Sunday, February 13, 2011
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Pregnancy Picture-Weeks 15 & 16
Friday, November 5, 2010
Big A-Team News
Lots of big news for the A-Team since my last post. Let's consider this a re-launching of my blog. I have time now to dedicate to updating this more frequently, so I'll be making more of an effort to do so, mainly for my own sanity's sake. Being a SAHM (stay at home mom) means I don't get a lot of adult interaction so hopefully this will serve as a bit of an outlet for me. Note to self: Join a playgroup ASAP.
So, since we last posted...we're back to being a family of three. We didn't move forward with adopting Na'Im's oldest brother for many heart-breaking and excruciatingly difficult reasons. We remain in touch with his brothers though and keep their pictures on our family wall and talk about them with Na'Im. He prays for his brothers and all of our foster kids every night at dinner now. It's neat to hear him pray for George, Dominick, Nikema, Jasmine, Joseph, Johnailyn and Fernando every night. We're hoping that his heart remains soft towards kids who need a home and that when he gets older and is questioned about what life was like growing up with foster kids coming in and out of the house, we hope he says that he never knew anything different, that this was normal life for us, that he knew his parents loved each of those kids as their own. So yes, we remain active foster parents. Right now we're in between kids just waiting for the phone to ring.
We're also expecting! Baby A is due on April 9th, 2011. After losing our first pregnancy in January (after trying for 8 years to get pregnant) we were shocked to discover we had done it again. So far, so good...the baby has been really healthy, my mis-shapen uterus is proving to be a good home despite it's issues and we're moving right along. We're just starting week 18 and are anxious to go in for our second ultrasound on 11/23 (the Monday before Thanksgiving) to find out the baby's gender and do the full anatomy scan. Our family continues to grow by the grace of God and with our humble amazement and gratitude.
Na'Im is doing really well. He's almost 3 1/2 and is every bit boy! He's attending our public school's inclusive preschool program so that he can receive speech therapy twice a week. His speech is coming along, he's stringing more words together, he'll hold conversations with us now, and his vocabulary is expanding daily. We're thrilled to be seeing so much good progress with him and look forward to the day when he can clearly tell us exactly what he's thinking every time. Na'Im is getting tall, in 5T now and still growing like a weed. He loves to be active so even on the cold and windy days I find myself bundling us up to head to the playground. His sense of humor keeps us smiling. He's still the love of our lives!
Michael continues his good work at UrbanPromise Ministries in Camden. The ministry has been hard hit by the loss of support during the economy so they've had to get creative in keeping the minitries going. But he's having the highest attendance rate he's ever had with just over 60 kids registered for his afterschool program and about 50 attending day to day. Michael is also working hard at his early morning bus route to keep us afloat.
I've been unemployed for a while and was able to babysit a neighbor's baby in my home up until a few weeks ago. We're scrambling to find something for me (would be nice if I could actually get ahold of the unemployment office) as things are super tight especially with the holidays around the corner. But we always make it through and we're confident something will open up. In the meantime, I'm enjoying having this precious time to be home with my son. We'll never get these days back and I'm aware of that every day, even on the days when I want to scream and pull my hair out in frustration with him! :)
That's a quick update from here...more interesting things to come in upcoming posts!
So, since we last posted...we're back to being a family of three. We didn't move forward with adopting Na'Im's oldest brother for many heart-breaking and excruciatingly difficult reasons. We remain in touch with his brothers though and keep their pictures on our family wall and talk about them with Na'Im. He prays for his brothers and all of our foster kids every night at dinner now. It's neat to hear him pray for George, Dominick, Nikema, Jasmine, Joseph, Johnailyn and Fernando every night. We're hoping that his heart remains soft towards kids who need a home and that when he gets older and is questioned about what life was like growing up with foster kids coming in and out of the house, we hope he says that he never knew anything different, that this was normal life for us, that he knew his parents loved each of those kids as their own. So yes, we remain active foster parents. Right now we're in between kids just waiting for the phone to ring.
