Some pictures for you Donna

Here are some pictures that I took at Jonah's fire station when he was gone for so long. All the kids are standing in front of the engine's wheel. Judah was in rare form and LOVED to smile for the picture while the other kids were a little peeved that I made them stop playing to stand still for a second. I really need to get another digital camera because Jonah always takes "his" to work and that leaves me with an old fashioned film camera, hehehe. With kids it is so much better knowing what you taking right away and not feeling like you are wasting film.
So Jonah is still at work. He was able to come home for a few hours last night and then went back this morning. A total of 7 days gone but I shouldn't be complaining. Early in our marriage he would be gone for weeks at a time. Actually when we were first married we got home from our honeymoon on July 8, he started work again July 10 and I saw him only a TOTAL of 3 weeks and 4 days from then until Thanksgiving Day. And that is NO joke. So much for a long distance romance and thinking we would be together once we were married. Hahaha!
Enjoy the pics, they are cute aren't they?

 

Sarah at attention for her picture. She never knows how to stand for a photo. At least she has a nice smile.

 

Isaiah and a very fake smile too!

 

Alana and her "nice" smile.

 

Malakai and his extremely fake smile.

 

Look at that beautiful smile!

 

Here's Judah! Look at how big he looks in this picture. He's really just a little peanut.

Update on the fires

So Jonah demoed from the fire he was on today and is now back at his station doing his regular duties. There are 2 fires in the area that are not near being contained but because the majority of the other fires have gotten better he is able to do his job "at home". There is still no idea of when he will be able to come home and it probably won't be for a few days but that's fine by me if he's just working at his station because I can go see him any time I want! :) I have had a couple requests for new pictures of the kids and will get working on that for you all so you can see just how cute they all are.

I can't believe we are coming up on November so quickly, in less than I month I will be 30, gulp. Scary times, I tell ya!

Some cute things (about the kids of course):

Sarah- we watched a "Little House" episode tonight where Laura and her beau Almonzo fell in love. The whole time Sarah had this grin on her face and it was so cute watching her watch a sweet, wholesome love story where the man actually courts the woman. I kept reminding her it was ok for her to smile if she liked the movie because she seemed embarrased to show that she was liking it.

Isaiah- his newest thing is to have everyone watch him dance. And it's a new one too that is a micro dance with his puckered lips. It's just too cute.

Alana- She came out of the blue a few days ago and told me she wanted me to have a baby in my belly so she could have a little sister. When I told her she had better start praying she took it to heart and asks if she can pray for me about 5 times a day. With the faith of a child....

Malakai- he LOVES to sit on my lap at all times. I was sitting on the couch and told him that he couldn't sit on my lap right then he says with this sad little face, "But Mommy, I duv du" Now how can I resist that?

Judah- His newest thing is playing with his "two two tain". He carries them everywhere and then makes them ride anywhere he can while he says "two two tain".

Just some random cuteness from my kiddos. Gotta love em!

A fun weekend and more

First off I'll just tell you that Jonah is getting sent to one of the San Diego fires tomorrow morning and who knows when he will be back. It's a nervous feeling knowing that your husband is going to a place that is burning down all around and he is going to try to protect it. I admit it, I am worried but am trying not to let my fear overtake my senses. I have been in this situation before MANY times but he hasn't been on wildladn fires in such a long time that I'm not used to it. Alright, enough with that.

My grandfather was evacuated yesterday and came home today to all the houses around his burned and his unscathed. They had to leave again as the fire was no where near being finished but I am hoping that it won't turn and go back the way it came because then there is no telling what will happen to his house.

I went away this past weekend to Santa Barbara with my mom, aunt and SIL to spend the weekend with my other aunt who lives there. She lives in this AMAZING house that has this AMAZING view of the ocean and this very comfy little outside living area complete with couches that we sit on, drink wine, have appetizers and talk and talk and talk. It was wonderful. Of course we got innundated on Sat. by the wind, ash and smoke and then had to follow it all the way home on Sunday. It was oppressive, seriously. Thank goodness we haven't had the smoke here. The fires are all around us except not east and that is the way the wind is blowing from. Good ole' Santa Ana's.

Of course, I didn't have the kids. They had the advantage of getting to spend all weekend with their Daddy, alone. Jonah said he couldn't believe what a difference in the kids when I got home again. Asking for things all day and throwing more fits. Hm, maybe I should go away more often? It was very hard to leave them for some reason. I find such joy in them and Jonah and I think that knowing they would be having a great weekend without me kind of made me sad. It didn't help that Isaiah started crying as I said goodbye to him. I think he was a bit confused about it all and who knows what he was thinking. He perked up when I told him he would be coming to Grammie and Grumpy's to meet me on Sun. Of course, they didn't get to do that because it was seriously windy and Jonah didn't want to drive with the kids for fear of stupid drivers.

