A Great Life

Some days I can't wait for that 8:30PM bedtime, they have struggled through homework, fought about chores, been overly aggressive, or have been nit picking at me all afternoon and I am done. Other days either none of it bothers me or they are extra sweet and considerate of their siblings even offering to help with homework and chores. Those are the days I feel a huge swelling in my heart and know I love them more than my own life. Not that I don't love them the other days, it is just harder to feel. LOL

We had a great afternoon yesterday. We are all in love with this property and they can ride their bikes and run through the woods for hours. I enjoy letting them do that so much I am happy to do a majority of the unpacking alone. I can see them and hear them giggling and screaming, they are even quick to help each other when they get hurt. I am reminded of how much work they have been doing for themselves and how far they have come. Watching them interact this morning made my heart swell with love and joy. I am so happy for them. Even Cyr is changing, Patches got hurt and she actually responded and offered assistance. Over the weekend she gave up her favorite sweatshirt so Patches could cover her pants that she had wet. Cyr is making effort, she is trying to connect.

All the kids love the new school, they are excited and ready early every day. Their only complaint is the food, it is nasty. They are like movie stars here b/c everyone knows them already, it is a tiny school. They see each other throughout the day and giggle about it in the afternoon. We are becoming a normal family one day at a time. Even Brooklyn has commented on their lack of craziness this visit.

Speaking of Brooklyn, here are a few things she told me in the van on the way here yesterday, remember she is almost 4.

"Tudu, I don't think we are going the right way to your new house. Let's go a faster way."

"My Mom yells at me all the time, you never do, you are only mean to your kids."

"We had a tornado! My Mom made me hide in a FREAKING closet!"

"Tudu, you are going to fast, slow down, you are passing all the cars and Todd says not to." (Todd is her new Step Father, the Asst. Chief of Police who tells my sister not to pass ALL the cars)

When she was asked to come in for dinner she informed me, "You need to go get my bed,I think I will live here now."

Showers and homework start right after dinner so she let us know her plans for the week, "Tonight I will shower with Emma, then Ruthie, then Ella, then Ava, Patches has fur and it is gross." Poor Patches was horrified.

Patches has begun to wear pullups again at night and is comfortable around here about them but forgot about Brooklyn and left them out in her room, "WOW! These are huge! Are these for Tudu? Does Tudu need diapers?" Someone said they were Patches, "Why do you wear them? Aren't you older than me?"

At bedtime when I was handing out meds, "My Mom told me drugs are bad. Can I have some of those pills?"

This morning as the kids were getting their back packs to leave, "I'm gonna wait her with Tudu, I am gonna live in my PJs until you come home to play. Tudu, get me some coffee or I think I will go back to bed."
(This child always has hot chocolate with me in the AM and is the laziest person on Earth, she would still take 2 naps a day if you let her.)

I informed her she and I would be going to Walmart for groceries, "Only if you will push me b/c you buy too much and I get tired of walking."