My Son Dominic

I have had a few people ask me about my children and I thought I would share alittle bit of there story with you my readers.
Dominic was our first foster child back in 2000. We got him directly from the hospital at two months of age. He was born addicted to Crack Cocaine and Heroin and had to go through a rough withdrawal. He had almost died and had to be resuscitated. When we got him at 2 months he was pretty much over the withdrawal except for some minor tremors. He had hypertonic muscles especially in his hip region. We got him into early intervention and he started Physical therapy right away.
Dominic has always been a pretty happy child and was developing a little ahead of schedule, which was a blessings despite his challenges at birth. When he was around two he started to show a lot of aggression and a lot of repetitive behaviors. We was obsessed with light switches and shutting cabinet doors and drawers. He also started lining up cars and other toys. He would throw temper tantrums quite often and wanted this his way. At first we had thought it was because we had taken in another child who was younger than him and also the terrible twos. His aggression became very scary because it was all focused on our middle child, Reynaldo. We was hit and bit and almost pushed down the stairs. After going through some evals we were given a diagnosis on PDD-NOS which later was changed to Aspergers. Life was rough with him for a few years but after therapy with Dr.'s and through a preschool disabled program and many meds, he is doing wonderful. He is a lot more social then he was but still prefers to be by himself. He loves for things to be quiet and on his terms. He hates change and it is hard for him to have to change anything. He is an extremely picky eater and for a while there he was living on P,B&J only.
He started Kindergarten last fall in a mainstream class with a fulltime aid. After a few months of that we removed the aide. He was doing wonderful on is own. He is extremely bright and loves school. I am so proud of how far he has come. He also has issues with ADHD & sensory integration disorder and we do a brushing technique on him. I haven't done it that much this summer because he has been going to camp and gets a lot of sensory input from outside play.
I have seen some instances where his social skills are lacking. He has a hard time reading social cues from others and doesn't seem to notice when other children are mad at him. He likes things his way too so I am sure that doesn't help. We really need to work on those things more. My Dominic is now 6 1/2 and getting ready to start 1st grade. We had adopted him in Nov of 2003 along with our other son Reynaldo. His birthmother gave birth to him and walked out of the hospital and was never heard from or seen again. A birthfather was never named. The adoption had taken quite awhile because the caseworker had to keep searching for the birthmother. She never was located.

I am Crabby

I am soooo crabby. I can't stand this heat!! Ok now I feel better! I managed to clean my daughters toy chest and closet out today and have 1 bag of stuff to donate and I had a lot to throw out. I had to be slick though because she kept trying to look in the bag. I can't imagine how much worst this will get as she gets older.
I need to get some storage bins for the boys toys. All relatives reading this.. Please do not buy my kids toys for Christmas that have a zillion pieces. They are so hard to keep sorted.

I had thrown out a dirty old tennis ball that Reynaldo had found and he just about had a fit. He is a true pack rat. My mother would say he takes after me but I have changed my ways since I got my children. The less you have, the easier it is to keep your house clean.
Back to my cleaning I must go..

Can you feel the cool air?

AWWWWWW...... Air Conditioning! What would we do without it. I have been complaining lately that I wish we had central air. It has been so hot and the heat has really been getting to me. No wonder I love Fall and Winter. I guess I should be thankful and feel blessed for that fact that we own an air conditioner.
I decided to stay home from church today. It is going to be a scorcher of a day and I can't imagine being in a hot building, trying to keep my kids with me while I hobble on my leg and the driving there. I am really not supposed to be driving anyway.
I am going to clean my house. I need to give some stuff away and get organized. When my house is a mess, I feel so out of control. I am going to play some uplifting music and get to work.

My Life Group

I am so thankful for the ladies in my Wednesday night lifegroup. I look so forward to spending the evening with them studying God's Word and just getting to know each of them individually. We are each so different but yet we mesh together so well. God knew what he was doing when he put us together. When we had a tough situation regarding childcare and I was so worried about how we could handle this they all pulled together and came up with a solution. We are like a family. We love and care about each other and when someone is missing we aren't the same.
I just pray that we will continue to Grow in the Lord and closer to each other.
Sisters if you are reading this I love ya!!!

Night of Terrors.