S and I had our first meeting tonight to try and get her on track and begin the work of making an adoption plan. She had lots of questions and is going through some good curriculum with me and will hopefully be looking at families by next month. I have a timeline I want to stick with, so we shall see how it goes. BTW, did I tell you all that she asked me to go to her ultrasound with her? How awesome is that? I get to see this baby up close and personal and it will be my first ultrasound (and maybe my only) ever. I can't even tell you how this situation has begun a healing in me. God is using this more than I thought He could or would for me. It is amazing to watch. All of it. It's amazing. I cannot wait to see how God uses this in the future for ours and S's good. Keep praying for her, she has a lot of difficult decisions to make in the months ahead!

Lots to say

But I don't have the time right now. I did want to say that So Cal is burning down around us and Jonah just went to work. Yes, I am a bit worried since fire season has NEVER been this bad before. I have no clue when he will get to come home or when we can see him (we usually go on Wed. to his station to hang out). Could you say a prayer for him and ALL the other firefighters out there risking their lives and fo course for the half a million people that have been evacuated from their homes and hundreds that have already lost theirs? This is a devestating time for So Cal.

More words...

Today he began with "uh oh" and keeps walking around the house saying it no matter what is happening (too cute!) and then when I was telling him "I love you" he said it back! And will keep saying it when I ask him to say it. Sounds like he is in the midst of a language explosion!
Leaving for a girl's weekend so I'll post later next week!

My baby is talking!

Judah started talking yesterday. Well, I mean saying words other than Mama and Dadda, he's been saying those for a while now. Yesterday he said "thank you" without doing the sign (although if I ask him to say TY he does the sign, exasperating!) and then was saying "hi" like a madman when we picked Sarah up. Today he said "hot" when I told him the oatmeal was hot (he did this while signing hot). Later on in the day he tried to say "Sarah" and it actually sounded similar. It's funny how he just decided to start trying to say words all of the sudden. I guess it's about time since he turned 18 months today! My baby is getting TOO big!

My joy and challenge

Can I just say how much I love my kids? They are such great kids and I have so much fun being their Mother (most of the time). While 4 of the kids are mostly obedient and compliant, play well, don't fight and are respectful of me there is that one little girl that I used to pray I didn't have. She bucks authority, loves to disobey, and loves to throw an attitude. I wasn't supposed to have one of "these" types of kids. I always thought, since I was a really good kid, that God would bless me with easy kids. My brother, on the other hand, is the one that should get ALL of the tough kids since he was so much like my little pistol. Well, God decided that I needed one too and He gave her to me right out of the gate when I became a mother to 2 little girls without a clue what to do. If you haven't guessed yet my challenge is Alana, my 4 year old drama queen that loves to defy my direction and throw tantrums that shake the house. There is not a day that goes by that we don't hear her shreaking scream because she hasn't gotten her way and no matter how many times she is disciplined she just doesn't seem to get it (or care). It is frustrating and hard for me not to get angry with her when she does these things. I just don't get how she would choose to disobey knowing what the consequences are, but she still does. Some days I feel like pulling my hair out just from her alone.
All that said, I am so glad that God had the fore-sight to give me one of these blessings that challenge me. She has taught me so much as a mother and is one of my biggest joys to have around the house (there are only 4 more). She makes me laugh daily at her antics and sayings (just the other day she asked if I had seen the movie "Princess Diarreha" and did I like it. I couldn't even answer her I was laughing so hard). Her imagination is so acute that sometimes I don't think she has a bearing on reality at all. A few weeks ago we were really struggling with her attitude and her acting superior than the rest of us. When I talked to her about it one night I finally got down to the problem. She LITERALLY thinks she is a princess and so she doesn't have to listen to us. Here was the converstaion.
A: But Mom, I am a princess and don't have to do anything you say.
Me: Huh?
A: You and Daddy call me your princess and EVERYONE at Disneyland thinks I'm a princess too.
Me: Being a princess doesn't mean that you don't have to listen to authority
A: But Mom, I am a princess

I then went on to tell her that even princesses have mommies and daddies who guide them and tell them what to do. She hadn't thought about that. And since I am the queen I told her that I was in charge of her and she HAD to listen to me since she was only a princess. That seemed to get through to her a bit.

