Five Short Weeks Ago!

Five weeks ago today we were parents to 10 amazing children!

And then, later in the day I stood dazed and confused at the prospect of holding our next child.  (never really intended to post this picture :)

I

Three people walked in the room, but our eyes were fixed on the little girl in pink!

And our lives have been forever changed from that moment on!

So, how is she doing today?
Couldn't be better!
As for me, these days I'm mostly just dazed and confused :) and amazed at God's plans!
Khloie has gained a pound and grown a quarter inch.
We definitely had an issue with milk, and that's been resolved since Silk entered the scene!  Her diet is gradually increasing.

We are still waiting on our referrals to the cardiologist, neurologist and ophthalmologist, thank-you-very-much awesome health care system.  After looking at her scans, having been seen by other doctors and having specialists look at her file, there doesn't seem to be any urgency; otherwise, we'd be pushing harder.

We've also 'met' two families on-line who have a child with Khloie's medical need.  I love how God brings families into our lives!  I will update once we know more about observation and treatment.

Socially, Khloie is amazingly appropriate!  She is the first of my Chinese treasures who came home knowing how to play.  Many of you know what I'm talking about.  She serves the best tea at our tea parties!  She would probably love the church nursery, and that sure would make service easier for me, but I realize I will never get these early bonding days back so Khloie and I are stuck like glue for now.

The girl would live outside if she could.  Hot, cold, rain or shine, she loves to play outside.

Siblings are awesome as long as they're not up in her grill.

If Khloie's space if violated, she will either scream or give a high-five...to the face!  You'd think they would learn.

This week I will take my first job since returning home so we'll see what that looks like for Daddy and the Littles:)

I just can't believe it's been five weeks!  My, how time flies this side of the process!

Start Your Engines!

Thank you, Mr. FedEx man, for delivering our rides!

A Day in the Life

So, my friend Donna asked me to share a typical day in the life.

That is your cue to hit the X and find something very productive to do...

but if you choose to read through this picturesque post of my pampered life, feel free.

First, to dispel any myths that I might be...

...trust me when I say even if I had a cape, it would be crumpled underneath mounds of laundry.  I am always looking for ways to simplify and organize!

Although I strive for structure and simplicity, because it works well here for everyone, especially ME, our days vary a lot depending on therapy, doctor's appointments and my work schedule.  But a typical day goes something like this ~

My alarm goes off at 4, to which I either respond by hitting snooze or hitting the floor.  Since we've been home from China I've started a new fitness plan (which I LOVE!), so I dress for exercise before starting the day's first load of laundry.  I take a break midway through my routine to put the load in the dryer and start another.

Once that's done I wake up Mr. Greenthumb (because no girl likes anyone watching her work out!), have my quiet time and try to hit the shower before waking up the school kids at 6:55.

Mr. Greenthumb leaves at 6:45 to drive the school bus, so the kids and I have a routine down mostly.  I help Kayden, Kambry, Kinley and Kaeleb get ready for school, striving not to wake up the 3 littles.  By 7:30 six kids have left for school, Kooper is getting ready for home school, and hopefully I still have three sleeping beauties.

Once the girls are up, around 8-ish, I fix breakfast and get them ready for the day.

While I'm tidying up, I let them watch Dinosaur Train or some other thing while Khloie snacks on the remote.

A very important part of Kasidi's day is therapy and stretching, usually 3 to 4 times per day.

Meanwhile, I'm helping Kooper with homeschool, doing laundry, planning supper and trying to keep all systems running smoothly.

Sometimes I spice it up a bit by making laundry soap and body lotion.

The girls love to color, make Play-Doh masterpieces, have tea parties and dress up.

We are waiting for super nice weather so we can spend lots of time outside.  

Three days per week I take Kennah to school for speech therapy, and 1 day per week we spend 8 hours at medical visits.  Sometimes we're super lucky and have dental, ortho or other doctor appointments.  But this is a typical day at home.

I usually am surprised that noon has snuck up on me, and I need to fix lunch for the girls.  Once they've eaten, I put them down for a nap around 1. Kasidi insists I rest with them, and I'm quite obliged to get a 10 to 20 minute power nap!

Ahhhh, me time!  Yeah, right!  This is when I scramble to get as much done as possible before they wake up.  Or I blog.  I usually have an hour, and then someone wakes up or the bus brings the school krew home.

