I can almost say I did it :)

By this time next week I will be able to say I completed ANATOMY! This has been quite a crazy journey. Its not so much the subject, I LOVE THE SUBJECT. But what it has taken is Mucho Memorization skills. To do that with four children and in the middle an UNEXPECTED move to another town has made this class a weee bit .....difficult. But I love that I can soon say I did it!!!
I know that yes there are five more prerequisite classes before I can apply for the program that I want however I am going to rejoice in the little milestone. Lots will be changing this next week for us.....
Our foster parenting journey will be coming to an end. We have decided that we are going to take these younger years of ours and just utilize them with our own children. We learned so much by making the choice to become foster parents. Most importantly it has brought Israel and I to a place of amazing communication and we treasure the family we have more than ever. The girls have also learned a lot from this experience, but are eager to have our family of just us four back. Simple little things we took for granted will no more be overlooked! Its going to be so strange yet its going to be wonderful.

Im so excited for this summer...Im going to treasure the small little moments and not let them fly by. Smell the flowers....stay a little longer in the park with the girls....take a trip to see friends that we miss OOOOOH so much in Texas and hug them all so tight!!! Its only been since November since Heather and Jason moved but our heart misses them tremendously! Cant wait for August!!!

But the little milestones....next week Anatomy 125 over! and maybe with an A ;)

First day of school...in March

So the girls started at the Christian School today :) It was neat to see them so excited for the first day of school....in March. I love that they have eachother too. They walked up hand in hand ready for the new adventure that awaited them. I feel good about the decision that was made to have them go...and I find myself eager to hear about their first day...less than 45 minutes away :)

Training...a new perspective

A child is adopted at birth...did you know that even at birth that is a traumatic experience...Think about it 9 months with a mom that you were able to hear, smell, recognize a heartbeat...and then bam...heres your new mommy. That small baby did not get the chance to even comprehend what and why that just happened...but instead just stores it in a place far away in their mind...only for it to come out in some way some form later in life.

I never thought about that...I always thought that maybe adopting a child a bit older than a baby would be considered traumatic...but a baby wouldnt know the difference. Tonight I was able to gain a much larger perspective.

Tonight at our foster parent training...it was pointed out that big but even small things in our lives can shape who we are as people because of the trauma that comes out of our experiences...

Every memory stored deep and far away in our brains...We do not stop to think why our heart races or our palms sweat when we are about to encounter a certain situation...Makes me laugh when I sit and think some of the things that give me anxiety and where they must have sprouted up from.

Tonight I walked away frustrated that two little children that I have grown to love so very much will have to work out so many traumatic situations over their life time. Many things that should have never ever happened. I can look for signs though and I get the opportunity to help them through it. I think I am falling in love with this area of my life more and more. I would have never seen myself taking this route...Im so thankful God took over and opened the door.

Give your stress wings and let it fly away

So in the last two weeks I believe I filled up my "stress bucket" beyond capacity..enough for the next year...well honestly the next five years. Sometimes I sit back in amazement of just how much strength can arise from within. Its that endurance that we all have. I think it likes to hide though and be used very sparingly.

So I suggest to anyone...do not try to move in a three day time period. Caution doing this with four children...and also 8 dogs can be very dangerous to the sanity of anyone! Plus do not try moving when in the middle of a high demanding anatomy college class and a job. I do not put all of these things for a pity party but just a way to see a small glimpse of my overloading plate. I think I am wearing way to many hats. The areas that I want to see thrive in my life: my childrens needs and ability to experience special moments, the childrens church ministry, and enchaning the lives of my foster children...seem to keep taking a back seat. I do not do this purposely, it seems to happen automatically to keep my head above water. Today I woke up after an evening where my husband suddenly came to his senses that we are way over our heads and an idea such as taking a day to go play in the snow...may not be able to work when everything around us is in chaos. And I just let my mind go to a place where I can think...you go girl...some may think you are nuts and need to slow down...( i admit I AGREE) but all and all Im pretty proud of whats been accomplished in this incomprehendable notice we were given. So stress...fly away. And even if you are there you shall be ignored. :)

Trying out this blog stuff

So I am always so intrigued by some of the blogs that have started on here. It sure is nice to know I have a little corner of the web where I can share my little this and that also. So although I have just started thanks for stopping by. Im very far off from the fanciest blog on the net ;). I can only go up from here....

But I think I figured out how to publish a cute little picture of my puppies ;)