7 Weeks and Counting

It is shocking that I haven’t lost it completely although I am sure I have lost it a bit. LOL. You see, we have been renovating our attic space of our house since August 2011. My husband and I have used that space as our master bedroom and closet since 2009 but after finding out we were pregnant in July 2011 the renovations started. We set out to transform the space we used for a closet into our new nursery and makeover the existing master.

The room with the exposed wood was the closet. The other room with the white paneling is the master bedroom. The stairs to enter the attic is right next to the bigger window with the black curtain on it.

We started the renos with ripping 3 huge holes into our roof. I wanted window put in that would be safer to escape in case of an emergency. So my wonderful father-in-law and his workers built us 3 dormers. I am telling you there is nothing like having a bunch of workers in your house while you are in your first trimester. You’re sleeping in your living room, exhausted, pucking and the house is filling up with every insect that just loved coming in through the big open holes. Yeah L

Next came installation. This part probably took the longest. I wasn’t able to help due to having some back issues. Jon’s job was switching to flat rate so he was working overtime like crazy. He was still trying to be a good Dad and spend some time with his kids. To say the least it took till the end of December 2011 to finish. It has made a HUGE difference though. We used to have to sleep with a heater on, several blankets on the bed and we insulated the walls by hanging winter coats up. It looked ridicules but you just got to do what you got to do.

All of January 2012 my husband has spent every hour he can putting up the pine on the nursery walls. This has been tricky. He gets home from work at 6:00, we eat and then he goes up and works till 8:00. This is when he needs to tuck in and pray with each kid. After that he can’t work due to all the noise he makes.

Now we are officially 7 weeks away from our newest little girl being due. Today Jon is about a week behind were he would like to be. But he is trying to make the best of it. He and Big C are bonding through working together to finish the last bit of touches before painting in the nursery. After this week we will switch all of our stuff and nursery stuff into the nursery. Jon will then start to board up the walls in the master. He is hoping to have painted the few pieces of furniture that need paint and have the master bedroom’s walls up and painted by the end of February. We also have A and Big C birthday coming up so renos will need to go on hold so we can through a dance party in our basement.

There it is our family challenge for the next 5 weeks. I may still completely lose it. Managing all three kids by myself 8 months pregnant and not getting the quality time with my husband I really love having. But the outcome of having the renos done before baby comes will definitely be worth it!

JUST ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS

This happened just under a year ago but I love it because it is just one of those moments:

As Big C practises throwing his hat on his head, he asks me if he can take it to school to impress the ladies. I then tell him he is way too young to impress the ladies being only 10. He then response with "Mom, God can do anything.”

Oh the faith of a young boy.

A New Addition

Before I get into my entry for this week I wanted to just say a little something first. I am committing to posting an entry by every Sunday night. I am doing this for a number of reasons. One being to give myself some structure and accountability so that I continue to write. Two being that I as a busy mom don’t have whole lot of time to write more than that. Thirdly being that most of you reading this are busy moms yourselves and probably don’t have time to read more than that, especially if you follow a few blogs. Okay now onto my post:

One of the best parts of having adoption in your family is always having your eyes opened to a different perspective on something that may seem to you just mundane. I was blessed this Saturday by just this very thing.

I wanted to have a little one on one time with Big C so I asked him to come along with me that morning to do some errands. We quickly got ready and climbed into the car. As he got into the car he asked me why we have the kennel with us. As I pulled out of the yard I asked him if he could tell me.

“Are we getting another kitten?”

“No” I said.

“A PUPPY!”

“Yes. We are looking at two litters today. Your Dad and I have certain things we need in a puppy so I will be picking out which one we are taking home. But I would love for you to be with me and make the puppy feel welcome when we drive home. How does that sound”

“Awesome Mom.”

We needed to drive for an hour before we got to the first place. I loved having this time to chat with just him. This doesn’t happen much when the other two are in the car with us. Usually Big C and A both try to share with me the same story at the same time or they would just prefer to talk with each other then with Mom.   Most of our conversation in the car that day was about Star Wars. I didn’t have much to add to the conversation, only seen the movies once, but it was wonderful to hear him talk with such zeal.

The first litter was tons of fun. 7 little Australian Shepherd/German Shepherd puppies. Big C rolled around the floor letting all of them wildly climb all over him. He would share that he really liked this one then say that he really liked that one. I am sure if he could he would have taken at least three home. Even myself fell for one little girl real hard but after meeting them I realized that they are more suited for indoors and we were looking for an outdoor dog.

We then drove to our second meeting place to meet the other litter. These were 3 Australian Shepherd/Maremma puppies. Oh they were fluffy and definitely had the coat for a great outdoor dog. We had to meet outside at a parking lot so we were only able to hold them. They were all so snugly. Especially the one girl, she would snuggle her nose right under our chins.  Both mine and Big C’s hearts had been won over. I looked at him and said, “She’s the one.” I paid the lady who brought them and asked Big C if he would take her to the car. With a big smile he carried her to the car.

