Great Few Days

The last few days have been SO PLEASANT. Everyone in the house has been so upbeat, happy, and uptimistic. It really helps to have fun when everyone is in a great mood... sounds like common sense, but it is easy to forget when typically atleast one of our children is either moody or just plain down.

We went to see Bolt at the theatre yesterday. It was awesome. No really, really good! We all had our laughs and enjoyed the completely original plot. It was like "Lassie Meets the Truman Show". Clever, and fun. Lexi was so proud of herself sitting with the kidpack that Daddie got her. She took the whole movie just to eat the little baggie of gummies that came with it but found great pride in putting her cup in the real cup holder and sitting behind a bag of popcorn. I put up the armrest and pulled her close to me. She looked at me like I was crazy and then put it back down and sat normal, as if to say" that is NOT how the big kids do it." Super cute!

Then Lolo and Papa came over for dinner and rocked out to Rockband with the fam. Super good times.

Today we had Anna and Rainy and Laurie over to watch the Cardinals WIN!!! That was awesome. Anyway, we have been working out as a family and having fun and just enjoying each other. I never thought I would say this, especially at the start of winter break, but I almost don't want it to end. We have really been having fun. The house is a real mess. The laundry is behind. But what has mattered most has happened and that was family fun. We got to see people we love. We got to play games, watch movies, eat fun food, and celebrate Christ. What more could a person ask for??

Swimming in December

Well, after searching valley wide, we found an indoor swimming pool at a local hotel and decided to spend a day and night as a family just relaxing. We invited Aunt Laurie and the girls to join us for the swimming and dinner part and prepared for a night of fun!

The pool wasn't as heated as we would have liked. I think calling it 70 degrees may have been generous but all the same, we went in. COle would have nothing to do with it and chose to keep a towel swaddled around his shoulders and his feet in the spa instead. Lexi would only go in if held close to our heat emmitting bodies. Abby, as could be expected, swam until she was blue and shivering so hard that she was creating her own mini-waves. Celia is a fish. She really is an athletic child.

Anna and Celia played well together in the water. We all got in a few games of Marco Polo as well. We would periodically warm up in the spa and Aunt Laurie was quite a trooper with the kids in the cold pool.

That night we had brought our DVD player and rented a few movies from BLockBuster. Turns out the tv at the hotel wasn't compatible so that was a lost effort that cost us $14 in renting a movie to our room from the hotel. Grrrrr... the kids all ate gummy bears and licorice while snuggled in before the tv. It was really cute. Sleeping didn't go as well as everything else. We had made a bed on the floor out of blankets for Cole and Abby. Daddy and I were in a not-so-big full sized bed, and then Lexi and Celia in the other bed. First, Abby was moved to a make shift bed by the front door. Then Celia joined the ranks on the floor in a much nicer make shift bed. Lexi was queen having the only real bed all to herself. Daddy snored, Abby woke up with whimpering tears, and we even had the alarm pre-set to go off at midnight with the Mexican Cucarracha! So yes, we had fun. And YES, we are tired!

Next time, we ask what the pool temp is before settling on a reservation. And next time, we bring some sleeping bags. But I do hope that there will be a next time!

The Bikes

Cole, Lexi, and Abby all got bicycles for their Christmas gifts from us. Cole and LExi's bikes are 16" and Abby's is a 12". They are super cute with their little training wheels. COle was excited to sit on it but knowing how to make it go was a whole new thing. The tricycles always allowed him to use his feet to propel the trike like a Flinstone car instead of using the pedals. Lexi had figured out the trike pedals but it was hard for her to reach them consistantly.

Well Lexi figured out the bike right away. She opted for Cole's red bike rather than her purple one. Should have known that! Around and around the living room she went with pride beaming from her. As she tired she would periodically whine when stuck but all in all, it was super successful. Cole gave up.

Today was a new day. We put Cole on his bike and he stuck with it out in our street. And sure enough, it was a matter of time and he got it... for the most part! He still tries to pedal backword at times which leads to some frustration.

Watching the kids struggle just to pedal the right direction actually reminds me of how it is that I struggle with the tasks in my life. The laundry, the kids, the house, the cooking, the errands, the doctor appointments, etc. And then the realization that the kids have figured out to pedal now and they don't even know that pedaling was just the beginning of what it really takes to ride the bike. They will one day have to balance without the 2 extra wheels and navigate a world of traffic, hills, and bumps. Yet they are just working so hard right now to just pedal. What does that say for me and where I am? Am I just pedaling, not even knowing that a whole balancing act and navigation process is ahead? I am sure of it. I doubt it not for a minute. Every time we master one task in our lives, the Lord presents us with a new degree to the challenge, or a new challenge all together. I suppose that is the point- to keep being challenged and grow through those experiences. Just interesting to see it all through the blind eyes of a 2 and three year old. They are so happy with their success... which I suppose is where I need to be. Happy in mine.

