not heard"- to teach communication skills? My communication consisted of doing doing doing, until I blow up. You aren't "taught" the "speaker/listener technique" or about "doing your part". I just am so grateful to God for sending MFK and Fireproof to us and for Chris and Bonnie taking us to "our new church". There are so many blessings in my life right now. I don't even know where to start counting!

Anyway, David has to work 6p-6a for the next few days, so we ended up going to Walmart after our appointment. We bought some shelving for the house and Ben a new Bike-an ADULT bike (26 inch) with hand brakes!!!!! and a new helmet. When we got home, kids ate and napped, I wasted all my time on the computer and David got ready for his "excercise" (it's where they practice war situations, which is why he's on 12 hour night shifts thru Sunday). Ben played on daddy's puter. Then the kids woke up and had ice cream for with chocolate "Magic Shell" for snack. After David left for work, I set up the kids' turtle pool with water and got the sprinkler going. While they played (and Ben worked on cleaning his room), I stamped wedding invitations. After I was done and ready to go, we rode our bikes around base-hand delivered 4 invites (got adult conversation with a couple of my friends I delivered too! That was a bonus!!!! My friend Mike is back from the desert and they bought a new car-Jeep, sweet!) and put 60 in the mailbox at the front of the base (we live in back of the base). Then, came home, baths, bed and Ben and I assembled a shelving unit, and set it up in his room and cleaned his room. AHHHH, it looks great (I am hoping to get to the "Bionicle boxes" one of these days and sort them into smaller stackable containers)! Some day I will get my house in order, really I will! LOL I then put away our Walmart trip and stamped and assembled more invites and blogged a bunch and now I'm headed to bed!