Double Standard

We are in the process of looking for a 8 passenger vehicle.  Since our family will likely be growing by 1-2 kiddos, a bigger vehicle would be helpful so that we can all ride together when we need to.

No worries though, I get to keep my mini van since most of the time it will be just me hauling around kids.  *all the live long day*  And I'm attached to my van, literally and figuratively.  I'm not ready to say goodbye, and I'm certainly not ready to be parking a beastly vehicle at Target. Or Aldi.  And don't even get me started on drive-thru's.  Seriously, I would be a danger to society.

Anyways.

We've been scouring dealerships and Craigslist.  I've learned a few things.

• Tell friends what you're looking for and BAM they are totally helpful.  
• It's funny, because when we are looking for a vehicle our standards suddenly shoot through the roof.  I mean, we want to buy from that person who maintained their car meticulously.  And the interior?  Well we want that to be super clean even though we're looking at vehicles that are ten years old (because HELLO, SUV=ridiculous $)  Basically, we want to buy from someone that is the opposite of us.  It must be in fantastic shape so that we  can treat it with our usual messiness and it will still last.  Totally logical.
• I sat in a Suburban at a dealership and wanted to cry.  The hood alone is 100 feet long.  
• I'm totally confused at the appeal of SUV's. 
• Whatever magic ingredient is in those SUV's, it's made of money.  One we drove past (while choking) was $73,000.  I can't even.  No words.
• Maybe we should just try to find an old limousine.  And then I could use the privacy window and block out the noise.  Frankly, it seems more practical. 
• When we do finally find one...and on the rare occasion I have to drive it...everyone should just plan on standing back or moving over or whatever you've got to do to stay alive while I'm behind the wheel.  It's like they should require a special license to drive those things.  
• Just kidding, I'm sure it will be fine.  *cough*

Mini Vans rule.  And so do Volvo Wagons (which is actually my dream) but I have too many kids for that.  Some people drive sports cars when they're old.  I'll be in the Volvo Wagon.  

The End.

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Random is What I do Best

So yesterday I mentioned the riveting information about my lost fitbit.  It's really no wonder that in the past 87 days I had gotten emails from strangers that wondered if I would be blogging again.  I mean, who doesn't want to be informed of this interesting stuff?!?

So I have like (literally) four friends on fitbit.  Steph, one of my bestest in real life, is one of those friends.  She's missed me on fitbit this past week because, let's be honest, she missed me making her feel better about herself.  All her other friends are over achievers, and my average of 7,000 steps a day helped make her feel better.  *encouragement is my spiritual gift*  So yesterday we met for lunch at the park and she mentioned how I should get a new fitbit or I should call Walmart and see if someone turned it in last week.  Pfff.  That would never happen.  Even in Iowa.  But, after the park I called the Walmart and asked if someone had turned it in last week.  I described the odd bracelet contraption it was in (because I had been trying to make it less ugly but it turns out less ugly means easily lose-able.)  And the dear lady went and looked for several minutes.  

Annnnd she found it.  

Reunited and it feels so....   eh.  It's fine.  It's a dysfunctional relationship, but Steph is happy so I am happy. *insert smirky smile*

And don't go trying to find me on fitbit...unless you average under 7,000 steps.  Otherwise I will just have to be annoyed with you. :)

In other news.  

Whenever I start something new in life, it tends to dominate my conversations.  And life.  

Insert Foster Care Subject Again.

Someone asked which books I had read in regards to trauma, and I decided it would be good to put them on here because it's helpful.  And it helps me keep track. (each link will take you to the book on Amazon)

Parenting the Hurt Child: Helping Adoptive Families Heal and Grow 

The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family

Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control: A Love-Based Approach to Helping Attachment-Challenged Children With Severe Behaviors 

Fostering Love: One Foster Parent's Journey

Two days in a row of blogging.  I shall reward myself with Starbucks.  

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87 Days...

Facebook keeps reminding me that its been 87 days since my readers have heard from me.  And I think, that can't possibly be.  But it's true.  

Let's bullet and catch up and then try not to get so far behind.  

• Tonight we start class 5 of 10 for foster care training.  We've had 1 of 3 home visists by the licensing worker, and everyone we know has been contacted or asked to fill out various paperwork on our charachter and overall well being.  We've filled out a bajillion forms and answered questions that date back to childhood.  Next week, alllll of us go in for physicals to prove that we are healthy enough to foster.   Fun times.  
• I've read four books on my own, all based on parenting kids with trauma.  Can you guess my area of concern?  
• Every week at our training class (which lasts three hours) we have to do group work.  I hate group work.  And class participation.  It's the worst.  #introvertproblems.
• In the past 87 days we have bought a fire extingusher, lock box for medications, a fire escape ladder, and have gotten the bedroom all set up and ready to go.  It's so dang cute.  
• Plans for particular kids have been back and forth and on and off and then on again.  It's a roller coaster that often leaves me feeling sick to my stomach, and impatient.  It's all part of the gig.  I repeat to myself over and over.  And over.  They are worth it.  All of it...even group work, is worth it for the kids.  My "no" is far harder on them than my "yes" is on me.  
• I got that last part from Jason Johnson's Blog.  It's some of my favorite reading material.  If you're interested in foster care, or simply have someone in your life that is involved in foster care, go check it out.  I've learned so much, and I wish I had read it before we got into foster care, because I feel like it would have helped me better support our friends who were doing foster care!  
• There's lots more to our life than foster care.  I promise.  Our kids are growing like crazy.  And man, I just like them.  I often wonder how I got such great people.  It's all by God's grace.  I think I may have always secretly wondered that after they got out of the cute little-kid phase I might find them annoying.  HA.  Again, introvert problems.  But, it turns out they are only annoying a leeetle bit of the time.  It's fun to see them grow and mature.  At the same time, I'm going to have a high school kid next year.  And he's currently in drivers-ed and it makes me happy and sad all at the same time.  
• I got a fit bit for Christmas and lost it last week.  I'm undecided if I'm replacing it.  I wasn't a huge fan of wearing it, and it's constant judging was a tad annoying.  But still.  It's like that dysfunctional friendship you just can't let go of...
• I'm working through this Bible Study and I love love love it.  It's not super dynamic and exciting, which is what people are generally looking for.  It's practical and life changing.  "God's Word is for you, and for now."  Plain and simple.  If we ever want to truly know God and be changed by Him, we need to be in His Word daily and regulalry.  It's Living Water.  
• So there's my life for the past 87 days.  Sorta.  

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