As we climbed into the car to make our way home I got to experience that wonderful different perspective. Big C helped our new little puppy into the kennel and then sat in the seat next to her leaving the door to the kennel open so he could comfort her. As I got the car started I could hear him. “It’s okay. We are going to love you a lot. You’re going to be safe with us.” Big C then looked up at me and shared that he could understand how she feels. He understood how it felt to be separated from your family, unsure why, and be put with a new one. I turned in my seat and told him that it is a really great thing that he could understand what she must be going through and be able to sympathize with her. He smiled and said, “Yeah it is good isn’t it. She is probably scared right now but I am sure in a bit she is going to feel really loved and know we are her family. She’ll just need some time.”

JUST ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS

When Lil’ C was about 2. Daddy and him were upstairs in our bedroom. I go up the stairs to join them when I hear Lil’ C say "Ouch Dada". Jon then tells me that all he did is kiss him. Well I then go to show Lil’ C that kissing Dad isn't ouchy at all. As a lean in for a kiss Lil’ C puts his hands frantically towards my face and shouts, "No Mama! Daddy herpes, Daddy herpes!" Instead of Daddy hurt me, his newest learned word at that time. Well to say the least I nearly peed myself from laughter."

How do I always get myself into such positions?

Well I am definitely not a writer or even a person who knows how to spell or use grammar well. If you are wanting to read something of great literature stop now. I am pretty sure most of my ramblings may not even use the right words for the sentences their in.

 So if I am so terrible at writing why start a blog.

Before I can answer that question I must first explain why so many times in my life I end up asking myself how I put myself into what feels like a place that no one else is at. I have asked this many times already in the short amount of life I have lived. Let me explain...

When I was 19 years old I became engaged to my wonderful husband and was married June 25, 2005 at the age of 20.  You see the thing is most people I know who are from my generation do not get married 2 years after graduating high school. I think it was about 4 months into my engagement and numerous times of watching other people’s eyes jump out of their skulls when I would share about my coming wedding that I realized that this wasn’t the most common thing to do at my age. I think those who related to me were mostly over the age of 60.  Here I was in marriage when most of my friends were either dating or single. I was figuring this whole martial commitment thing out in a bit of a lonely spot.

I think it was around 23 that my close friends then started to wed. Yeah I am finally on the same page! It was fun to be able to relate with those on marital quirks, the balance of being you with sacrificial giving to another, and well just the joys and hardships of being a wife. Then I got pregnant with our son Lil’ C. I was again tossed into another place that felt like no one I knew was at. I had to remind myself that the national birthing age is 32 in Canada not 24. Lil’ C came into the world December 13, 2008. For some reason having a child put you in a place most singles really didn’t know how to relate to or me to them. My priorities were not just focused on myself or my husband; they were for this helpless human being. Soon though with great excitement I did find out that those I hold dear were soon having their own little ones the summer of 2009. I only had to face this thing called motherhood alone for just a short while.

Then on November 26, 2010 my husband and I adopted our twins and they moved into our home. We always knew that we desired a mixed family, were our children came to us either biologically or adoptive. We also knew that this put us on a road most don’t travel down. I just don’t think we really realized how untraveled that road would be. You see our twins came into our lives when they were 9 years old. I instantly had children who went to school, who had 9 years of upbringing under their belts by someone else, who could comprehend what was happening yet not fully understand the huge impact it has on all of our lives. Again not the most common thing to do at age 26 but when you love your children you do anything for them no matter your age. It is just hard to relate to others who parent kids this age. Most have had the blessing of being with their children as they grew up from infanthood and most of the parents are in their 30’s, 40’s or 50’s. Those who are in their 20’s were teen moms which is a whole unique road to walk in itself.  Most, older child adoption, adoptive parents we have met are older in age or fostered their kids for a few years before adoption happened.

Don’t get me wrong I am hugely thankful that I have had the life I have had. I wouldn’t have put off any of it. To be honest I am actually grateful that I never waited for later in life to take any of those leaps. I have not lost out at all, I have only gained.  But I don’t think that if I hadn’t been through them at those points in my life I would have ever dared to venture down this road of putting my story and thoughts out there for anyone to read.

You see in each of those “How did I get myself into this lonely position” I would search out those who were there, who understood. I would seek them out in my community, in my church and would search online trying to connect to them. I knew I can’t be the only one in this whole world who has been here or is here. God promises that he will put the lonely into family. So this is why I am writing a blog with no literary skills because I realized that those who are searching don’t need a masterpiece, they just need to know that they are not alone.

JUST ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS

 Watching Gulliver’s Travels with all 3 kids. There is a scene where the one character explains to Gulliver that after only a day of working there he is now the boss and Gulliver has been demoted. Lil’ C then say, “Hey Mom, he’s just like you. He’s the boss.” Ahhh, the truth from a little babe’s mouth J