Impact

There are big parts of my life my children, most of them, have no clue about. Parts that gave such insight and blessings to our family. The part that first gave my children "unconditional love". That would be when we began fostering. As I have said before, we began fostering and fostered for several years before stopping to only adopt. We had over 30 children in our home at one time or another. I don't keep pictures out, and we don't talk about it often. Not for secretive reasons, but simply for no reason. There are few times to just bring it up in our busy living life schedule. Much like a job your parents had before you were born, my children know we fostered but it just doesn't impact them. Until...

Last week we were at the fellowship meal before church when Scott came over and said, "Tasha said Cheyenne's sister was adopted by us for about 3 days a long time ago. Her name was Melody." Scott did not remember her by name and certainly not by the explanation. I did. Tasha and her friend Cheyenne have been buddies for a couple of years. Cheyenne began to come to church with us and then her mom would bring her some. Last year Cheyenne was baptized. She is in and out at our house and I never made the connection. Until....

Those "adopted for 3 days" words were pretty funny to me....who does that? Adopts for 3 days? The truth was that Melody AND Cheyenne were in our home for months. So much time has passed that I can't remember all the details(although I likely have it in one of my day timers from that year). But they were here a good while waiting for ICPC to Alabama. For those who know about that you understand that they family had to have a home study done on the Alabama side and frankly, social workers are rarely in a hurry.


Tasha and I sat in the big girls living room beside the wardrobe that holds my pictures looking through box after box for pictures of Cheyenne and Melody. On a side note...I REALLY need to organize my pictures!! Sarah said we might try next summer...lol:)


As we looked Tasha would pick up a picture and say those timeless "who's this" words. I really did not realize until now how many of those children we fostered are in school with my kids. That's _____.....and Tasha would reply "Oh, ____ mom works ____" and I would agree. It went on and on.... You know, a whole new light shed on those years we fostered. The threads reaching far into my present life. Tasha saw children who were put back in successful homes, and those who weren't, those who did not have the influence of a Christian home, those who did, those who are not going to make it and those who might and those who will. With her own eyes, she saw our family, HER family, share.

Of all the profound things in my life, I can't help but be touched by a picture viewing session with my silly Tasha. I am thankful that in looking back at our life there is physical good that has been done, that my children can see and in this case be best friends with a piece of our past:)


I am ever ever thankful for those moments in time when I can see a "difference" that I have made, that our family has made. In this case, a sweet sweet difference.

The photography club....

Tasha joined the photography club at school this year. She received her birthday present three weeks early so she could submit a picture, taken by her, in the fair. She also has been learning lots about her new camera. She loves her camera and I love looking at her pictures. She loves taking animal pictures in particular. She is a mess and it shows in some of these:







As I looked through, impressed with her shots I got to this last one, "Tasha! that squirrel is dead!" She laughed, "Yeah, it was in Ashely's driveway." So I suppose I should say, "she loves animals, dead or alive!"

Labor Day weekend!

What a long weekend...actually a truly long one for us. Long weekends are always the time that many rest but with my guys in out of home placements it seems that long weekends are the time of home visits and on site visits. Which means Scott and I were headed in different directions and only spent a small bit of it together.

Scott took a vacation day last Friday so he could drive to Millington and pick Carlton for a home visit. That's a 6 hour round trip drive. They got home in time for us to all go to the first home football game.

Scott took the kids to the Fifth quarter at church after the game. It was dodge ball tournament night and Michael once again slipped in with the big boys and won the championship with them:)

I was up and had my three stooges (Lita, Mercedez and Tasha) along with Sarah heading to Murfreesboro.

We stopped there, ate breakfast and picked up Nancy to go with us to see Sam. We were in Louisville by 2 eastern and had Sam for his over night visit.

Saturday was Sam's 14th birthday. We ate at Texas Roadhouse, Sam wanted steak. We shopped for Sam's birthday present, an art kit. He got a neat satchel from Grannie and Pa, and a few little things with his birthday money. We also had "birthday cake" from Chilli's, molten lava cake to go ...because Sam's birthday happened to fall on the first UT home game day and a bazillion people were eating out! The cake is above:)



The kids swam and we watched Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the old one I love).



Sam, Lita, Tasha and Mercedez all bungee jumped at the mall:)


After taking Sam back Sunday at lunchtime we drove back to Murfreesboro and waited a little bit for Chelsea and Bo to stop by on their way to his parents. We (me and mine, Scott's parents and Bo and Chelsea) all went out to eat dinner together. What a treat!!