My Little "World's famous Soccer Player" Reynaldo had a horrible night of night terrors last night. It had been awhile since he had last them. It bothers me that he is still having them but thank goodness they are not everynight like before. I made a bed for him on my floor and he laid there crying while I tried to "WAKE" him up. He would respond but it was like he was just not there. Nights like these always scare me. Finally he calmed down and drifted off to sleep. I awoke an hour later with him crying again and he looked like he was literally running on his side. Finally I had him just climb in bed with us so he would feel more secure and I could hold him. I couldn't keep getting up with my foot like it is.
All I could do was prayer for him and hold him and we went back to sleep.

A Big Flip and then Flop..

Call me a Klutz but I now have a possible torn ligament in my foot. I was trying to think of a creative reason for my mishap but the plain truth is quite cominical if the truth be told. My darling little girl loves to leave things laying around the house. While traveling through my house saturday night and flipping off lights on my way to my bedroom, I stumbled on something in the hallway and landed very wrong on my foot and heard a snap, crack, pop sound that puts Rice Krispies to shame. I also jarred my hip. The obstacle in my path was a lime green and purple Flip Flop Sandal that belongs to the little "Fashion Princess" herself. Sunday I took a trip to the Er with my husband ,after my children were in the care of my in laws, and went through X-Rays to my foot, ankle and hip. They drugged me with a pain pill, wrapped me up in an ace bandage and air cast and proceeded to give me a quick tutorial in Crutches 101. After making an attempt to walk with them without landing on my face they had me sign papers and sent me on my way. I was given strict instructions to ice it, keep it elevated and take the meds. How do you stay off your foot with three little monkeys running around who still "need" me for everything. Fat Chance at resting. I have been doing my best!! My darling husband has had to pick up the slack and take on my duties. Can you hear my little violins playing for him? Welcome to my World of Kids!!
Why couldn't I have least been trying a new dance move? Or skiing the French Alps ? Note to self.......Enforce a Zero tolerance for flip flop offenders.

" You Can't Marry Him"

It seems like forever since I have taken the time to Blog. I haven't even read the blogs that I usually read. I feel so out of touch with people's lives.

Saturday my daughter Kiarrah and I went to a Bridal Shower for "Auntie Frances" It was a nice little shower with Fran's close friends and family. Kiarrah got all dressed up in a party dress and lace socks and her church shoes. She even matched the party decorations with the colors she was wearing. Kiarrah is not very happy about Fran marrying Seth. She told Fran that she can't marry Seth because she wanted to marry him. She has a little crush on him. Fran's mom asked me if I though we could train Kiarrah to say that at the wedding when the minister asked if anyone objects. She is being serious. My son Dominic is going to be the ringbear at that wedding. I can't wait to see him all dressed up.

TGIF

I woke up this morning feeling like crap. I had one of my horrible migraines yesterday and it never totally went away. When I take the meds for it they make me very nauseous and give me an overall feeling of ugh. I am still not feeling great but I am trying to push myself.
My husband is in a big Challenge concert tonight at a neighboring church. I would really like to be there to show my support. I even have a sitter lined up so I have to go!!!!!! How often do we get a sitter?
I actually got my placement test scores back today. I was shocked at how fast I got them. I have to take basic math (BIG SHOCK THERE.... NOT). I did pretty well in English and I will be going right into a regular English class. Hopefully I can register for classes next week.
Tomorrow we are going to go up to a Lake. It is going to be really hot and humid this weekend. Nice cool water sounds good to me.

Random Pictures

Reynaldo with his pirate hat
They loved playing in this tunnel at the park
AAAyAy Matey
Brothers by chance, Friends by Choice

Wishing On Eyelashes

Dominic learned somewhere that if you have an eyelash that falls out you can make a wish on it. I think he learned it from his Godmother. Well, anyway he made a wish and later I saw him pulling out an eyelash or two and he was wishing on them. I told him to stop and that it doesn't work like that. He proceeded to tell me that he forgot to check his game box to see if his wish came true and he got new games for his playstation. He is too much!!!!

College here I come

I got wonderful news yesterday from the Financial aid Department at the college I will be going to in Sept. I qualified for a Pell Grant and it looks like it will cover everything. I just pray that my books aren't outrageously priced. I am going to buy used ones anyway. Today I am going to take my placement tests. I am actually quite nervous about it and I am trying to get the butterflies in my stomach calmed down.
After we get these results back I can then register for my first semester of classes.

