Alone Time?

When I was first married, I was a housewife (well, I had a very part time job), and I was B-O-R-E-D bored! I read a lot, slept in, watched some soap operas, cleaned this, dusted that...I was BORED! We were hoping to start a family, and we had enough money coming in that I didn't need a full time job, so I stayed at home most of the time. Have I mentioned that I was BORED?
We lived in Fairbanks, Alaska at that time, and I stayed at the house a lot because it was often cold enough to keep me indoors. Although we were eager to start having little people to take up my time, it wasn’t working out that way, and I spent a lot of quiet time alone at home. I didn’t particularly like it, but I didn’t have friends to hang out with, and those peripheral friends I did have all had busy families.
During those long, dark winters, I often longed for the busyness of children.When we moved to Montana I had the same issues, fewer friends, and no transportation. I spent even more time alone at home. It was even quieter, because I knew no one in my new town, and I didn’t have a job. I got more and more bored by the moment. I started volunteering at the local library, and that eventually turned into a part time job, but even that wasn’t enough to alleviate the dullness.
After a bunch of childless years, we decided to become foster parents. We really felt we had what it takes to be parents, and believed God was calling us to take in children who needed families. We wanted a single child, or maybe a sibling pair. Young – like under 6.
If you already know me, you will already be snorting. Our first foster child was young – 4 months old. But that didn’t last long. He went home, and our next one was a teenager!! Well, she was a very easy, sweet kid, so it wasn’t hard to have her around, and meeting her needs was a relatively simple task. It was fun, but I still had way too much time on my hands.
Little did I know that God already had a plan…
Over the next few years, we took in another 8 foster kids, and only 4 of those moved on! Out of the 10 kids we took in, we kept 6 of them permanently!! And after those 6 came, along came 2 birth babies! What an awesome family!
But…
Now, don’t get me wrong – I am soooooo thankful for my precious family! I love every one of my children, and I am constantly amazed at how beautiful, brilliant, and awesome they are!
But…
Where’s the boredom now? Can I just have a minute or two? How ‘bout an hour alone in my own house? I want to draw a bit of boredom out of the boredom bank and use it now. Is that possible?
In these hectically (is that a word) busy days of childhood, teenagers, therapies, programs, holidays, church activities, and various other demands, I think back on those 10 childless, boring years and say, “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!”
Then I look at each child and say, “She’s beautiful,” “He’s hilarious,” “What an adorable kid,” etc… They truly are amazing and wonderful, and I praise God for putting this family together. He must have a lot of confidence in me (or His ability to use me) to give me such a family. I pray that I will bring honor to Him in my role in this clan.
And I pray for some free time.

I had to laugh…

I just overheard a lunch-time conversation between 6yo Kristi and 4yo Nathan...
K: Look, Nathan, a skirrel!
N: No, it's "squoyel"
K: No - "skirrel!"
N: "Squoyel!"
K: No!
N: Mom, how do you say "squoyel"?
Mom: Squirrel.
K & N: See?!?

You wanna be a what?

Andrew: Dad, do you know what I'm gonna be when I grow up?

Dad: No, what do you want to be?

Andrew: A science test.

Dad (chuckling a little): A what?

Andrew: A science test!

Dad (laughing a little harder: Tell me what you mean.

Andrew: You know, I wanna study bugs and stuff.

Dad (laughing too hard to speak): Heeeehaaaheeehaaaheeehaaaa.

Andrew: hehehehe

Mom: Do you mean a scientist?

Andrew: Yes. I'm going to be a science test.

Waaaaaaah!

I was just checking out all the newest journal posts...browsing through to see what's up. My 4-year-old son came over and leaned on the desk.
"Whatchya doin' Mom?" he asks.
"I'm just looking to see what's up with my friends," is my reply.
With a sweet, innocent voice, he says, "You have friends?"

It's a good thing they make me laugh!

My youngest, Caleb, makes me laugh regularly. It's a good thing, too, because with 7 at home, if I didn't laugh often I'd probably be locked up by now.
The other day I went to get my sweet little man after his nap, and I hoped for a sweet snuggle in the rocking chair. Not happenin'. He was holding his blankie - which he calls "nyonny" - and he headed out the bedroom door. He turned back to look at me and said, "Nonny."
"You have your blankie, right there." said the dazzlingly brilliant mommy.
"No. Nonny." replied the little man.
"Do you want me to take your blankie?" Mommy's getting confused.
"No! Nonny!" Caleb's getting frustrated.
So, I get up and reach for the blanket, "Do you want me to put it in your bed?"
"NO! NONNY!"
"Okay, show me what you mean."
Caleb immediately left the bedroom, ran down the hall to the laundry room, and patted the front of the washer. "Nonny."
My 22-month-old son gave up his after-nap snuggle to do laundry! He truly wanted to move the wet clothes from the washer to the dryer. That was his whole agenda.
I realized later that he had been saying "nonny" instead of "nyonny", but I'd never heard "laundry" from him before, so I didn't know. Poor, frustrated little man. It must be such a struggle to live with a mom who is so dense!
We did do laundry, and then he went outside to play in the mud with the rest of the kids...still no snuggle. Boohoo.

(Sorry - I didn't take my camera with me to do laundry. What was I thinking? This was taken the same day.)

Dark! Dark! Dark!

Last night my son Nathan couldn't go to sleep because he was scared of the dark under the bed - you must realize that it was not dark in the bedroom - he was just scared of the dark that was under the bed. I asked him what he was afraid of, expecting to hear, "there are monsters under my bed". He looked at me like I'm stupid and said, "the dark"! Duh, he already said that! So, I went and got my "Dark Spray" (Renew Carpet Stain Remover), and sprayed it under both beds while saying, "Dark! Dark! Dark!" He was satisfied, and went right to sleep.

Tonight, he came out again, claiming that he was scared of the dark under the bed. I sent him back to bed, telling him that the dark spray I sprayed last night was still good, and was still working on the dark under the bed. He whined and complained a bit, so I very firmly said, "GO TO BED!" As he was walking away dejectedly he said, "I can't! My brave ran out!"

(another quote from Nathan)

By the way, my husband went in with the "Dark Spray" and sprayed while Nathan said, "Dark! Dark! Dark!" Nathan went right to sleep.