7 weeks

Hey everyone! We're still alive. It's been pretty crazy here for the last 7 weeks since the baby joined us. She's dealing with reflux and was not sleeping well, but we have finally figured out a good formula and medication combination for her and she has just started sleeping at night without being held. Previously, she was not able to sleep unless held upright (so she wasn't gagging). This meant I had to hold her and try to sleep on the couch while sitting. But now that she is doing better, I've been very excited to actually lay down in my bed a couple nights this past week. There have been a lot of twists and turns in the baby's case, so we don't really know what will happen with her right now. There is a possibility that we could be adopting her, but we won't know for a couple more months.  The two year old we have has been very difficult these last two months and that coming at a time when I was sleep deprived made it even harder to handle. I have seriously wanted to throw in the towel with her several times. But things are going well in her case and hopefully she will be going home within the next 6 weeks or so. It's been all I can do to just to take basic care of everyone and  keep up with all the appointments that having these two girls has added to my calendar. They are both on separate visitation schedules. I have court dates and social worker appointments and team meetings that I have to be a part of for each child. Plus, we also need to get our schoolwork and music practice done. There was just too much going on at once, and I needed to take something off my plate. After much prayer, I sadly decided that it was time to once again lay down Zumba. It was the only thing that I could lay down. I'm not involved in much else and I can't let go of homeschooling or foster parenting and I will not take the kids out of music lessons or choir (which only adds up to two hours a week out of the house anyhow). So that only left Zumba. I put in my two weeks notice and stopped teaching at the Y the end of March. I was sad to do that, but honestly there is so much going on right now that I haven't even had the chance to miss it yet.

The kids are doing well. The two year old is trying their patience too, but they do like her so that helps. They have been very patient with her. They are all absolutely smitten with our baby and love holding her and feeding her. At the end of March, Nathanael and Micah were involved in a piano festival. They have been involved in it every year since we moved here. You earn points based upon the ratings you receive for your performance. They have both always gotten the highest number of points possible. After you earn a certain number of points, you get a trophy. So this year, both my pianists finally had enough points to earn trophies and they were quite excited! The trophies are on order and they will receive them at our next recital.

The boys were involved in some special music at church this morning. I will share the videos from that below. Hannah really has no desire to take part in musical performances, so that is why you don't see her when I share videos like this. She has stage fright and isn't really a singer. But that's fine; not everyone is meant to be a musician. I'm still trying to figure out what her "thing" will be. I wish I could share the video of my two year old. The preschool and toddler classes at church were going to sing Jesus Loves Me this morning. All the kids went up there and stood around the mic, including our two year old. They were just getting started singing when she grabbed the mic and started singing nonsense words at the top of her lungs with a huge smile on her face. Everyone in the congregation was dying laughing and clapped for her when she was done. Her teacher went up on stage and sat down and held our little one on her lap and had the kids start over and sing the song. I thought she handled it really well. John and I weren't sure if we should run up there and grab her or what. It was embarrassing and hilarious at the same time. I was able to text the video to her mom at least, but I am not allowed to post it online. But it kind of showcases some of what we are having to deal with on a daily basis-- she does whatever she wants to do no matter what you say and everything has to be all about her 100% of the time. We're trying to get through to her heart, but it's hard work when she is having visits three times a week and her parents only reinforce her in her attitude and actions (and she knows they will and has even communicated that to me). We'd appreciate your prayers, not just for her, but for us, and for the baby as well.

So that's where we are right now. Here are the videos of the boys.