A forever Family wanted

After a very rough night with my ReyRey and KiKi I decided to stay home from church today. Reynaldo cried all night off and on and even woke up crying. I am not sure what was bothering him. He had been doing so well on his meds and I am hoping that it was just due to being overtired. He just seemed so stressed. Kiarrah was up too asking for water, food and to be held. Gotta love those middle of the night huggie moments but I am so tired today. She didnt want to sleep in her own bed either which meant Jim didn' t sleep well either because she is a bed hog.
After breakfast I decided to take them to the park to run around and enjoy the beautiful weather. It was a gorgeous day. I sat and talked to the people around me and met a beautiful young girl named Amanda.
She had asked me if I was a foster parent. I think she had overheard a conversation I was having with a man next to me. He was there with his grandson. She went on to tell me that she is a foster child and had just gotten into an argument with her foster mother and had left the house. We sat and talked for awhile and I gave her an ear because she was really upset and seemed to really need to talk. I was amazed at how open she was. I told her that she needed to go home and let her foster mother know where she was because she would be worried. I even offered to use my phone and call the mom. After an hour of talking to her I took her home and guess what... No one was home. I didnt know what to do but I needed to get my kids home. I gave her my telephone number and told her to call me collect if her foster mother wasn't home after awhile. She called me two hours later and still no one was home. I drove back out to her house a little after I hung up with her because I was really worried about her. No one was in sight. I just pray that she is ok. I am hoping maybe the family came home and they went somewhere together. I really wish I had the room for her but we just can't do it. I don't even have room in my car. She had told me that she was hoping to be adopted soon. She was just a sweet sweet girl. She is just another child out there that wants a forever family.

Crystal Clear Water on a Hot Summer Day

We spent a nice relaxing day today at our town pool. The kids had a blast and loved every minute of it. I am so glad we went. We were originally going to go to the beach but we weren't sure if the one we wanted to go to would be open due to the government shut down. Plus the thought of coming home all sandy was not appealing.
This pool was nice. They have a baby wading pool and then a big one starting at 2 feet. Perfect for my little munchkins. Dominic was all over the place and can actually swim a little. He was even doing somersaults underwater. He really wanted to go jump off the diving board and got up there to try 4 times but he just got too scared, poor thing. We told him maybe next time. This was all his idea too btw. Reynaldo started off on the steps only but after about an hour he decided to join the fun. He was still a little cautious but went in more than I have seen him. Kiarrah is like Dominic and is part fish. She loves to stick her head under water.
We definitely plan on going back there. I know I could even take the kids there myself and be able to handle it. There are lifeguards everywhere and the way they have everything set up is just so accessible.

Race

I read an article today that really upset me. I have thinking a lot lately about my children and their different races and the difficulty we have in actually not knowing their birth fathers races. We do know that Dominic's birthmother is African American, Reynaldo's is Puerto Rican and Kiarrahs is African American. We have absolutely no clue what the fathers are. I don't think the birthmothers even know. What race are we supposed to check off for them? Why does it even have to be something that is checked off on all of these stupid forms I have to fill out everywhere I go? Does it really matter? Along with that thought is my fear of the children having a hard time as they get older with wondering what race they are and why are mommy and daddy and all of my other relatives white. Sometimes I think I have become colorblind. I have just forgotten that the kids are of a different race. I do get knocked back into reality when I get looks and stares and questions like " Is she yours?", to which I want to say " Yes" Don't we look alike? My boys get asked all the time if I am there mom. Dominic actually gets upset when kids will ask him and then look at him like he is lying. We have gotten much more insensitive remarks made and I simply choose to look at it as Stupidity.
This article that I mentioned earlier speaks about the fact that more ads are multiracial. The author seems to feel that is not the real world. He must not be from New Jersey. I see it everywhere. In my church, in my community etc. He feels that you aren't going to have two white children and two black children playing baseball together. It is becoming more of a common thing to see. There are so many different children out there and it is a beautiful thing. I attend a church that is very culturally diverse and everyone talks to everyone else. We worship together and go out to eat afterwards together.
I guess maybe it isn't the "norm and as acceptable" in lets say, maybe the Midwest.
I am happy to see multicultural ads. It might not be the real world for everyone but it should be. Didn't God create all of us? We are all his children. Why does race and color have to be such an issue? If anyone of us gets cut we all bleed red.