Christmas

This Christmas has been truly crazy... always in the chaos there is a pause to reflect on the Lord's blessings of the year and to look at what God is doing in my life going into the new year. This pause has been so different than in years past.

Celia is here. She is the new light in our lives and though sometimes she is hard to truly understand, she brings so much joy and pleasure to each day. Her case plan has not changed and there is still no certainty of how long she will be here. All we can do is love her and pray each day for more days to hold her and hug her. It has been 4 months and 2 weeks now. She told us last night that it seems like so much longer. We have just done so much together and really have gotten to know and love one another. It is amazing how quickly a family can be bound.

And of course, there are Abby and Lexi. Visits with their bio dad have resumed for now, pending the court hearing toward the end of January. These new visits have come with big backlash and the children that I had refused to acknowledge as foster children, I am once again living with the awareness staring me in my face.

Africa. The lessons and awarenesses brought to me through my trip to Africa have forever changed me for the better. The trip brought me so much closer to the Lord and to doing what it is that God would have me do in my life. I have some friends in Africa now, bringing home their children, and I am just biting at the bit to hear all about it.

So to sum up the year as God would have me see it- Back to the Basics. Faith, Family, Friends. These are honestly all I need. I do not wish to attain more than that. I actually wish I could get rid of so much of this "stuff" that society has taught me to value. So many thought I was crazy when I recently shut off my cell phone. It was so liberating. We have given our time away... our time in the car. Our time running errands. Our time on the toilet. Honestly... you all know what I am talking about. Technology robs us of our ability to just be. It robs us of our time to just pray and ponder. Doing is so much better than having. I cleaned out our garage earlier this year and intend to do this throughout the house as time allows. Is it purposeful? Is it prudent? If not- let's find someone who thinks it is and let them have it. I don't need stuff. I need God and people. Not stuff.

ANyway, I know you all have had your awakenings this year as well and hope that when you look back upon this last year that you will see a new found excitement in your life with what you have learned, too.

For this next year, I am prioritizing two trips. I want to go on a trip with my grandma and hopefully my mom. I don't care where. It is something we have been wanting to do and the opportunity hasn't worked out as we had hoped. The other trip is to Africa. I love the kids there. I feel very connected to them. I want to go back and continue to grow in those relationships. Other than a simple love for them, I am not really sure why God has me feeling so pulled back. I do not understand why it can't just be a great memory from a past trip- but it isn't. I am saving up to go back and hope to take Jason and perhaps, Celia, too (she has to be adopted first). I wish to serve at the orphanage and just love on the kids.

As for my family, I am desperately praying for the girls' adoptions to go through. I would be honored to be their mom forever. I also am working to get more ME time at home. Wish me luck on this as I have never been good at carving that out!

Love to you all. God Bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Who's the Turkey??

Well, Thanksgiving is such a blessed family time. This year, like so many other things, it didn't get much thought or preparation until it was upon me. I feel like I juggle my tasks all day long, only to lye down at the end of the day and see what tomorrow may bring. It helps me to not feel overwhelmed but also robs me of the joy of anticipation for the good.

I did cook this year, and I must say, it was pretty darn good. I hopped online the day before the guests would arrive and found some amazing recipes for augratin potatoes and a recipe that Nana Fremouw had given me for some sweet potatoes that were really to die for. I made a from scratch green bean casserole and must say that though it looked decident, the canned beans just had more flavor as did the canned soup. Mine looked better but the easy stand by definately tastes better! I did some easy rise rolls and my mom brought some apples stuffing and grandma brought the pies... so where was the turkey? Not on the table! Nope- we had ham. The only turkey at the table was my grandpa whom asked grandma to leave near the end of a wild and unpredictable game of Sorry. He must have known that a defeat like that by a 12 year old diva would be just too much for her to handle!

It was a great day. And then today, we went to Dev and Belinda's for a SECOND meal. Brandy was a surprise guest from her schooling in the Navy and it was SO GREAT to see them all. It was our first time to their new home and it was really pretty and painted in nice neutrals. We jammed on rock band after stuffing ourselves to the point of being uncomfortable.

You ask, " What am I thankful for?" I have been blessed beyond comprehension in my life. My shout out first and foremost is obviously to the Lord Jesus for our salvation and the grace which has been bestowed upon us. Second, my husband. He is beyond any man I could invision and makes so many efforts every day to show me that he loves me more today than yesterday and 10 years into this dance, I wouldn't trade a day. My kids- they are perfect in every imperfection and I am SO BLESSED to still have them all in our home and to be speaking of adoption still. They are such a completion to our home. And of course, all of you- my extended family (no friends, you are extended family!) I feel loved and supported no matter how much time we have apart and I must say, there is no one who feels more blessed than I at this moment. Thank you for just being you and loving me the way you do.

God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving, you TURKEYS!!!

As the World Turns

So, I know it has been a long time since I have written. You have my appologese. It has been busy but no more than usual. Usual is plain and simply, busy.

