Poor house

It finally happened. I realized that Erick and I are poor and it is about to get worse. What is scary though, is that we have 2 kids living with us and a baby coming in April. (yes we get 13$ a day for the foster babes, but diapers and clothes are not cheap or easy to stay away from). I am really praying that God will show Erick a great job, one perferably with health insurance, since what I am carrying will run out in May.

So I am also looking for another job. Something from the home would be great. SAHM would be perfect but doesn't pay too much. I am looking into tutoring as well as online teaching. I know that God has something better for me, something that I am going to be able to juggle and stay at home with the kids.

Could you pray that I would remain patient until He leads something to us. I am getting very nervous and I don't want money or the lack of money to take my eyes off of HIM! I know that I am beginning a new season in my life, one of mommyhood, and I want to enjoy it. Not fret continuously because of income.

Jen

Okay, here is a peaceful post

My favorite devotional is "Streams in the Desert" byt L.B. Cowman. Today was a great devotional and I wanted to share it.

"He will have to fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." Psalms 112:7

Martin Luther's wife wrote "I would never have known the meaning of various psalms, come to appreciate certain difficulties, or known the inner workings of the soul; I would never had understood the practice of the Christian life and work, if God had never brought affliction into my life."

"Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; as as thy days, so shall they strength be." Deut. 33:25

Alexander Maclaren said "Each of us may be sure that if God sends us over rocky paths, He will provide us with sturdy shoes. He will never send us on any journey with equipping us well. "

How does this apply to you? I know that it calms my heart of worry of the unknown.

Blessings and Peace today my friends!

Jen

Where does the time go, and why can't I get anything done!?!

My house has been such a pig sty ever since these little girls have began residing with us! I can't vaccuum, definitely can't mop. All I have been getting done is swiffereing, but that only seems to move the dirt around, not get rid of it. I clean something up and turn around and a little hands moving it again! Ahh I need a day off just to clean with out the munchkins around!
But I guess that I am finally to the point of understanding how a SAHM is always saying, please excuse the mess. Because even if I wasn't working and had the kids at home, nothing would get done like I would want it. So I am feeling your frustration SAHMs and non SAHMs.

Jen

Being a sick mom is HARD

I think that when you are a sick mom, you are going to be sick for a while! For instance, I am not getting enough sleep. This is happening actually not because the girls keep waking me up, but because I can't stop coughing in bed. I even elevated my head. Next it is hard to be sick, because if you are sick the little ones will probably get sick, and when they are sick they pass it back to you. I wish I could keep a mask on my 2 year old, becuase she does not keep her germies to her self. She coughs, she sneezes, and she pulls her boogies out to share. Yuck! I think that I should lysol everything, but everytime I smell it, I think of hospitals. I need a good natural spray.
And lastly it is hard to be a sick mom, because you don't have time to go to the doctor, and nothing could be harder than taking 2 young kids in with you to see the doctor.

Anyways I took the afternoon off yesterday from work as well as left early today from school so I went to the doctor and I sleep for a good few hours today! I am praying I will be better in no time!

Jen

Time outs for a 2 1/2 year old are a joke

Not that I want to spank, but I just feel sometimes that a pat to the butt would do a better job keeping a little girl in bed, than threating her with a time out when she is already in bed. I think that this has been one of the most challenging parts of fostering. Ally gets put into time out, no joke, about 15x a day. She goes there cries, when we ask her that she needs to listen to mommy and daddy, she says owkay; in her cute little voice. Then not even a minute later she is looking back at us and will do the same bad behavior, like taking a toy from Lena, or standing in the chair. When I was a kid if my parents threatened me with "do you want a spanking!!!???!!!" I would immediately stop, think, and probably change my action. (I was actually a very strong willed child and would say yea spank me, but there would be times that my butt was raw and I would say no, not very often though)
Anyways all that to say, not that I want to hit or hurt the kids, but a spanking threat works better than a time out threat. They do not work on Ally. I try to use positive reinforcement, but there is a communication barrier, she is 2, and I can't really use the words that would work. I have learned that saying "No, Stop, and Bad girl" are only being repeated and that makes me not so happy. Any advice??
Also how do you make a 9 month stop biting?? She is leaving marks on me, almost drawing blood, no kidding! I have tried to put something in her mouth, I have even tapped her on her lips and said no no bad, but she smiles at me and tries to go after my finger.She is a little piranha

okay enough blabbing, I am thankful that I have these two little girls to try to raise and give a foundation to.
(By the way that is not my 2 year old, I am not allowed to post pictures) If you do want to see some pics, let me know and I will get you some pics.

