It's been a long couple of weeks. And while I have had a minute or two here and there to keep caught up on many of the blogs I read, I just haven't had some solid time to sit down to write my own. so here it is...

PARENTS - my parents flew into town for a whirlwind weekend two weekends ago. Our big adoption celebration was on Sat. Nov. 10th. They flew in Friday the 9th at 5:40pm, but their plane ended up delayed and didn't arrive until about 6:30. The kids were wound up to say the least - they're arrival was kept a big surprise!!! They then flew out on Monday afternoon.

ADOPTION CELEBRATION - was on the 10th. It was such a huge success, so many wonderful people and so much fun. It was a bit stressful in that there were many who didn't know each other and I wanted to talk with them all, plus having to try to keep an eye on the two little ones. People kept finding them out and about and bringing them back. We had the celebration at a church and my parents a friend and I were there starting at 9 to decorate, it was actually from 11:30-2:30. Braeden had had enough of the one room and at one point actually found an elevator and took it by himself. I think he was a little scared, and relieved, when I opened it. There were so many people who drove near and far to attend, we were very blessed. My dad's side of the family came about 2 1/2 hours to attend, friends from by hometown came about the same distance. Friends who have never met the kids but have kept in touch from when I was involved in youth ministry in Bloomington, and a friend from my youth from there as well, drove about 1 1/2 hours. I just wish I had had more time to talk with each of them. I had scrapbooks for each of the kids for people to write notes to them and then get their pics taken, and the comments were so wonderful. Of course I got pictures of every person except Braeden's godparents, my parents, and myself. Go figure! But it was a wonderful day! For those who left early, you missed the fireworks. Braeden had eaten SO much JUNK! Then my uncle was flipping him and he said, I'm going to throw up, sure enough ALL OVER! My uncle was great and held him and much of the yuck as I grabbed the garbage can! :) He was fine the rest of the day!

OLIVIA - had her most recent doctor's appt on Mon the 12th. Her white blood cells have been low so we discussed her change of meds, which they are still deciding on. I also told them that she has been practicing swallowing and is ready to switch to more pills. They are thinking about that too???? She has also been having a bout with homework and lying lately. Last week she didn't bring home her homework notebook evey day. She is supposed to bring it home the beginning of the week of then do something in it that is written to do, each day. She had consequences of going to her room, but it didn't seem to phase her. She also lied each day about it and why she didn't have it. I read another blog where they have talked about instituting a "correction" jar/cup. There are slips of paper inside listing different "jobs" as correction for misbehavior, but then there is also a slip that says Mercy. They talked with their children about how God gives us Mercy sometimes when we deserve punishment. So, I decided to start it with Olivia. Only for two things that she is needing to work on right now - lying ( because it's usually about nothing anyway), and hurting someone, usually Braeden, supposedly on accident, but then not saying sorry. If that makes sense. Anyway, right after we talked about this on Sat, she lied about not putting away some markers in the basement. When I went down to grab something, what do you know. So, she had to pick a slip. Clean the Bathroom. It took her a good part of the day as I would have her do one part at a time, but she did great. Then she kicked Braeden, supposedly on accident, but didn't say sorry, so she had to pick again. No TV all Weekend. Monday, yesterday, she came home from school and told me that she "had a break from her bag book and word ring" tonight. I thought maybe, since it was a short week, but was surprised because she has had this every Mon-Thurs since school started. Well, it turns out that she just didn't want to bring it home. A lie again, so she had to pick again. Clean the Bathroom!!! I think this is the cleanest my bathroom has ever been. The other slips say Mercy, Clean the Basement (organize), clean the Kitchen Floor, and Copy a Page From a Book (my choice). I put up the Bathroom and tv ones up for a while, she doesn't know though.

MAKE A WISH - We finally heard from the Make a Wish people. There are 5 wish children in our area currently and not enough volunteers to be wish granters. So, they are organizing a time for all of us to get together and meet the Make a Wish people to start talking over their wishes. As of right now this will possibly occur on the 29th.

SATURDAY - I took Braeden and Olivia to see Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Cute movie. Braeden loved the sock monkey. He said that the monkey only wanted a hug, a cuddle, and no one would hug him, then at the end he got a hug. It was too cute.

SUNDAY - I took Braeden and Olivia to see the Indiana Youth Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker. They loved it. Braeden was a little antsy the second half, but did well.

GIRLIE - God blessed us Incredibly and the person we were waiting on to get her day care license got it in the mail Sat the 10th, so Girlie was able to start at her home day care on Mon the 12th!!! She has bitten there a couple times, but our provider is so great and knows what is going on with her. She has fostered/adopted herself and has dealt with biting before. I think she'll do really well there. Thursday, the 15 was supposed to be her ACR - Administrative Case Review - that they hold every 6 months. I took a half day because I really wanted to know what was going on with her case. Also, there was the name of a boy listed along with her name that I knew nothing about. The cw called me Wed night and in talking, I said I was going, and she said it was in a city 3 hours away! I hadn't even paid attention to the address, why would it be somewhere else? I guess this boy is a brother, or half brother, who is 17 or 18 and his worker is from there? Anyway, no way I could go and I now had a half day for basically nothing. I got a lot done for Christmas though. The cw then let me know that they have to start doing visits with this brother. They have never even met! He isn't going home, she probably isn't, why on earth have them have visits???? He is an hour or so south so we are hoping he has to travel to her and not the other way around. That is so crazy!

OTHER LIFE - we have sicknesses yet again. Girlie had a fever (slight temp) last night and this morning. I plied her with Motrin and took her to day care. Just to get through today and tomorrow I hope! Braeden last night was saying his stomach hurt and he was going to throw up. Throwing up is a big thing for him right now. :0) But he also asks for medicine all the time on the premise he is sick, because he likes medicine. I think he had gas last night, but he was complaining this am too. I got him off to school, no fever or anything, and he skipped into day care, so we'll see. I sure hope we all make it to the big parade on Thanksgiving!