Monday, September 19, 2011

Odd Moments

Sitting in my own house in Springfield looking at some furniture that used to be mine but isn't...rooms that used to be filled with my belongings but aren't...my brain telling me the house should smell one way but it doesn't....Very, very odd.

We are back in Missouri for a few days. Well, about 48 hours really. Drove down this morning, will spend all day Tuesday here, and then will drive back sometime after lunch Wednesday.

The reason we had to come back these three days off is because of a prior commitment Chris had that couldn't be broken. Not that we're complaining mind you. Seeing everyone is going to be nice. And I'm enjoying browsing facebook on something other than mobile view!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Daybook September 2

Outside my window...it is dark; however, I know that there is a small pond close by, many trees, hills, and a lot of natural beauty that I'm very enjoying living around.

I am thinking...of an upcoming trip back to Missouri. Get to see some friends if even for a few hours. Yay!

I am thankful for...bike helmets. I fell off my bike today with Blueberry on it. Jammed my elbow pretty badly; however, Blueberry was fine if scared. Hope my elbow recovers quickly as it's being difficult currently.

From the learning rooms...[or in our case--the learning brain]...so much. We have a definite first word of "Out". Mama/Dada somewhat. However, Nananana is 100% banana.

From the kitchen...I did three GF loaves for Blueberry and myself. Need to make some Nananana muffins soon. It's amazing how little food we have to buy here. There is a huge warehouse where I can go "shopping" once a week and stock up on food for the main cottage. If it's donated, we're allowed to use a lot of it for ourselves as well. And even though we've been off the last few days, we've still been able to have some occasional meals from the dining hall. I do need to plan on meals for Sunday/Monday though as they are all on me. Fortunately the girls are pretty good about not complaining.

I am wearing...PJs and my ring sling as an arm sling. Works nicely.

I am creating...or trying to create...a home. Still coming slowly (hurt elbows don't hurt), but someday, I hope, it'll be better.

I am going...to see my baby sister tomorrow! Very excited about this. We're also going to explore the lake a little bit as we've not done that yet.

In my mailbox this week...was a card from my mo my and my latest Enjoy Life magazine (yummy looking breakfast breads I have to try), and a new Paperback Swap book: Shanghai Girls.

I am reading.. . various magazines. Just finished Shanghai Girls. Great read; however, I was bugged at the end to realize it's at least a two-parter and I didn't know until the story just suddenly stopped. Boo! Need a new book now...

I am hoping...

I am hearing...the music of La Bayadare as I'm typing and watching a documentary on Darcy Bussell at the same time.

Around the house...things still feel messy but they are slowly coming together. Much to slowly for my taste, but it does get done, so I guess I just will continue to deal with it :)

One of my favorite things...our new Roku. If you don't know what a Roku is don't feel bad, I didn't know until recently. Basically it's this tiny little box that we can stream our Netflix account and various other things (Pandora, various news stations, tons of other websites) straight to our TV. Love it!

A few plans for the rest of the week: as it is Friday--see my sister on Saturday? We go back on duty at 8am Sunday. Monday we have the girls at home all day. Might try to go to the park or something. Lots of unpacking.


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Meet My Girls

We are obviously limited on what we can share/say about the four young ladies who we currently claim as "ours"; however, I can still introduce you to some degree to them. In getting to know them, Chris and I have both come up with an animal nickname for each of them, so here they are:

Mama Bear--Mama Bear is the oldest of the girls. She is our only middle schooler and is diving headlong into puberty. This has led to a number of fun conversations with her that I've never expected to have for quite a few years with my own daughter. Talk about on-the-spot training. We call her Mama Bear because she is very much the protector/boss of her siblings who also are here (not with us). She can display that "mom" attitude towards some of the other girls as well--which can be both good and bad depending on if she's just bossing or actually protecting and helping them. She is the one pretty much all the girls follow. Vivacious and fun, behaviorally she is the most solid of them all--which is god for us given her leadership role she has. Some typical teenage behavior stuff, but hey, what girl doesn't go through that. She and Chris have hit if off really well, excellent as she definitely needs some solid male relationships in her life.

Turtle--The next oldest is Turtle. Where Mama Bear and Chris have hit it off, Turtle and I have also formed a tight bond. Turtle is one who has taken us by surprise. We were told that she is very reserved and doesn't open up quickly to people. So not what we've seen. She doesn't open up quickly or much, but she has opened up to us for sure. Turtle can be fun and bouncy and silly. Definitely the actor/writer/artistic one of the group; always wanting to play act. She can also be quiet and pensive and moody. If poked, like a turtle, she will draw into her shell and only come out with patience and encouragement. We also call her Turtle just due to her general movement--especially when it comes to chores. Slow. Slow. Slow. Definitely a good strain of passive aggressive behavior running through her bones :)

Busy Bee--Always moving is the best description for this beautiful little one. Fantastic if I need help folding laundry (especially Charlotte laundry!) or doing other chores, as she is always looking for something to do. Can drive you insane if we're doing something, and she's ready to move on to a different activity (five minutes later!). And her movements include emotionally as well as physical activity. Sunny and cheer to upset and crying can happen in the span of 2 seconds. Fortunately, as we're getting to know her, we're discovering exactly how bright of a child she is (possibly the intellectually brightest of the bunch; although, it's easy to miss that fact if you're not watching her closely) and are encouraging her to utilize those brains in how she acts and behaves rather than just caving into whatever emotion is running through her little body at the time.

Siamese Cat--Our last one we have come to see as a cat. Swishes her own tail to her own beat. Can be lovely and cuddly and charming when she wants to be. And will bite your ankles when she's mad at you. Cat has given me a run for my money, but she can be a darling at the same time. The youngest of the girls, she definitely is trying to grow up very quickly, especially to match the oldest two. Which can definitely lead to some interesting times.

So that's a brief summary of four new ones. They are lovely, charming, squirreley young ladies. Some of the experiences some of them have had and things they have seen are ones that no kid should ever know exist. And while that definitely can lead to some interesting behaviors at times and conversations, they are still fantastic and I feel very honored to get to mommy them.

Six More Months of Shuffle and Change

The last post I wrote was July 2018. We were settling into routine, finding a groove, and trying to fit our family of five into a two-bedroo...