Weekend Update

"Weekend Update"... LOL! Makes me think of SNL (Satu.rday Nig.ht L.ive) when it was good and funny to watch in the early '90's. Maybe it's simply a generational thing and that's why I can't stand to watch it anymore. When Da.na Car.vey, Mi.ke Mey.ers and Ch.ris Fa.rley left, the show ended for me.

Anyhoozers... none of you are wondering about SNL and my views on it... you're wanting to know how our first weekend with our kiddos went! In a word: FANTASTIC! I was so nervous walking up to the house... Foster-mom had sent her other kiddos to a drop-in child care (which sounded like a mini theme park so they weren't too distraught at going!) so we would only be bombarded with our own children. We walked in and the younger two were jumping on the couch (I knew I should've bought that trampoline when I saw it on sale!) and our oldest was watching a show on tv that he wasn't too happy at having turned off before it was over. He settled down quickly, though, which was a good sign. We were tickling and romping around with all 3 of them before we even knew it and they were climbing on us and giving us hugs... very happy, well-adjusted children. At dinner time, they sat, ate and were very well-behaved. The boys have big appetites but throughout the weekend, we found that our youngest could probably out-eat the other two combined!

I guess I should introduce you to them: L is 4 years old and a "big boy". He has a very engaging personality, loves to talk all about race cars and trains, and likes to play basketball. He has a mouth full of caps and pulled teeth due to excessive bottle use and soft enamel issues but they're all baby teeth that'll be replaced with permanents in the coming years. R is 3 years old. She's very quiet with her words but loud and forthcoming with her giggles. She likes her baby dolls and kitchen toys (and yes, the color pink) but gets rough with the boys just as easily. S is 2 years old and such a little sweetheart. He's very quiet though he does speak. He loves being tickled and though he'll follow his older siblings in their daredevil shenanigans, he'll think it through first and then act once he decides on what the outcome will be. They all like Do.ra the Exp.lorer and Veg.gie Tales. L loves Light.ning Mc.Q.ueen, racecars and trains so our plans to decorate the boys' bedroom in cars and automobiles will work pretty well. R's already become quite the Daddy's girl and S, well shoot... S is probably the most loving and snuggly little 2 y/o a Momma could ask for.

We've decided to change their names, using their birth names where we felt we could and should. We had names picked out for our children but when we met them, decided that they really didn't fit. We waited until our drive home today to start talking about their names and it took us about 4-6 hours before we could decide on anything that fit and that we liked. We'll spend a couple of months transitioning them not only into our home and family, but into their names. Our children are the most blessedly perfect children God could have given us. We feel very lucky that through this foster-care system we all hear horror stories about, we are receiving the gift of 3 young children who are well-balanced, charming, and loving. We are blessed that we've had two of the best foster-parents we ever could've hoped for caring for our children until they were able to come home to us.

We spent Friday evening at their foster-parents' house and had dinner with them before saying goodnight and seeing them off to bed. Saturday we met for lunch and then, after their naps, went back to play and then took them out to dinner. We did take some pictures but until we have finalized our adoption with them, we cannot post any pictures online for their safety. Sunday, we picked them up for breakfast before going back to pack the truck full of some of their things. Their foster-parents are being extremely generous as they don't plan on taking additional foster placements. They currently have a son (whom they've adopted) in their home and 3 additional young foster children they are planning to adopt. They sent totes and boxes of clothes, toys, books, videos, as well as giving us toddler beds and car seats. I'm in the process of sorting through them to see what all's there so we can figure out what all we still need.

I have a busy week cleaning and organizing the house to be ready for bringing them home this next weekend (in addition to working 10-hour days). We have some smoke damage my mom is coming down tomorrow to help with and piles upon piles of laundry (our clothes, all the smoke-damaged items from the coat closet and linen closet, plus the bags of children's clothes and bedding sent home with us). It's going to be a busy week. But at the end of it, we get to go spend a weekend swimming and visiting museums with our children and then we bring them home on Sunday!