Just gonna say we had to have a family meetin' last week to remind the 4 elementary school kids they simply cannot drop their backpacks, coats and shoes, leaving a trail from the door to the living room.  Khaos and klutter make me krazy!  We have a hook thingamajig in the laundry room where they hang everything as they come in the door.

After they clean sweep the pantry, we start homework and reading.  I figured out we can only open 1 backpack at a time or I will get everything mixed up and once again, khaos rules.  Never.a.good.thing.

I try to serve supper by 6:30, and fortunately since we've been home I'm still pulling pre-made frozen dishes out!!!  But before we can eat, we put all this away:

The homemade tents don't come down till later :)

Since Kolton and Kenzie are heavy in sports, our evenings vary.  During football season, everyone goes to the game, no matter where it is.  During fall fast pitch softball, we try to make most of the games because the weather is good.  During basketball, one of us goes, sans kids.  During spring slow pitch softball, one or all of us make the games when it's warm enough.  Spring baseball, same deal.  We don't make the track or power lifting meets.  If it were just me, or me and 1 kiddo, I'd be at all of my kids' sporting events, but we've come to terms with the way it is, and our athletes are okay with it.

Okay, so where were we?  It's 7-ish.  Two people clean up after the meal, and I start bathing kids.  Daddy reads with Kambry while I get the next day's clothes out for 3 kids.  By 8 or 8:30 everyone is ready for bed.  Daddy tucks Kayden, Kambry, Kinley and Kennah in, and I tuck Kaeleb in.  Then Kasidi, Khloie and I spend some quality rocking chair time.  By 9:30 or so they are tucked into bed, and Mama and Daddy are ready to crash.

And if any of these things didn't get done this day, I surely will finish them tomorrow...

Two Weeks Home and Shining

Be forewarned, this post is loaded with pictures.  I decided to post more than just Khloie pix.  After all, she is part of a large Krowd :)

Why not start with the silliest...

Khloie's transition has been one of the most pleasant of all our Treasures.  That's really the best way to describe it ~ pleasant.  She's slept all night long from the day we first held her; she's only upset when she's hungry, tired or her personal space is invaded.  She smiles at everyone who speaks to her, and she is crazy about her mama :)  What more to say???

We baked chocolate chip cookies for the weekend, and she swiped the chips.

 Girlfriend is serious about her food.

She's gone from zero to ninety in 4 weeks!  She was on formula, and now she eats table food without hesitation to return what doesn't suit her.

She loves playing with her sisters.

Did I mention how pleasant she is?

Kuyler's friend William (Billbo) visited for Easter weekend!  Hey, Billbo!

On our way to church, Easter Sunday

Hugs

The home Krowd.  Don't let the sweet faces fool you ~ these 3 make sure I get n.o.t.h.i.n.g done!

We've spent time at the ball field...

...watching Kenzie do her thing!

Kinley Grace, Miss Personality.

Kuyler and Billbo took the boys to the field for target practice.  Safety first, of course.  Kaeleb was in heaven!

 Cool shot of Kuyler

 Kolton Tee, I have no pictures of you...again!

Dad doing the feeding thing

 Mom doing the feeding thing...again.

Surprise, a recipe!

I tried this Crispy Cheddar Chicken Tenders recipe, and it's a keeper.  Get it here!

Khloie is forming such a healthy attachment.  She's appropriately distant but not freaked out by people.  She still prefers Mama over Daddy, but that will level out soon.  I can tell from her diapers she probably has a milk allergy, so she's getting soy milk now.  

We've had our first of 6,000 or so post-placement visits, and her progress is incredible.  She's spent countless hours in all-day doctor's appointments with little to no complaining.  I'm telling ya', the girl is a rockstar!

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You...

...a Khloie update!
I promise.
I really do.
See, this not so funny thing happened last weekend.  Kuyler took over 200 pictures on my crazy-awesome camera, but when I tried to download them, the SD card was bad.  I am getting them bit by bit...

But for now, an admission.
Yes, really.
I admit I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.  The first week home I'm sure I ran on pure adrenaline.  And then the second week I finally got some sleep and we sorta found a new 'normal'.  And now that we begin the third week home, I'm ...well, wishing I had the adrenaline back.

Anyone who knows me knows how much of a home body I am.  I mean, I love venturing out to my big kids' sporting events, although I've missed the majority of softball and baseball games due to a combination of weather and the Krowd I run with.  But I digress.