We have had good days and bad, just as everyone. Celia has been a great addition to our home but the transition isn't always smooth. It is what we had expected and for the most part, she is really doing great. We love her very much and thank God for her every day. COle and Lexi are doing great at preschool. THey really do love it and are talking more and more all of the time. It is really fun to see what they bring home from school as their projects! Abby is my little fire cracker for sure. She is enjoying her time with me, finally. I think she was sad that school started and for a time was protesting being alone with me in the mornings. Now, she seems to enjoy the attention and running errands and helping around the house.

We went to Telle and Kristen's new place in Surprise last night. The newlyweds are doing good and I love their dog, Rusty. Kristen cooked us an amazing meal including the best dessert I have had in months!

J's work is holding out. The Lord has really protected us through this rough market. Every month we should be broke and yet, J keeps getting deals. We are really blessed to have the referalls still coming in on deals that can actually be done and we take none of them for granted.

Celia doesn't know it yet but we are moving Lexi and Abby into the same room and putting Celia into Lexi's old room. We will not be painting it or doing too much to it until we know whether she is going to be adopted but we have decided to give her a space of her own. I think she will be super excited... and Lexi's stuff will all fit nicely into the other room. Fairy princesses belong in a garden anyway, don't they?!

We are preparing to celebrate my 30th birthday at Disneyland this upcoming weekend. We are SUPER excited to go. It will be all 4 kids' first time there and J and I have not been in over 10 years so it will be like a whole new experience for us- especially seeing it through our children's eyes.

So I know that was a catch up posting but wanted to do it in the hopes of being able to log on more frequently to post. Love to you all.

Where Have I Been?

I know, it has been way too long since I last wrote. My appologese.

Most of you know that God blessed our family with a new daughter. Her name is Celia and she has been with us for 5 weeks now. She is an amazing 11 year old young lady. A gem, a true gem in all ways. She is so thoughtful of others, very polite, and is really very happy to be in our home. I love her more than I knew would be possible and though at this point she is a foster child, I can not imagine my family without her. I can not post picture of her due to her foster status, but just imagine this hispanic child with pure, dark eyes, smooth skin, mid length straight, brown hair. Her smile is infectious though in pictures she closes her mouth to smile and it loses its genuine character. She is petite but upon meeting her it is so easy to see something special and amazing within her.

So the last 5 weeks have been incredible in so many ways. And exhausting I might add. I had no idea how many appointments Celia's case manager would have for me. This child has a schedule more rigorous than most adults. She has case plan meetings, doctor evaluations, more doctor evaluations, school, counseling, and then her fun church program on Wed. nights. You would think that she would never be bored though she does not want to sit still and think about all that life has dealt her so if she finds herself sitting for more than a moment, "I'm bored" usually follows.

Cole, Lexi, and Abby think she is the greatest thing to land on this house. At first, it was fine. They followed her everywhere watching her every move and mimicing it with great precision. They went upstairs when she did just so they wouldn't lose sight of her. They would wake from a nap and ask where she was before even saying hello to me. And as I knew it would, this soon became annoying to the one being parrotted. She has found a good balance and maintains her respect toward the tots, so I am really happy with how it is all working out.

J and I also just went on a vacation to Aruba to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that 10 years has gone by but I am truly proud to say that it has been nothing but a pleasure to call myself "Fremouw". It was never so hard to leave for vacation as it was this time. Actually, to clarify, usually leaving on vacation is quite easy for me. I have no guilt. This time was so very different. It was during the school year which required transporting the tots to one school and Celia to another. And Celia was only with us for 3 weeks before we left. That was entirely too soon. I am not sure why God put this in the week that He did, but the whole trip I was concerned for Celia and her emotional state. She and the tots stayed with grandparents which was good and the children survived just fine- but it was really hard. It was really hard to know that so much was being put onto the grandparents while we were away, too. That was likely the hardest part.

So how was Aruba? Well, it was simply FANTASTIC! We had iguanas coming onto the beach with us! We had talking parrots greet us every day at our hotel with a pathetic plea for crackers. We had the warmest ocean water one could imagine. We ate, we shopped a little, and gambled a little as well. We slept often and layed under an umbrella on the beach for countless hours. To sow our wild oats, we did an off roading Jeep island tour and took in the views and culture. It was a great trip and ended all too soon in some ways. But it is always good to come home.

We had a few rough days getting back into the swing of things once home but we are back to "normal". I don't really like the word "normal" because in our case, controlled chaos is normal. The two words can nearly be used interchangably.

So I guess that gets you caught up on what is happening. Not so much caught up on my feelings and thoughts, just on the facts of where I have been for the last long while. I know- after reading about Africa to skip to this is a plunge into Phoenix, isn't it?! Believe me, I know. It is hard to balance the lessons of Africa with the life of Phoenix. I hope to post more soon.