Moving with a small child who picked that week to learn how to crawl was no picnic. We're mostly unpacked, much closer to work and school and very happy with our new home overall. Getting used to being renters instead of owners.

It's almost Thanksgiving, so take some time to consider all the many blessings we have to be Thankful for!
And God, to whom the Thanks are due for providing us with said blessings.
Hallelujah!
I thank God for: Sequoia, Tim, Nitya, Ishan, Libby, David, Robbie, Courtney, Brittany, Tori, Joey, Zachary, Corey, Laurel, Harmony, Wilda, Vern, Josh, Tamara, Ruth, Andy, Baruch,  CJ and her David, Wilda Grace, Sheila, Sean, Patrick and many more......

I've been real busy with the boys, Zachary is now here as a placement (as opposed to a visitor) for almost a month and things have gone very smoothly. We've had his Early Start Planning Meeting to update his IFSP ( Individualized Family Service Plan) since he's living with a new family in a new county. Most of his services (OT, PT, school) start this week. He also goes in for his 18-month well-child checkup to meet his new pediatrician this week. I'm glad Tuesday is a Holiday!
On that note, my 2nd son Tim is a USMC Veteran and I'd like to encourage all of you to take some time to remember what Veteran's Day is about, honoring those who've given of their lives in service to the rest of us in this country. God Bless the USA!

I don't know the Original Poet, but my Grandma Wilma Dane had this hanging in her kitchen and I've had it hanging in mine:


Thank God for Dirty Dishes, they have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry, we're eating very well.
With home and health and happiness,
We shouldn't want to fuss...
By the Stack of evidence,
God's been very Good to Us!

and this one too!

The Dishes and Dusting can wait for Tommorrow;
For Babies grow up, as we've learned to our sorrow;
So settle down Cobwebs and Dust go to Sleep;
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep!

Work is settling down now, and I'm taking the next two weeks off, just going to stay home and relax and play with boys. I have a new baby coming tomorrow, pretty much to stay, he may have one more overnight visit with his prior Foster Family, and then hopefully home with us to stay!
As we're transitioning him in, we're transitioning out the 4 1/2 year old boy who was here for 6 weeks, he just turned out not to be a good fit for our family. It's odd to me to be in a position with any say about which kids you'll raise, since, if you birth them, you take what you get and are hopefully happy about it. Since beginning Foster Care. this is only the 2nd time we've asked for a placement to be moved earlier than the social workers intended.

It's been so very busy at work, but hopefully another nurse will be joining me on Monday to help share the workload... At home my daughter Libby certainly bears the largest share of the load of looking after the kids since she's the one home with them all day. And she does an excellent job at it too!. She's a better housekeeper than I ever was with small kids at home, and she has the energy and creative drive to find fun things for them to do. I'm the Mom, but more in the traditional "Dad" role since I work all day outside the home and have the final say on authoritarian matters.  Frankly, I'd much rather cut my work week in half and stay home to play and cuddle with the kids.

I had some minor outpatient procedures done at the local hospital today and when my daughter came to pick me up, the kids (age 3 & 4) insisted on coming inside. We had told them I was going to get a "shot" to help me feel better and they wanted to check this hospital place out for themselves.

With one of my own daughters and the variety of Foster kids we've cared for, our local hospital's ER is a very familiar place to me, and I did part of my nurses training there on the med-surg unit, so it never occurred to me before that they would be interested.

We do have videos and books about visits to the doctor's office for check-ups, but these particular kids hadn't been to the hospital, at least within their memories. They have a play Check-Up kit and an old stethescope of mine they use, and I look in their ears myself if concerned about infections before making an appointment with their doctor. But Shots are something kids tend to focus on because they hurt and are a frequent part of well-child check-ups at their age. I always try to reassure them that the only hurt for a very short while and help keep us healthy for a very long time.

The Nurses in the Pain Clinic were wonderful, they answered questions and let the two boys help wheel me out to the car. I guess I'll be looking for a Pre-school/Kindergarten book/movie that explains more about the many functions Hospitals perform.

Evidently I was named Foster Parent of the Year at a Foster Family Agency, It's quite a surprise, because I don't think I really do anything special, just love kids and try to help them become all that they can be. It's true that because of my education and experience as a Public Health Nurse I know a little more about the various systems and agencies that kids with special needs obtain services from, but I'm sure that I'm like the majority of Foster Parents, getting up each day and dealing with what it brings, good or bad. At the end of the day, if you put them to bed; safe, warm, fed and feeling loved, it's a good day.

I found out this morning that a friend and co-worker had died over the weekend. She was in her early 50's and fairly healthy until this spring. Saw her doctor regularly and had all the recommended preventative screenings. Take care of yourselves... she left behind 2 young teenagers....

Sometimes it's hard to keep our eyes on the Goal.... it's easy to get bogged down in the day to day matters, and they are important too, it's necessary to feed, clothe and play with the kids; to go to work and labor a fair days' labor, etc.
As a Sabbatarian, I feel very blessed to have the gift of the Sabbath to rest, to solidify relationships with both my physical and spiritual family; to remember the Greatness and Goodness of Almighty God. {1 John 3}