Jen

J-Term, Environmental Science

 We are doing a J-term this year, which means two weeks are spent teaching one class. I am teaching an Environmental science class. I decided that the best way to do this class would be to go on a bunch of field trips. Florida has soo many places and animals. Some of the places we have gone are: Shark Valley, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Sanibel Beach, and Ding Darling. I used these trips to hone in on my photo taking skills. Here are some of my favorites. A couple should be opened to see the animals closer!

The best of both worlds, the worst of both worlds.

I tell you what, there are days that I go nuts having a 9 month old, but think I could have a 2 yr old and be happy. But then the next day could be vise versa, love the 9 month old and think that I was crazy getting the 2 yr old. Like today we went to Walmart to get another booster seat because we are tired of switching it for the 2 yr old. Well at this age everything is "MINE MINE MINE!" Oh it drives me insane! Then the 9 month old is just chillen taking everything in and loving it.
But then at dinner time the 2 yr old is eating like a champ! But the 9 month will throw her food all over the place and then cry because she is hungry.
And at night! Oh my the 2 yr old is great sleeps the majority of the night, but we still have yet (after a month and a half) of figuring out how to get the little 9 month to sleep through the night and not wake up screaming! She used to wake up happy in the morning, but know she freaks out! I don't know if this is normal for a foster child who is maybe going though late separation or if this is just normal for a baby? Well whatever it is I would love for it to come to an end.
And lastly my 2 yr old is having accident after accident at daycare. She is potty trained but I have no idea what is going on. The other day she had 5 accidents, she came home wearing someone elses clothes, and little boy underwear! She knows how to ask to go potty, I don't know if this is a lack of attention or what but it is really  worrying me, plus it is giving me an extra load of laundry a week. When I ask her why she didn't tell anyone, she says "'cause, i nono"

Update about the adoption. Things are still going well, we will hopefully be finding out what we are having in another week. Since the mom had a car accident she has not been able to get to the doctor, she has to wait until her mom can take her. Which I understand, but man do I want to know what we are getting in just a few more months! My friend Steph keeps reminding me that I could have 3 at the same time! Ahhh at this point in time I think I would go crazy, especially if a newborn is added to the mix. Talk about NO SLEEP!

I think that I have forgot to say that I love that Erick and I are doing this. I love the little girls that he has placed in our house at this time. They need extra love and care, they have been through so much, especially the 2 year old. Her old room used to be a closet, in a hotel. The bag of clothes she came with were mostly her moms clothes. So granted I think that Erick and I have gone alittle over board and have spoiled the little ones. I am sorry if I come off sounding like I am complaining. I mean I am, but I honestly didn't know that kids were THIS intense! (Go ahead my mommy friends laugh) but you didn't get your kids when they were already set in their ways and wo knows what their parents did or didn't do for them.
The baby was actually a drug baby and is still having withdrawls at night. She was on methadone until she was 5 months old :(
Anyhow thank you all for your prayers and for your support. Also remind me that there will be good normal nights and day. . . because there will be, right??

Jen

So what has been going on in the life of the Sessions you maybe asking yourself . . .

Well let me fill you all in. We are so so so busy! Ahh we have 2 little girls now. Our names for them are, Lena and Ally. We went from zero kids to a 9 month and a 2 yr old in one month! We are yet to be adjusted, but we are working on it. We are still working on our sleeping habits. We have one that sleeps great, Ally the 2 year old, only that she wakes up way too early, like 6am every morning. (Okay well she woke up at 8;30 today, which worried us, but she was in her room talking to her babydolls). But little Lena does not go to bed before 9, (last night it was 10:30 but we started at 8!) and she goes through this crazy fussy, screaming, and very over tired game which drives us crazy! She will then wake up at least once wanting a bottle. I have been trying to give her a bottle with oatmeal, even tried a protein powder to fill her belly, but nothing so far!
Anyways I seriously do not have time to get on line to write or even think about checking other blogs. But we are about to a more normal state, I start school on Monday and we will be having the girls in a preschool/daycare, and it will hopefully wear their little butts out! Alright well we will hopefully be going on a date to the movies tomorrow to see the long awaited Blindside (I hope it is still in theaters ;)

I can't post pictures, I am sorry! I wish I could, this thing would be covered with cutie little babes!

Peace out!
Jen (the ultimately tired momma)