I love...

Babies, chocolate, lilacs, sound of the ocean, cool sand beneath my feet, oreos dipped in milk, being barefoot, feeding ducks, clean cotton, laundry flapping on the line, snow days, quiet time with God, Sound of Music, a good book, cool sheets, air conditioners, cooking, shower gel, pedicures, listening to music, buying clothes for my kids, writing all my feelings out, a good cry, a nice cold glass of Icetea, massages, kisses, being called mommy, being married, acting silly, movies that make me cry, sleeping in, breakfast in bed, my girlfriends, good conversation over a hot cup of tea, MAC makeup, the color pink, shabby chic, scrapbooking, yard sales, amish country, bed and Breakfasts, lots of pillows, email, freshly bathed children, tea parties, lace, roses, tulips, Ashleys brownies, dressing up, Children, supporting causes that make a difference and that I believe in, Swedish meatballs, pierogies, eggplant, Julia Roberts Movies, journals, being in love, having Faith, dreams.

Take Me Away...

I am just having one of those days today and it is only 9:17 am. I couldn't sleep and I was plagued with strange dreams all night. Couln't tell you what they were about though because I don't remember. I just dropped Dominic off at his camp and it looks like it is going to be another soggy day. He is going on a mini field trip to a magic show. Reynaldo was very happy to go to summer school. He was so happy to see some of his classmates from Kindergarten. Kiarrah is home today with a UTI. The Dr. seems to think she got it from when we went to the beach on Saturday. Poor thing was running a low grade fever last night. I hope the antibiotics will kick it out quickly. I am going to try and work on some paperwork today. I have to take Kiarrah for an appointment and then I am hoping she will take a little nap. Fat Chance Right? Maybe tonight I can get that bubble bath in.... Calgon Take Me Away!!!!!!!!!!

Crack, Bang ,Boom

We spent a fabulous day yesterday at a Pool/BBQ Party at Dominic's Godfathers house. The kids were a bit waterlogged after spending all afternoon in the pool. Kiarrah decided to jump right in with no one there to catch her. Talk about Faith! Luckily mommy saw her out of the corner of her eye and came to her rescue as she tried to surface. She had absolutely no fear and was quite the daredevil while using the swimming ring (aka tutu to all you prissy girls out there)to stay afloat. Reynaldo was a ladder hugger. He aint a fool. He knows he can't swim and isn't going to fake the part. Dominic is part fish and tried really hard to swim. He learned if you are starting to go under all you have to do it hold down the person next to you to stay a float. Note to Dominic: Do not do that to a pretty little girl who can't touch the bottom herself otherwise she turns into Ursula the seawitch.
Bob cooked quite the feast with your typical hot dogs hamburgers and corn on the cob. He topped that off with London broil, chicken skewers and wings. Everything was absolutely delicious and the company was entertaining.
We moved on to fireworks at dark and it was quite the show. We were armed with garbage can, hose, and police scanner and then began the festivities. After many oohs and aahs and wows, the children enjoyed sparklers while I watched on with fear. I was certain that someone was going to get hurt. Finally I had to look away and have daddy take guard while I willed away an ulcer.
We didn't get home until midnight and the poor kiddos had to go to school this morning. Bad Mommy, I know.

Fuel Injected Evening....

Last Night we decided to take the kids to see the movie " Cars". What a rip roaring movie it was. Mater has stolen our hearts with his witty hillbilly humor. My favorite line in it was when he said" I'm having more fun than a tornado in a trailer park". The movie is set in a world populated entirely with Cars. Even down to having car flys. The movie is filled with love, friendship and loyalty. I loved the whole lesson learned in the movie and I was really happy that my kids "got" it. I wish Disney would make more movies with a good set of values. Kiarrah was very vocal during the movie but got a little antsy towards the end and fell asleep for the last 1/2 hour. We all walked away with a smile.

Day at the Shore

We enjoyed a glorious Day at the Shore on Saturday. Traffic was a nightmare but our final destination was Island Beach State Park. The kids loved the water and playing in the sand. Kiarrah couldn't get enough of the water. Reynaldo would run in the water and then quickly run out. Then he decided Dominic and him should wrestle in it.
Dominic loved to be out in the water riding the waves. It was a wonderful Day for all.