We finally arrived home late Sunday night. On Monday I took Carlton back to Millington. I had not spent much time with him and decided that would be a good time to visit. Plus Scott grilled incredible hamburgers and hot dogs while I was gone:)

All in all, I spend 20+ hours driving over three days. That's a whole lot of driving. I am slightly jealous of all those who post about easy going fun loving three day weekends. Ours was full of lots of "Labor"!

Seriously?

I am crazy, most of you know it. Tonight as I sat down to load some football pictures to facebook I had a message....

HI!

I'm a Casting Director looking for people to do an exciting new casting call. I saw your familiy's blog and I think you guys would be PERFECT for this opportunity. Feel free to contact me at lande@lifefilmentertainment.com if you and friends or family are interested. Thanks so much, I hope to talk to you soon!

Do you come from a HUGE, INTERESTING, DIVERSE family????

Are there major issues and changes affecting how your family relates to each other? A production company with established relationships with major networks is shooting a pilot. Here is an opportunity to share your family's story!

If you're interested, Please send your name, age, role in your family, phone number and e-mail to lande@lifefilmentertainment.com. Include photos of the family members you live with and your extended family members that live nearby. If your family is chosen for the pilot, you will be compensated for your time. If the show is picked up for series, there will be additional on-going compensation.

Of all the things on the face of this earth that sounds "fun, nice or exciting" to me this would like fall into the category right next to "hell". I do mean that most seriously. I don't watch lots of TV, but I do watch my family and sometimes reality should NEVER go global! Money, compensation, could never ever be enough to make it seem like a good idea!

Now, there are things in life that are worthwhile, and happy and wonderful. .... As I finished that silly message I looked at Caleb's page to find this profile picture greeting me:


I spent my life investing in something that is the center of my world...it's my "people", those whom I love and those whe mean so much to me. Those who make me smile, and in the description for the next picture Caleb made me just laugh out loud!!

take 2.... I miss spelled some of the letters only because I had to write it all backwards.. so stop hating. I think it adds some personality to the message.

In a very "seriously?!" moment Scott and I enjoyed lunch together today and were talking about the things in life we can totally control. NO ONE can ever take from you your thoughts, feelings or behaviors...they are MINE. Each of us have the ability to control the most important part of our lives...our happiness, our joy, our success...they are all choices. My choice will always include, first and foremost, the most important things to me....not money or fame....my people!!! They are seriously the most important things in the whole world.


**** Scott read this and I had to add a correction, or explanation. I do not beleive all people on TV are going to hell....I don't! I simply meant that to me personally, the idea of people filming in my home, wanting us to talk issues/trash/argue with one another would be much like "hell" to me. I have done that briefly (for a whole week) and I never ever ever ever ever ever wish to go there again. Although to quote Scott "That would be really bad"...I might have used slightly stronger words....but I did mean it. Seriously.

hunting, soccer, football, cheering.....

The list of our current activities goes on and on....

Just yesterday Mercedez had an away Freshman game she cheered at in Lexington:



Ryan(number 8) had football practice:


Lita, Bella and Tori had soccer practice. My very first year ever to ONLY have one team. When we began playing soccer years ago we had at very least two teams. I may not know how to behave:)


Michael went Dove hunting all afternoon with Dustin. They killed lots of Doves(not sure exactly how many) and tonight Michael plans on eating them. I have never cooked Dove, but I imagine anything wrapped in bacon with brown sugar on top has to be okay:)


Seth is lamenting that his football coach has not called...I sure do wish I had a PENNY for every time he has asked, "did my coach call?".

Bronte learned the electric fence was no longer working....now it's working! In the picture Rosie is holding him while repairs are made.


Tori is running for Student Council at the elementary school (a first for our elementary school). She has been so excited....making posters and talking about the issues...lol:)


And it is truly a wonder someone has not broken a bone playing with these!!!!


Life moves along ....and most days QUICKLY!!!


Today, please remember our friend Aaron in your prayers. At 10am he will have surgery to remove cancer on his brain. I am terrible at the exact words and precisely what to say...BUT I KNOW God hears and understands ALL our prayers and ALL our needs. Today please stop and take a minute, or more, to ask God to be with Aaron, his doctors and the wonderful staff and his family. It is the GREATEST gift we can offer!

big old whammies....

This week had had some big blows. Yesterday I couldn't even blog for the weight of the issues. Today they are still heavy but I have dusted myself off (..kicked myself into gear) and must go on...

