Waterfalls on the playground

My mom has said in the past, “I hope you have a child just like you.” Well, I didn’t have to have a girl to find out how prophetic she was.  Kaden has already started being bossy, acting like a know it all, getting into trouble, and yet at the same time being utterly adorable.  I know I did some gross things and loved being an outside kid.  However, on this side of childhood, I find what they do disgusting.

Last Tuesday, Kaden started telling me about how much fun he had on the playground with Noah and Gabe.  He said they were playing in the water fall and splashing it down the slide.  I listened and said, “Oh, that sounds like fun.  You all have a great imagination.”  As to which I got the response, “It was for real mom, that’s how I got my shirt all wet and dirty.”

What?  Okay tell me more, because I know there is not a water fall on the playground.  He further explained that they were filling their sweet little cheeks with water from the water fountain, running across the playground and spitting it out on the slide.  Fadi and I told him that was not such a good idea and that next time he should not participate.  He said, “Oh, I didn’t do it.  I just stayed by the slide.  Just Noah and Gabe did it.”  We said well, you still shouldn’t do that because it’s messy, and someone could get hurt or choke. End of conversation.

On Wednesday, I asked him if he was getting water and spitting it out that day and he smiled with a halfcocked head and said yes. We talked again about not doing that and how we should just play on the playground like it was intended to be used.  Again, I got the, “Oh, it wasn’t really me, I just watched” answer.  I probed deeper.  “Well, why did you just stand by the slide, were you watching for the teachers so you didn’t get in trouble?”  The answer it one I was not prepared for, “No, I stayed there and drank the water off the slide that they were spitting.” WHAT, WHAT, GROSS, GERMY, GROSS, SPIT FROM ON THE SLIDE!!!

“Yeah mom, that’s why my shirt got dirty.”  Next, we discussed germs and other things we could get sick from.  Fun times.

P.R.I.D.E. Classes

Back in September Fadi and I began taking P.R.I.D.E. classes.  These classes were the first step of faith we took in what we feel God has called us to do/be.  Foster Parents.  I have heard many people talk about becoming foster parents and they end by saying, “I could never give a child back”.  I wondered if I too would feel this way.  However, after finishing our P.R.I.D.E. classes and learning more about the foster system and their goal for re-unification; I can say I do not feel that way.  I am in no way saying it will be easy…..but I see the need, feel and see the blessings I have been given, and cannot turn my back on children (and their families) that need what Christ can give them through me.

People automatically think of abusive and substance controlled parents as those who’s children are in foster care.  While this is true, there are other stories. Take for instance the couple who were high school sweethearts, got married at 18, had a baby at 19 another at 21.  Bad economy hits…husband loses his job, wife never had one.  What’s a man to do, barely old enough to drink and now feels like he can’t provide for his family.  The fights start.  One night while they argue, the three year old gets in the middle, “daddy don’t yell”, he pushes her out of the way, she falls and hits her eye on the coffee table…off to the hospital.

DCF checks it out, loving family, accident.  Goes in a file, daughter gets patched up and everyone goes home. Three months later, dad starts drinking, he can’t handle the stress and depression.  Leaves for a car ride with the 2 year old, drunk, goes off the road, crash, DUI with a 2 yr old in the car…Goes to jail and DCF comes back again.  Now mom is at home with two kids, no car, no money, cries every day.  While the kids nap she walks to the local gas station for some milk.  3 year old wakes up, walks outside, neighbors see her and call the police.  You can guess what happens.  DCF file is growing.  Both girls are put into a foster home.

But, here is where the story changes.  Now that mom doesn’t have the two kids at home.  She gets a job, catches up on the bills, gets counseling, visits husband in jail and repairs their relationship.  He gets out of jail, and with the financial burden having been lifted by the wife working at Wal-Mart, he gets motivated and finds a job too.  They get on their feet, find an affordable place to live and get their children back.  Sure, did they make some bad choices, yeah.  But, are they bad people, no.  Did they need people to teach them how to parent, yes.  Do they deserve their children back, yes.

Imagine if that was you, no family around and hard times hit.  Do your children deserve to be taken away forever?  People are human and have a sinful nature, they make mistakes.  I am anything but a “mercy” person, but I was given grace and mercy, therefore I need to return that grace and mercy to others.  We have hit many road blocks in our own journey.  And, each time we are reminded it’s the Lords’ timeline, not ours and sometimes the journey teaches you just as much.

We start the first portion of our home study this Monday, March 19.  We will have a lot of work cut out for us in the months ahead.  We don’t know how we are logistically going to do this “foster” thing.  But, we have confidence that it will work out.  Slowly we will gather what is needed, make the changes to our home (we have to figure something out to safely store Eli’s tons of medications, and yet be able to access them regularly) and prepare to welcome a foster friend into our lives for however long the Lord needs us.

Questions for Kaden 4 years old

1. How does it feel to be 4?  Good
2. Who are your teachers?  Mrs. Mayse and Ms. Oxendine
3. What do you think is the most important thing you’ve learned in life so far?  Painting
4. What’s your favorite thing about yourself?  My head
5. Who’s your best friend?   Kensey and Caty
6. What do you like learning about?   Numbers
7. Who lives in your house with you?  My Mom and Dad
8. Tell me about our family.  Kaden, Mommy, Daddy, Eli, Ella and Belle
9. What are some of your favorite books, movies, and music? My favorite book is the funnies books in the whole wide world.  Movie-Happy Feet 2 and Happy Feet 1. 
10. What is your favorite color?   Purple and Red
11. What is your favorite animal? Probably Cats and Dogs
12. What’s your favorite TV show?  All the kid TV shows
13. If you had a whole day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?  Have a nothing, zero day
14. What’s your favorite toy to play with?   Penguins
15. What do you want to be when you grow up?   I guess working on a computer
16. Do you think you’ll ever get married?  No
17. How many kids do you think you will have? 3
18. What have you learned about girls this year?  I don’t know
19. Where was the best place you went this year?  Disney, Beach and Mimi and Papa’s
20. What’s your favorite food?  Madagascar Macaroni and Cheese
21. And your favorite candy?  All of it
22. What is your favorite dessert?  Ice Cream
23. Anything you’re scared of?  No
24. Anything else you’d like to say?  Nope

December in Cell Phone Pictures

Kaden's Latest Funnies

After my mom finished hemming a pair of pants for Fadi, she told Kaden to go give them to Fadi and tell him they were finished.
Kaden: Daddy, {yelling at the top of his lungs} your pants are finished.  Mimi did it for you. {pause} Now, tell her Thank you.



While at Sonny's, they had a Christmas Tree with the names of different children.  You could select one to buy presents for, so I took Kaden to pick one out.  We picked a card for a 6 year old boy who wanted a Pillow Pet.  I told him these kids didn't have people who could buy them presents, so we would go out and buy them what they wanted for Christmas.
Kaden : Mommy, but why are we buying them presents?  Why won't Santa bring them the presents they want?
Me: Uh, uh, uh {pause} {think real hard} Well, Santa can't bring them everything so we want to make sure they get what they want and show them we love them too.
Why does this kid have to think so much.  He is keeping me on my toes. :)



While putting out the Christmas decorations, we were working on the Nativity Scene and I was telling him about each figure.
Me: And, this donkey is the one who carried Mary to Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
Kaden:  I know a song about Bethlehem!
Me: You do! Can you sing it for me?
Kaden: No, not now.  You have to wait for my Program. (His 3 year old kids choir program on Dec. 7)
Guess it's a surprise and I will have to wait.