First Respite Kids...in Photos

at the park

bubbles with badminton rackets! their idea :)

Boy9 LOVED playing checkers. (my mom enjoying a game here)

um..jumping off my couch? trying to get Chico's toy or something

She did her own hair this day. :)

Bird watching! They loved the binoculars at my parents'.

Legos! I really need to buy some. Thanks, Mom for letting us borrow them!

Decorating Josh's Birthday cake on Saturday. They really enjoyed that.

We are really going to miss these two! They did really well in church.

First Respite Kids, Day 2

The precious ones were delighted when we picked them up from school. We had a wonderful evening with them--lots of time spent with them. They should be dripping with attention lol.

Girl5 knows she could get people to do whatever she wants with her precious smile! 

"If I'm sick tomorrow do I have to go to school?" She cracks me up. *As I type this it's an hour past her bedtime and I heard her in their playing, so I took the toys away again and said she needed sleep to have energy to play tomorrow. "But I wanna sleep in the morning and play now." :)

Boy9 got to spend a lot of time with Josh learning the rubik's cube and doing his homework.
He said, "I wanna live here." And more singing in the shower!

Our First Two Kids (Respite Care)

It couldn't have been a busier time in our lives to have two little ones stay with us for five days! We took the five and nine year old. A HUGE blessing happened when Josh got to be home yesterday and today! Boy9 and Girl5 were all smiles when we went to pick them up last night around 8pm. I thought they might be scared or at least shy, but they weren't. They and their younger siblings have been with this foster mom for less than two weeks.

The foster mom had all of their clothes ironed and Girl5 was already bathed and in her pajamas. When we actually saw E., the foster mom, we realized we had gone to training with her! She was glad to know the kids were going to be with someone she knew. 

The ride to our house, about 30 minutes, was full of laughter. Josh and I couldn't help but laugh at all of their chatter in the back seat. Boy9 wants to be an "F.B.I" (agent) when he grows up and Girl5 a "Cheerleader Teacher".

Going to bed was the last thing on their minds when we arrived at our house. We decided we would let them check out the toys and get settled in their rooms for a little bit first. They loved their rooms and were so excited. Boy9 hadn't done his homework yet and, apparently, he discovered he left it at school. 

This is where Girl5 slept. (on the crib mattress)

Josh got Boy9 settled into his room and then into the shower. It was so cute to hear him singing loudly in there! He went to bed after Josh prayed with him.

Girl5 kept asking if I would sleep in her room with her or if her brother could sleep in there, but she was smiling when she said it and didn't seem to be genuinely scared. She had a night light, the hall light, and we left her door open. I prayed with her and as I was praying for her younger siblings she said, "...that they won't die..."

A few minutes later we were in bed and didn't hear a peep out of either one. Thank God for a good night's sleep!

When I went in to wake them they were both sleeping soundly. Boy9 got dressed in a flash and was playing with a top and a rubik's cube. He did wet the bed, but that is usual for him. Girl5 had to be picked up out of bed and carried to the car. lol I actually brushed her hair while she lay in bed! She did not want to go to school. 

Speaking of hair...oh boy. Okay, I know nothing about fixing little girls' hair. I mean, you see my own hair...enough said. This Girl5, though, has gorgeous black, curly hair and I feel so bad because I didn't do justice to it by throwing it in a pony tail. I'll try again and maybe by Sunday I'll have something decent figured out.

Finally Moved In and First Phone Call for Kids!

It's been a little while since my last update and a lot has happened...

We finally got approval for a loan and moved into our new duplex! This was after 7 different closing dates were given to us. It was a crazy situation right up until we got the keys, literally! But we are now moved in and almost everything is in its place. Here's a little sneak peak:

First Call About Respite Care

I've still got some decorating to do, curtains to hang, and the crib needs to be put together. Guess what, though? We are approved for respite care (baby-sitting for other foster parents) and they already called us for 5 kids! It was the day before we were moving, though and the kids' room had just been packed. *Okay, this is weird, but as I was typing they called again about the same kids but they are splitting them up: 1,2, & 3 yr old with one family and the 5 and 9 yr old with another. But we don't really have enough beds for either group!

Well, I'm off to ponder about this thing...

Week 3: Connection Before Correction

Well, obviously, I'll be posting the week after I use the tool card or I won't have much information, so if you want to get some ideas on how to use the tool card beforehand be sure to go to Jane's Positive Discipline blog. Here's the scoop on Connection Before Correction:

• How Do You Connect With Your Teenager?
• A great article and an audio clip from Jane Nelson herself!
• 3 year old reminds Mommy to calm down and take deep breaths!

Week 2: Encouragement

Well, the week is almost over but I hope you've been following along on the Positive Discipline blog. I've had some interaction with children this week and have said some encouraging things, but I want to point you to these helpful posts on other blogs:

• Here's a list you'll want to print out for your refrigerator! Encouraging things to say to your child.
• "Treat Your Kids Like a Dog" What?! Check out this clever idea!
• Is encouragement better than punishment? Find out here! 

And since last week was about listening to your kids, check this post out about how to listen to teenagers. Also, there's an audio clip about Closet Listening.

Get ready for next week's positive discipline tool, Connection Before Correction!

Week 1: Listening

Since we should have children in our house in about a month, Josh and I are participating in the 52 Positive Discipline Parenting Tools in 52 Weeks journey. This week's tool card is Listen.

Sunday evening I had an extensive chance to use my listening skills with a nine-year-old girl. This girl, whom I've known since she was born, seemed so insightful. She is in a loving, Christian home with several siblings.  

I talked with her about foster care since she didn't know what it meant and because I said the next time I see her I'll probably have foster kids with me. She asked insightful questions and came to some very mature conclusions. I asked her what she thought might comfort the kids that come into my home, having been taken from their birth parents (for a good reason). 

Hannah replied that she couldn't imagine being a foster child because she had parents who loved her and took care of her. However, after several minutes of thought she said, "You know, I think the best thing you can give them is love." Smart girl.

Before we left, Hannah said, "Well, I can't wait to meet your foster kids! Then, I can ask them what it's like to be in foster care... oh wait, that might make them feel embarrassed or sad." 

I told Josh all of these things Hannah had said and we decided we'd give this 9 year old a call when we had a question about our foster kid! lol

Well, I'm keeping my ears open this week! I am trying to use this with everyone I talk with (not interrupting, etc.)

Happy Listening!