We're also expecting! Baby A is due on April 9th, 2011. After losing our first pregnancy in January (after trying for 8 years to get pregnant) we were shocked to discover we had done it again. So far, so good...the baby has been really healthy, my mis-shapen uterus is proving to be a good home despite it's issues and we're moving right along. We're just starting week 18 and are anxious to go in for our second ultrasound on 11/23 (the Monday before Thanksgiving) to find out the baby's gender and do the full anatomy scan. Our family continues to grow by the grace of God and with our humble amazement and gratitude.
Na'Im is doing really well. He's almost 3 1/2 and is every bit boy! He's attending our public school's inclusive preschool program so that he can receive speech therapy twice a week. His speech is coming along, he's stringing more words together, he'll hold conversations with us now, and his vocabulary is expanding daily. We're thrilled to be seeing so much good progress with him and look forward to the day when he can clearly tell us exactly what he's thinking every time. Na'Im is getting tall, in 5T now and still growing like a weed. He loves to be active so even on the cold and windy days I find myself bundling us up to head to the playground. His sense of humor keeps us smiling. He's still the love of our lives!
Michael continues his good work at UrbanPromise Ministries in Camden. The ministry has been hard hit by the loss of support during the economy so they've had to get creative in keeping the minitries going. But he's having the highest attendance rate he's ever had with just over 60 kids registered for his afterschool program and about 50 attending day to day. Michael is also working hard at his early morning bus route to keep us afloat.
I've been unemployed for a while and was able to babysit a neighbor's baby in my home up until a few weeks ago. We're scrambling to find something for me (would be nice if I could actually get ahold of the unemployment office) as things are super tight especially with the holidays around the corner. But we always make it through and we're confident something will open up. In the meantime, I'm enjoying having this precious time to be home with my son. We'll never get these days back and I'm aware of that every day, even on the days when I want to scream and pull my hair out in frustration with him! :)
That's a quick update from here...more interesting things to come in upcoming posts!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
It's Been A While...
Yup, it's been a loooong while since I've posted a blog update. Much has changed, let me try to give a synopsis here. Our family has grown to a family of four with the addition of Na'Im's older brother, George. We've moved to a larger house in a better town to take advantage of the much-needed space and excellent school system. We're knee-deep in sorting through the special education program. We're busy with multiple jobs, many child-focused appointments per week including family therapy and a car purchase looming to replace the Saturn Mike has been driving for 4 years without heat or air. We're struggling with DYFS' lack of care and concern for their kids. We're trying desperately to adjust to being foster/adoptive parents to a very needy and challenging boy. We're working with Na'Im on his speech and trying to get him into an inclusive preschool for this fall. We have a very small and not overly dependable support system here in NJ which makes it nearly impossible to have a date night, and makes me miss my sisters horribly. We're looking for a church that will welcome us like family and is local to our new house, with the hope of finding friendships there. Most days I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. But there are moments of perfection, like the four of us cuddling on a blanket at the local high school football field and oohing over the fireworks on July 4th. Or the kiss that George blew me on his way out of the car this morning when I dropped him at camp. And the moments that Michael and I remember to take just for us, even when it can't be a few hours out of the house together alone. Life is busy. Life is full, sometimes it feels overly so. But we're alive and kicking and trying to do what's right day by day and moment by moment. If you think of us, send up a prayer for peace, honesty and joy to reign once again in our house. And I'll try to keep you updated more frequently. I'll try. :)
Monday, March 22, 2010
My Cool New Trick
We live in the dark ages in our house as far as technology goes: our computer is at least 20 years old (donated, though we have a great new wide screen monitor!), our TV is oldish and was free, our cell phones are both basics while we wait for our free upgrades, I can hardly operate my iPod nano, we don't even have a CD player in the house. Needless to say, I was thrilled to be taught a new trick by a co-worker...I learned even though I don't pay for web access on my cell phone, I can text the pictures I take to my email account! Woo-hoo! Why didn't anyone ever tell me that?! So here are a few I've taken on my phone recently.
Na'Im and I hanging out after work/school, waiting for Daddy to get home.
Fireman Na'Im! He's at the stage where he likes to add accessories to his outfit on his own and is very into hats. I didn't realize his eyes were closed when I took this picture.
He loves to wear Daddy's things, his sunglasses, his shoes, his hats. Too cute.
There's a snapshot of our last few weeks!
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