Seriously!?!...........South Dakota!!!

Not even kidding. The buses were turned around after school because of a tornado warning and the kids had to go back into the school & sit in the safe rooms until the all-clear. Meanwhile, we are also in a blizzard warning with 3-6 inches expected.  All while it's 50 degrees out.  Only in South Dakota!!!

House - Interior

After church, coffee at Chocolatte, lunch and then a nap for Steve, we went to work at the new house. We tore out an entire wall in the dining room.

House

We had good news & bad news last week concerning our new house.

The good news was that the appraisal value came in over $25,000 more than what we're paying for the house.

The bad news was that the underwriter for our mortgage wants four things done before closing; shingles replaced, exterior  wall fixed, interior dining room wall fixed and the exterior painted. We are scheduled to close on the 22nd of April.

We anticipated the work, just not in such a short time frame. Steve went into panic mode. I finally told him, "If God can get 12 of us home from Guatemala after the gate closes, He can do this if it's supposed to happen." Then I reminded him off one of my favorite sayings. We do what we can and God does what we can't.

So our family went to the house on Saturday morning to start scraping off the peeling paint. A friend who's a painter told us it would take at least 40 hours of scraping. As the morning progressed, more and more people kept driving up, pulling out their ladders and scrapers and joining in. Then at noon, Deb brought a wonderful lunch to feed everyone.

The entire house was scraped that day!!!

We are so thankful to be blessed with the friendship and hard work of such a great group of people!!!

House - Siding

Special thanks to my dad for fixing the siding on the new house.

Peace

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27


Because the English word peace comes from the Latin "pax", we assume it means the absence of conflict, a time in which wars have ceased. But the Hebrew concept of peace or shalom means much more than that. It literally translates "wholeness," and it means having everything you need to be fully and wholly who God has created you to be - physically, emotionally, and psychologically at peace. 


This is what Christ offers: an opportunity to be free by understanding who we are in the context of who God is and what God wants for us.                


~ Jonathan Merritt in Jesus Is Better Than You Imagined

Worst Mom :/

I'm again in the running for worst mom ever. As I was typing, Taylor came up and asked me what she could do to earn money and I responded with, "Pole dancing."


I really need a nap and/or more coffee! It's been a realllllllllllly long challenging week.
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Riley Says

I was only half awake as I was dropping the kids off at school Thursday morning. I had to leave town by 7:15am to drive to Flandreau for work and I hadn't had enough coffee yet. Riley and Sophia were the only two in the van when he turned to me and calmly inquired, "Mom, did you have any sexual immorality when you were younger?"


"Uhhhh........Could you ask me that after I've had more coffee."


I'm not even kidding. That's the first thing that came out of my mouth. To my credit, I quickly followed up with "That's an interesting question, what makes you ask that?" Then we had a quick three minute discussion with a promised follow-up later because Riley had to get to school and I had to get to work.


I guess they had been talking about that topic at youth group the previous night :/
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More Snow

I seem to be driving on the worst weather days this winter. I was working at headstart in Flandreau on Thursday. This is a view of my drive home.

Crying

I spent a half hour crying in the corner at the church on Saturday. While my friends stood around laughing at me with tears pouring down my face!

Before you feel too sorry for me, you should know that I was chopping some pretty potent onions.

500 meatballs, good company, lots of laughs and obviously some tears make for an interesting Saturday.

Sophia helped in the kitchen and played nicely the whole day with friends.

Friday & Saturday Social Events

 Before going to the Paws for Wine event Friday night.

Sam, Kathy, Reenie and me

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 Me photo-bombing Ted and Alissa at the Guatemala Team party later Friday night.

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Taylor's pictures from the Guatemala Team party 

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Saturday morning brunch at Cynthia's.

Sleep Deprived

You haven't lived until you've slept on a couch with a four year old and a lab, both of which are bed hogs.

At some point during the night, Sophia crawled into bed with me, went back to sleep, then peed in my bed. Steve was asleep, so all I could do was get a towel to soak some of it up then find somewhere else to lay.

I couldn't  go sleep in Sophia's bed because her bed is in storage and she's been sleeping with Taylor or on our floor.

So I got a blanket and went downstairs to the couch. The kid and dog followed me.
I guess I should be thankful I didn't pack all the extra blankets yet.

It's going to be a challenging day to be tired and I'm sensing lots of coffee in my future. I'm helping make a million meatballs this morning and I accidentally double-booked myself this evening.

Party Pictures of Sophia's Bio Family

Cousin Adaya, Aunt Nichole & Sophia

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 Aunt Amanda playing darts in the kitchen

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 Ben, Baby Aubree, Rachel and a cousin

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 Sophia and her half-sister Aubree

(Rachel & Ben's daughter)

Sophia's Bio Mom's Birthday

I was informed an hour ago that Rachel's family has just decided to have a spur-of-the-moment get together for her birthday today and they want Sophia there. I have a headache just thinking about it. When I didn't respond to their messages right away (4 calls & 3 text messages within a half hour), one of the sister's came over to our house to tell me. Did I mention I have a headache?

 

Here's part of my wish list:

• They would understand that our schedule doesn't always work well with impromptu things.
• They would realize how busy our family is and how complicated it is to drop everything to adapt to them, especially when they don't plan ahead.
• That Rachel's new husband would stop calling Sophia his step-daughter. I really don't know why this one bothers me so much, but it does. He's not related to her, biologically or legally, other than the fact that he married Rachel long after her parental rights to Sophia were terminated. I feel like he doesn't have any right to the name 'dad'.
• That it's not all about them and what they want. It's about Sophia.
• They would comprehend that it isn't a given that Sophia will always be there whenever they want her.
• Finally, that it's our choice what Sophia does, not theirs .

And just for the record, I said I'd take her to the party. Regardless of my feelings, my ultimate goal is to make sure Sophia grows up healthy, both physically and emotionally. I guess right now that involves keeping her connected with some of her bio family.  :/


But I did say we'd only be there until 6:20pm because some of the kids have church tonight.
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Anthony

I kept Anthony home from school today and took him to his therapist. Currently, he says I hate him and will tell that to anyone who will listen. We've been seeing lots of negative behaviors since I came back from Guatemala & are anticipating moving. Fun times of the attachment-challenged.

It seemed to be a productive therapy session today & then I took Anthony out to eat. I let him pick the place & we had a good conversation, just the two of us. It was a splurge, but worth it.

Zeke's Special Olympics

Reunion part 3