Foster Kids Room!

Setting up the Room has been an adventure...

One of the crib screws got stuck ( it was the wrong screw) we had a friend pry it out and then we put in the right one! I've moved the furniture about 6 times so far.

I used Aria's old Crib, our old Lay-Z-Boy and a few pillows i had in storage. I got the bedding from a sweet lady off CL. The Crib skirt, quilt, 5 wall decor pieces, night light, lamp( not pictured, bumper, 2 valances, breathable bumper( not pictured), musical things that hangs over the crib and a diaper stacker for 20.! Yeah, score, i know!

I bought the toddler bed off CL a year or so ago for 45. ( retails for 175.)
And i just ordered some cute wall vinyl for the room off ETSY...
The giraffe will go on the crib wall and this saying will go over the window in chocolate brown!

I think it's fitting b/c no matter where or what we are born into- we can go any which way we choose to go in life! Dr. Seuss in a Genius!

Now... to get a rad rug and to tackle this closet.
Plan is to put the dresser in, eliminate the plastic storage shelves and utilize the shelving better!

Oh what places we'll go!

Settling in...

I've been thinking about this as I've been moving boxes around, unpacking and decluttering!
It takes a while to really feel AT HOME in your new space. Its nothing you can rush, or it just ends up frustrating you to no end! The same goes with your birth parent relationships...

Remember when (if you've had this already) you first started communications with your child's birth parents? You'd respond in a timely manner, thinking things through before you said or wrote them. You'd spend hours thinking about them and how they were doing.

Sometimes when AC's ( adoptive couples) RUSH to UNLOAD on a EP ( expectant parent) it scares them away. NO one likes every bit of info thrust onto them about anyone.

TAKE IT SLOW. Don't avoid topics, just don't feel the need to pour it all out at once.
Communication is also like planting new seeds. If you give it the right soil( timing) and the right amount of nourishment (trust) something good is bound to spring forth! If you over-water or under-water the seeds- you will not end up with what you are hoping for!

BUILD a FOUNDATION. As you build that trusting friendship, you will feel more comfortable in your relationship and your abilities to share. BE HONEST and not eager to please your birth parents. There is wisdom in this as deceit will crumble any relationship almost instantly!
And when your relationship is strengthened, its time too...

SETTLE IN... Set some boundaries and open some other ones up for discussion. Find out what works best for all parties. Dive into REAL things and SILLY things too. Have Fun with your kid's birth parents and don't be afraid to call them if too much time has passed! They don't bite in most cases!

Our relationships are what you'd consider VERY OPEN and it works for us! Our son's BP's are coming for his 1st B-day ( most hopefully) and we couldn't be happier! Jessica is staying with us, in our home, which is not an issue for us.

I had a lady ask me about his birth parents a few weeks back... "How long do you have to Have them around?" I was unsure exactly what she mean by that but i replied " I get to have them in our lives forever! We are so blessed and lucky that his birth parents are amazing, wonderful people!" Her response was something like " Oh, really, Okay!"

*Don't forget to head over to the Colorado FSA blog to sign up for the Conference On June 8th & 9th!

CRaziNesS!!!

Yep, that's what unpacking is. I'm totally surround by boxes in a much larger house with an incredibly busy husband who cant seem to find anytime to help. So, I'm conquering it all little by little. Today is the girls room tomorrow its half the boxes in the living room downstairs...and so on!

My hopes are to plant a few seeds here and get the garden ready and to enjoy this change of pace in life.
After our annual conference last weekend, i really felt many of the speakers reaching out to all of us and giving us needed direction and focus to work on being better parents and responsible citizens in our communities....

President Monson urged members to avoid the distractions of life and remember the things that are of greatest importance: family, service, and living the gospel.

Dallin H. Oaks said:“Perhaps the most familiar and most important examples of unselfish service and sacrifice are performed in our families,” said Elder Oaks. Many also demonstrate unselfishness by adopting children—including those with special needs—and by providing for foster children."

Its so good to know that through all the craziness of parenting and preparing to foster, that Men of God are behind our efforts. I know its going to be hard but, I'm willing to do it anyway!

We set up the toddler bed, most of the crib in the foster room and i have to wash all the bedding and such but, it's exciting to think of whats ahead and how these children are going to teach us. it probably wont be till June but, that will get here faster than we know it! Just one more thing to add to my craziness- and i'm all for it!