I am very excited that I am on count down until I am a full-time, stay-at-home (is there any such thing?) mom again as of this coming Friday, September 25th! Only five more office days and then I am down to one full-time job. I found out about eight weeks ago that I would be able to come home the end of September. God providentially worked out a replacement for me in Helen Lewis. Helen started on the 13th and we are wading through this strange world of “church secretary” and what that entails at this point in time. This was also a real provision for Helen who has been unemployed for several months after having worked in accounting for over 20 years. I have a million plans for the next few months but I know that our busy lives will still zoom along at lightning speed.
Hope you are enjoying your summer!
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” (James 1:2-8, NIV)
Taylor Making a Toast
Milano
Claire Longabaugh and Taylor Campbell
Outside in Kansas City~It is a cloudy day, currently 67 degrees, but everything is very green and lush from all the rain.
I am thinking~That it has been so long since I updated my blog that I don’t know quite how to start.
I am thankful for~My family and for God’s character which is unchanging.
In my kitchen~All is quiet, clean dishes in the dishwasher need to be put away, unfortunately meals are not planned and I am consistently flying by the seat of my pants. Many times the question of what is for dinner is answered with well I am making it up as I go along.
I am wearing~Turquoise t-shirt, jeans, no shoes.
Last creative endeavor~ Planting flowers in the yard!
I am going~To try to get as much work as possible done around my house before I go back to work on June 28th.
Can’t wait for~Saturday’s Luau Birthday Party for our 13 year old foster daughter to be over. I can then relax about all that is involved in that! I just pray the weather holds, guests can make it, and all have a good time.
Family News~We are enjoying having Nicholas home for the summer, Taylor just completed his first summer baseball tournament and they were the Champions, both boys have special young ladies coming to visit us from out of state. The grandkids are doing great!
Current Read~ Get Outta My Face by Rick Horne, Can This Child Be Saved? by Foster Cline, M.D. & Cathy Helding, listening to The Associate by John Grisham
I am hearing~The Martha Stewart Show
I am hoping~To enjoy a quiet weekend at Lake of the Ozarks with the ladies in my family over Father’s Day weekend, yeah, I know it is terrible timing but it is what was available.
Around the house~Taylor started staining our deck last week and it is looking so much better, the plants are all thriving, even the weeds. Lots of work to do!
Simple pleasure~Summer bible study with the teen girls, they are amazingly open and I’m wondering if I was ever that dramatic and giggly.
Plans for the weekend~Staci Kok, Nicholas’ girlfriend is coming to stay, baseball tournament in Warrensburg, MO starts Thursday and lasts through Sunday for Taylor, both the foster kids have flag football games on Saturday then the big luau on Saturday night!!
I was tagged here to give 25 random facts about myself and then tag four friends, I have put off starting because I can’t think of that many interesting things to say about myself:
- I love movies, I grew up watching old movies late at night with my mom and have fond memories of those times. I watched two good movies this weekend: Gifted Hands the Ben Carson Story and Second Chance with Michael W. Smith.
- I love my four children and regret that I did not have more.
- My first job at age 14 was at a local restaurant “Maxwell Pancake House” that no longer exists. I waited tables and even did dishes, lots and lots of syrupy dishes.
- I was once a video store assistant manager, way back when Beta was being sold.
- I homeschooled my kids for over 10 years.
- I dreamed of restoring a big old home.
- I had a dog named Happy.
- I had a cat named WitchiePoo.
- As a preteen/teen I loved poetry.
- I guess I have always been a masochist- I tried out for a part in the school play my first year in a new city, new school, I had no idea what I was doing and I stunk. I tried out to be an Enid High School Aquaette and stunk, I’m sure there were more but I cannot for the life of me figure out why I tried. I sampled the piano, violin, french horn…
- I hate talking on the phone.
- I hate cold weather…life begins at 70 degrees.
- I love, love, love to read and always have but my reading choices have not always been the best. When Elizabeth George says to keep moving from good, to better, then best, let’s just say that I started pretty much on the really bad rung and am still working up.
- I love to be at home or traveling in a foreign country. Can you be more extreme?
- So far I have traveled to Canada; The Bahamas; Mali, West Africa; Germany; France; Italy; and Greece.
- The place I would most like to go back to is Paris. I went on a quick President’s Day Weekend visit and just got a taste, it left me wanting more.
- In seven years I will have been married twice as long as I wasn’t. You asked for random!
- I like to embroidery, cross stitch, sew, etc… but cannot knit or crochet.
- I started this list over a month ago…
- I am a new foster mom to a 10 year old and 13 year old!
- According to MissusSmartyPants I am a body shape B and a spring color season type.
- I am blessed with wonderful friends and family.
- Blogging is a new and neglected part of my life. Maybe I will get better at it eventually.
- I am very excited that our good friends Josh and Missi are expecting a new baby!!
- I am relieved I can take this list of random facts off my to do list!!! And am tagging Ginny, Missi,April,and Deanna, hopefully they have not already been tagged since I am behind reading their blogs.
Brent and I spent Saturday morning in training at MBCH:
Mandatory Reporting and Foster Parent Hotlines – To remind foster parents of their role in mandatory reporting and that they too can be hotlined 9:00 -10:00 AM (1) We have been told several times that it is not a matter of if we will ever get “hotlined” called in to the child abuse and neglect hotline but when we will get “hotlined.” Whether it is a disgruntled parent, someone who sees one of the kids in our care tantruming or a child making allegations of mistreatment.
Building Relationships through Communication – Reminding foster parents of the importance of clear communications to build relationships 10:00 – 11:00 AM (1) Different strategies for building relationships and communication like ways to be express empathy, genuineness, consistency, etc…
Confidentiality – To better understand how foster parents can ensure the confidentiality of information for children in their care 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (1) As resource parents we will not be able to share any information about the children in our homes except on as as needed basis. We may not discuss their backgrounds, parent’s issues, current challenges, etc… even with our family members.