Even though Alana is my challenge, I cannot imagine parenting without such a spark of love and gladness, for when Alana is happy she is joyful! Her radiance permeats the house and it is wonderful to see. And I will say that Alana is usually happy and joyful, the bad times are getting less and less the older she is getting and she is wanting to do the right thing and learning to make the right choice. Even though I prayed that I would never have a child that is so strong-willed I am SO glad that God knew what I needed and the blessing this child would be.
Anyone that knows Alana can tell you she is vivacious, there is NOTHING that doesn't atract her attention. She is outgoing (to a fault sometimes) and has all the makings for a great leader and for being a passionate follower of Christ.

4 months

Today marks 4 months since the boys have been on US soil and in our home. I can't even describe to you the difference in our boys. They ARE NOT the same boys we brought home! It is so great to see how they have grown, not just physically but emotionally as well. It seems like it has been much longer than it has been and we fall more and more in love with them each day.

The way things are

Today is day 4 with S living in our home and things have still kept smooth. We went to dinner last night and invited her along. She got her food and immediately, with the first bite, got sick and had to run to the bathroom. It was able to open some good coversation for us as we sat there. I questioned her about morning sickness and we started talking of pregnancy things.

First off I will tell you that making the decision to have S move in was an easy one, but the more I thought about it the harder it became. My biggest fear was having a pregnant woman in my home 24/7. Those of you who don't suffer from infertility and have been pregnant before may not understand this but seeing a pregnant woman is extremely hard for me. I have learned to "get over it" over time but the pain is still there each time I see a woman beautifully big with life inside of her. Knowing that that will never be me hurts more than I can explain.

*Disclaimer* this has NOTHING to do with my children and desiring a bio kid more than them. The bio part isn't as important to me as feeling life in my womb**

That said, I was going to tell Jonah that we needed to back out because of this selfish hurting and feeling sorry for myself. While reading my Bible one morning I started to ask myself what BLESSINGS there could be for me by having S come and live with us. I started realizing that I will be able to experience pregnancy through S by seeing her each day and asking her questions. Even my closest friends I wasn't able to do that with. So I began to look on this as an experience I may never have again and to cherish the steps of pregnancy that S goes through with her.

I explained this to her and she was astonished and said that she is so glad that I told her because she has been envious of ME because I can't get pregnant! WOW! She told me that it opened her eyes to the fact that just because this isn't something she wants doesn't mean there aren't people who cry everyday for it. She told me she wanted my help with all of this, getting WIC and Medi-cal and wanted to go through the process to place her baby for adoption. She seems set on that but I keep reminding her that she should see what resources there are out there for her to parent before she makes her decision. My adoption friend and facilitator is going to send all the books and paperwork she goes through with her girls to make this big decision. I am truly looking forward to this process and seeing S's plans come to be and if she chooses adoption to see this baby placed in a loving and Christian home.

You can all pray for S. She hasn't been feeling well and told me that it has been hard to come off cigarettes and drugs. She sleeps most of the time and has been throwing up a lot. This week we are focusing on getting to the preliminary doctor to apply for Medi-Cal and then calling WIC to get her appointment. She also is in desperate need of maternity clothes and some ladies in our church are planning on taking her shopping and to lunch. I pray that happens, she has been pretty depressed about gaining weight and not having any clothes to wear.

So that is the way things are, today.

Life

Life is normal around here except for the fact that we have a new household member. S moved in with us on Thursday night and things have been good so far. She went yesterday to get her DL renewed so that she can apply for medi-cal and WIC during her pregnancy and so we will get started on that next week as soon as we can. She is a very sweet young woman that is very open and honest, I am praying that we will become friends.
The kids are doing well with the change. Sarah has had some emotional issues over the last week but they weren't in relation to S, just to being the oldest and having the most responsibility. I remember feeling the same way when I was her age. How can I help her? What do I tell her? Jonah had a good idea of not letting her do chores for one day(but making her sit in her room during those times that the others and I do them) and since she usually likes to help (but maybe it has all been a facade) she may respond to that. We shall see.
Jonah is on vacation this week and we have had a good time having him around. We couldn't afford to go anywhere special but have enjoyed being together as a family. Nothing much else going on, I know we are boring right now. I'll update again soon.

S is coming!

I got a phone call from S's aunt today to tell me that S is on her way and she would be moving in this afternoon. So now I am rushing to get all the last minute things done so that she will be comfortable when she comes and moving in will be easy. I am excited and scared all in one emotion. Pray for us!