New Blog for a New Project

I'm not shutting this blog down, but just so folks will know what I'm up to and why I'm not posting here as much....I'm starting up a new blog that will feature our family profile for the next adoption. Many of the agencies that we are hoping to network with for the next member of our little circus are wanting electronic profiles now, so a family "adoption" blog seems perfect for that purpose. I'm going to have it password protected for privacy, but if my family and friends would like to take a peak when it's done and offer constructive criticism.....just let me know and I'll let you in. :)

Tagged!

Okay I was tagged by my sister Jess http://www.jessy-eighthearts.blogspot.com/ to post the 4th picture in the 4th file on my computer. This happened to be the fourth picture in the fourth file on my office computer and, since it matches the Disney "theme" that Jess started in her last blog post, it seemed appropriate. This is a shot of me and Sky and my sister in the background watching the "Beauty and the Beast" show at Disney World 3 years ago.

Sky had the greatest time that morning in the Magic Kingdom, and she so wanted to see the "princess dance" as she referred to this show, but she pooped about 15 minutes in to the music. I love this pic because it is one of the few sleeping pics I have of Sky where she looks like a baby still (in reality she has become quite the BIG GIRL *sniff*) .

We all want to go back to Disney so desperately and hope that maybe in a year or so our family will be complete, and we will be done saving for adoptions and eliminating debt, so we can make the grand celebratory trip.

On the adoptions front.... We have officially closed our foster home after finalizing the Peas adoption 2 weeks ago. We have turned in our medicals, fingerprints, background check authorizations, vital records, and personal biographies into our new home study agency. We should be ready to start home visits for the home study after the new year and hope to have a completed home study by early spring. Woop-woop! :) Can you join me in praying for a new kidlet in the crew by the end of 2009?

What do all these pics of glorious chaos signify?

This many kids in a courtroom can only mean one thing.....

....WE FINALIZED THE PEAS ADOPTIONS!

I don't have elegant phrases to express how happy and relieved we are. All I can say is that today is a beautiful day to be a family.

Halloween Pretties

One of the coolest things about having a large family is being able to dress your kids in multi-person themed costumes for Halloween. I LOVE IT! :) Being a literary gal, I usually choose a theme from a children's book. This year was Charlotte's Web. S was Charlotte. MP was Templeton the Rat (how appropriate.....*wink*). JP#1 was Fern Arable, and JP#2 was piggy perfect as Wilbur.

Back in Blog Land with Some Thoughts About My Family

I haven't been updating the blog for a few months due to general craziness in our lives. The story behind the craziness is too painful, convoluted, and long to get into, but it looks like everything is settling out now. So, I wanted to get back into updating the blog and thought I would start with something I wrote a few weeks ago.

It's a series of things that I wish folks that we meet or encounter out and about would understand about my very special family. It's not a rant at anyone specific person or situation, but a general wishlist of things I pray that the world could just "get" about the Edwards' and the thousands of other special needs adoption families. I know I'm largely preaching to the choir among my family and friends, but here goes:

Things I Wish People Would Understand About My Family

1. My children have been through perdition. Just because they are clean, well-fed, charming, and bright when you encounter them doesn't negate all of their memories and all of their feelings about the YEARS when they were in danger. Please don't presume that we should all "just forget about it."

2. My children have difficulty with honest relationships. Trust is a new concept for them. They exploit, manipulate, and deceive because that is what it took to survive. That doesn't make them exploiters, manipulators, or deceivers by definition and it doesn't mean that I'm at fault for their behavior.

3. I am not parenting these children because I couldn't get anything "better". I'm not the parent of sloppy seconds. My children are not a consolation prize for infertility.

4. My infertility is not a judgement against me, some divine sign that I'm really not cut out to be a parent. Please don't presume that there must be something "wrong" with us as a family if we can't make biological babies, and don't assume that I don't have normal mommy feelings and frustrations just because I should be forever "grateful that someone let me raise THEIR CHILDREN."

5. My children will not be who they are right now in 5 months, 5 years, or 5 decades. They are growing and changing. I am growing and changing. Please don't assume that one low point in our life as a family is who we are for all eternity.

6. I am not doing this for the money. You are not entitled to know how much I am "paid" to take care of these children. I don't ask you how much you make at your job, please don't feel like you should get to know how much my children receive in a subsidy. It's THEIR money. Not mine. Not yours.....even if your tax dollars do go towards it.

7. What my children have been through and are going through is not catching. You can't get it by being informed about it, so don't hide in your ignorance because it makes you "sad" to think that children have PTSD, RAD, or other emotional problems. You can't get it by being tolerant, compassionate, or concerned, so don't just write us off as friends, as pupils, or as fellow Christians because our issues seem too big for you.

Becoming a Family in Christ...The Peas Baptism

Last Sunday, the Peas each received the first sacrament, the grace that makes so many other graces possible....baptism. We also participated as a family in a public rite of thanksgiving for their adoption. And, as the cherry on top, it was Sky's first Sunday as an acolyte. It was a big, big day all around. I was so proud of each of my children, and so blessed to hear them say "we do" when Father asked them if they took me as their mother. I love how adoption mirrors the way that Christ makes us part of His family. He chooses us. He makes His home with us. He indwells us with His Spirit....His unique vision. And we become His children. God Is Good!

Summer Birthdays Are So Fun!

Pea #2 and #3 had their birthday party this weekend at our camp on Lake Toledo Bend. It was a blast. The luau theme made the day, and they were so cute in their grass skirts. We put the poles in the water for a bit, and Pea #3 caught her first fish! Happy Birthday!