Blogging Anniversary

I started blogging just a little over a year ago, and coincidentally about enjoying the last of summer... I am betting it will be my annual early/mid September topic because I have such a hard time saying goodbye to warm, sunshiny weather. I suppose I also don't like to be tied to the routine of schooling and all the obligations that come along with the changing of the season.
Time now to kick it into gear. Near the top of the "To Do" list is to get therapies restarted. I am thinking we will have an in home therapist come, standing appointment, to assist the four newest members with their grief/loss/anger/attachment challenges, and to help us all with our family dynamics. So much we didn't know when we thought to adopt children from the foster care system. I have discovered it is taking far more patience, determination and faith than I ever imagined. I would like to say I have had an opportunity to show my quality and it has been a cut above... Unfortunately that has not always been the case as I navigate raging, wailing, destructive, disrespectful behaviors as well as enuresis and encopresis, and much more. It has been pretty rough at times. It has stretched us all to say the least. But here we are... giving up or going back is not an option, so stretch we will.
John and I really have no doubts that God meant for these kids to come to us. However, we both have found that parenting kids we haven't birthed isn't as easy as we thought it would be. But we do love them and we are committed to them. Now we must find ways to make this family work.

My life has always been pretty much about my kids... I have often thought I should have something else going on, but honestly with this many kids there is not a lot of time for anything else. I am constantly assessing my methods, changing things, tweaking things, throwing in the towel on failed attempts at this or that, praying for the insight that will help these 12 kids still at home be what God intends them to be. I am forever nervous that I am going to mess it up, someone is not going to get what they need or I will not realize until too late that I missed something or I was doing it all wrong. It is a daunting task and lots of times I am envious of some of my friends whose kids are grown and gone. I have become painfully aware that grown and gone from home does not get rid of the anxiety and stress you have over those kids. But that is a whole other thing.

How I love the carefree days of summer... I am never ready for them to end.