A little down time with some Netflix.
A little craft time.
A little imaginative play time.
Out for lunch with my grandma.
A car tour around town to see my childhood sights.
Picking up my niece from school.
Dress up time in Grandma's basement.
A little outside play time.
Take-a-friend-to-tumbling class for Ms. O and my niece.
Stay at home and play the Wii time for Miss M.
All in all
A success, relaxing, fun fall break day.
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| We were discussing Christmas and I mentioned that I'd have to get a Christmas tree for the first time in my life for my own place. (I've never bothered because I've always spent my two weeks of winter break in Michigan for Christmas and my birthday.) This made me realize that beyond not having a tree, I have no decorations beyond my Nativity. That's when the craft session today took a turn to Christmas and the focus of making ornaments for our tree this year. Here are the adorable gingerbread men and women. |
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| And of course, the classic bead candy cane ornaments! Love these. |
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| Ms. O, the cheerleader/entertainment, The Bug, Snow Queen/Mother, and Miss M, the Snow Princess/Daughter |
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| Ms. O wearing my mom's wedding dress and veil - circa 1973. Oh, how times change. When we were kids it was boxed up in a special box and we could only view it through a tiny plastic window covering...now it's out and the grand kid and pseudo-grand kids get to play dress up with it! Go figure! :-) |
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| Sisterly love? Yes, usually...but with a great mixture of teasing, taunting, and goading at the same time. Oy. Being a 'mother' of two sisters is way harder than just having one. Way more drama, way more fires to put out, but way more love, way more laughter, and way more comfort for them both. |
Praise Reports -
Life in general is just a praise. It's kind of surreal being home with a 10 year old and 8 year old in tow and having my niece say "hey, your daughter is calling you." However, the surrealism is good. It feels right and I am at peace because I am not in this alone. Not at all.
Prayer Requests -
The same prayer request as the past two nights. I need wisdom and patience as to how to deal with Miss M and her increasing levels of attention seeking behaviors as Ms. O has joined our mix and we are here in Michigan with a lot of other people. We are not seeing a decrease in these behaviors as the days continue on here, but rather an increase. I am struggling to find a balance between appreciating her personality, quirks and all, and yet parenting her in a loving, yet firm, way when behaviors, attitudes, and emotions creep up that are not okay. Ms. O is no where near perfect - but even though she has just joined us, there is an obvious difference in attachment and attention needs. I know no parent ever raises no two children who are alike, and I am sure I never will in my fostering career, just like I never taught in my teaching career, but Miss M is challenging me and my knowledge base at the moment and I covet your prayers.
1 comment:
What HUGE smiles on those little faces! In my non-educated opinion, I would venture to guess the confident older child is probably a lot less confident than she seems. The whole "older child syndrome" requires a confident outlook and grownup attitude - especially when you've been forced to be an adult at such a young age. I am sure you see that...
I don't have any good suggestions for encouraging productive responses out of little girls who have been through so much other than KEEP PRAYING! When you have the Lord on your side, He'll fill your mouth with the words He would have you use to teach his little ones. Teach the way He taught. Quiet and peacefully. Sharing stories and examples. You can not go wrong when you follow His example.
There will be days when you don't (and outbursts of frustration come) but that's ok to! It teaches our children that we're not prefect. It teaches them how to apologize and make things right.
Keep doing what you're doing ---- you ARE doing it right!
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