One of Jacob and John's classmates Garth Glover died. John said, "Well, mom now he's every ones best friend." In answer to me about who was closest to him and John trying to tell explain how he didn't know who his truly close friends were. Jacob had him in a class and both boys knew him. But, yesterday as I sat by his grandmother at the funeral home I was really hit hard, once again, with the reality of this life. The losses of this life are so big, sometimes they are simply overwhelming. I am sure Garth's family is at that point and have been there for a couple of weeks as they stood by him in the hospital.

My dear friend of many many years Mildred McDaniel died of a heart attack on Monday evening. Mildred had one birth son and adopted 9 children. She was single mom and like many moms with children whose mother's did drugs had some tough kids. She was actually in court with one of her teenagers when she died. She leaves 6 young children at home. I am so sad and at the same time, I know the impact she had on those children. I know she always had their best interest at heart and she tried.

I got a call from Sam's RTC and they are likely sending him home, soon. Why? They can't keep him safe. He has three staff to 9 boys, one teacher to 4 boys, 24/7 nursing and a therapist and they are afraid for his safety. Mostly because he is starting fights and and using his words to incite others to do him harm. I really do understand their point of view, truly. But the idea that he is "better" at home? The idea that my family is "better" with him home? That's so hard....so sad. We have spent 4 years trying to find help, serious help for serious issues.

Today is the last day of school for Rosie and Mercedez classmate Aaron Bell. Aaron will have brain surgery on Friday. The doctors will endeavor to remove all the cancer and give him back remission and then we all pray for a cure. I stood in the bedroom as Scott was getting ready talking to him about a few of our kids. I was so very frustrated with their attitudes. Scott reminded me that they were teenagers. Why does that give you an excuse to be self-centered? I thought of Aaron and I told Scott that we have been so greatly blessed to not have a family member with cancer, or brain injury, or in the hospital or who has died. Our children are without understanding. I am thankful for that and at the same time heavy-hearted. Tori and Seth were questioning me about cancer on the way to school. Tori said, "I sure hope I don't get cancer." I sighed and said, "Tori, I hope you don't either. But I can tell you that there will be things happen to you in your life that you "wish hadn't happened". When those things happen you will have to decide that you will never quit fighting." Seth asked a question and the whole conversation turned to sports (of course). I told Seth, "It IS like a ballgame, you'll have lots of losses in your life and you'll have lots of wins too. It's your attitude, how you play the game that matters most." Seth nodding and very much understanding the "game analogy".

Such heavy issues, so many prayer requests! I have had one of those heavy hearted days where it was just hard to give it all up. But, after much prayer and a serious talk to myself....I am trying. Today is a new day. And it is my attitude that matters most...right?

On a very happy note from yesterday...Daniel when to school for the first time. He did go all day and he did great. He has conceded to using a wheelchair (he cross teams and had band which are both treks from where he spends most of his time.). A big happy accomplishment:)



Also happy (cause with all the sad there is always happy) was Stuart running home and visiting for a while. Stuart had needed a costume for his mixer at school. He is a band member. So me, the dig store and Jacob fixed him right up. I am sure expecting lots of fun pictures! This one I had to take four times to get a serious one of....my two guys Stuart and John:) I'm not really sure I would tag it "serious" ...hum...perhaps just better! lol:)

scales....

Today all my children, except Daniel are in school. It's been a quiet morning. It's been a productive morning. I don't mean to imply I am never productive, I just think it depends on what "productive" is to you. If all my children are home it usually implies snacks, dinner, clean up (at very least monitoring clean-up), referring, settling disputes, running here and there for appointments and practices.... all that "why I'm a mom stuff". Today though? I washed clothes, ironed clothes, made stacks of clean nice clothes (hidden away in the laundry room in neat cubbies) for my children who will tomorrow lament that they have NOTHING to wear. I have washed 7 pairs of shoes that no one in my house can wear, but I intend to share. I have put together clothes for a couple of people I pass to. I drank my coke and talking for an hour to my little brother on the phone. I did fix Daniel's breakfast and snack, got him ready to go eat lunch with Dustin and Harvie and went to buy him new school shoes too. All these things came after getting 11 children out the door to school. But, the peaceful quiet of my home, the humming of the dryer, the rumble of the dishwashers, the radio Tasha and Bella so obviously left on this morning...all peacefully nice sounds. I have less than 2 hours before that level of peace changes. The tune of my house in full swing is music all by itself...lol...but only if you like rock:)

On days like today I can breathe in and out without interruption. I can think a whole thought or loose that whole thought all by myself. I do love having my children home, truly. But, I am a huge believer in moderation...and days like today throw that scale back into balance:)

Hope you all have a great week!