Mostly, the reality has set in because of the number of appointments we have each week.  Leave early, get back late, take 3 little girls everywhere.  And then the laundry.  I mean, these people just keep changing clothes :)  And the meals, and dishes and the homework and yada yada.  I'm not upset, I'm not complaining, and I'm not asking for pity.  I'm simply admitting that I'm so much less than I want to be.

I haven't even started back to work yet.  At this point I can't imagine adding another thing to my day.  The beauty of my work is that I get to act like a professional a couple times a week, and then I get to be casual, completing my work at home the rest of the week.  But working from home is not what it used to be :)  I can squeeze in a few minutes here and there between feeding the troops, laundry, potty breaks, laundry, therapy, laundry, changing diapers, laundry, planning meals, laundry, homework and laundry.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say in all this mess is we would appreciate your prayers!  I know many of you pray for our family regularly, and that is such a blessing!  We have some specific decisions to make (no, it's not about adoption).  As a couple, we want to have our priorities straight and keep our focus on what really matters.  It is so easy for me to become distracted.  So if you would pray for us, I would be so grateful!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 12:1-2

Why Not?

My friend, Jodi, posted this on her blog, and I wanted to share it with you!  
Church, we are the ones who should be adopting.
We are the ones who could end the orphan crisis.
I've attached a poll one the sidebar, and I'd love it if you'd take a moment to complete it if you'd like.

Trauma, Part IV

~Trauma on the brink of adulthood~

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about this cheery subject.  One reason is that we were trying different approaches; we started seeing a new therapist, and anything I had to say seemed like the same ol’ same ol’ mundane gibberish.

We’ve been in the trenches for over three and a half years now.  Oh, how I would love to say things have gotten better.  Or even that I am comfortable in the trenches.   Not.so.much.  Before you slam my inbox with hate mail, please hear this:  I love my Teen Treasure!  I would turn my life upside down to help him heal.  Come to think of it…oh, never mind.  

As a mother, I realize I am grieving.  As with every child, whether biological or adopted, we have hopes and dreams.  Not that they would live out our dreams or fulfill our incomplete goals.  Rather, that they would live passionately for the Lord, joyfully and content with what they have, grateful for His gifts, humbly toward themselves, kindly toward others and generously toward the least.

To live this kind of life requires self-awareness, humility and sound decision-making.  Despite thousands of opportunities to learn and exercise these skills through scenarios in therapy and daily family life, our son is unable to get it.  He is nearing adulthood, and I hate to admit that hope is but a distant glimmer in the darkness.  On the other hand, as long as I am breathing, I will cling to that ray, no matter how faint.  Because my hope is in the Lord. 

 I know with all my being that there is no thing or no one beyond His redemptive power.  Nothing.  No one.    And yet I ask, “Why?”  Why would God choose not to heal my son?  I know He is sovereign.  I know He chose to break my heart for children running out of time.  I know He chose to keep certain things from us.  I know that in my wretched selfishness I surely would have said, “No, Lord.  You must be mistaken,” if I had known the extent of brokenness and damage evident in my son.  

I would have said no, not because he didn’t deserve love, nurture and healing, but because it is beyond my ability to parent in the trenches with the abundant grace it requires.  

Unlike Jesus, who knowingly and willingly gave His life for me, I am unwilling to sacrifice my wretched life.  And God knows that.  He is sovereign.  He shielded us from the hurt and anguish that would enter our home. 

And so when I ask, “Why?” I already know the answer.  He will do whatever brings HIM glory!  And whether I see His glory revealed in this situation or die longing for it is not for me to know.  And it’s not for me to question.  His glory revealed may be as much in the journey as in the finish line. 

And so tomorrow and the next day…and the next, I will surface from the trenches long enough to catch a glimpse of the ray, I will continue to parent with as much grace as I can muster, and I will praise my Heavenly Father that His ways are higher!

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isa 55:9

If you are parenting in the trenches, please know you are not alone.  First of all, God has never left your side, and secondly, there are others walking the same or similar journey. 

If your family has experienced healing, it would be such an encouragement to me and others if you would share it in a comment.  If you would like prayer, it would be my privilege to lift you up.  If you’ve discovered practical resources that have made a positive difference, I would love for you to share the title, the link or specific information. 

To HIM be the glory!

See What Happens...

...when you get this many Krazies in one room!

Now that's more like it.

.Thanks, Billbo, for spending the weekend with us and taking our pictures.  I warned you it would change your life forever :)

Hold that thought...

It has been an amazing weekend! Hopefully I can post about it soon. We lost Internet following a storm Friday night...