Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Day 11

Today started with three back to back tantrums. Poor Brent! I was in the shower and came out to three screaming kids! We must be terrible parents to not allow potato chips for breakfast! LOL!

But I think it was wonderful that we got them out of the way first thing! Once the tantrum is over we give the kids several different instructions- sit here, stand there, pick up this toy and put it here... This helps to reinforce their obedience and our authority. It shows us if it is truly "over" and also gives them an opportunity to be praised for obeying successfully.

The kids were so cute this morning. They all built a tent over the dining room table with tons of blankets and sheets! We let them leave it up all day and they were in and out frequently!

The rest of the day went fairly well! I went grocery shopping and Brent took the kids to the pool. They ended up spending over 4 hours there. I even brought home lunch and we ate at the pool! That worked well because usually they are hungry so we head back to the apartment, but they aren't fully exhausted yet. I think we'll do that more frequently! 

Around 2:30, Nora and Blanca (attorneys) came to meet with us to review the new stage of the process now that our documents are in Court. I love them! They both are so super sweet and Nora is extremely organized and thorough.

Later in the afternoon we went up to the futbol field and the kids had a blast playing again. Unfortunately, it ended on a bad note when Jonathan didn't like being told we were leaving in 5 minutes.  So it ended up being that we left in 0 minutes. But the tantrum was short lived. He is catching on!

We had a yummy dinner of chicken pieces and rice (with lots of salsa de tomate!) and strawberries that I bought from a street vendor. They were the sweetest I've ever had.. It was probably 4 pounds of them and they ate them ALL at dinner! Oh, well! At least they are eating something healthy and not potato chips!

The kids are all getting into the habit of taking their plate into the kitchen and washing it themselves. Tonight we started working on asking to be excused from the table instead of just leaving! Baby steps, y'all!

Oh, and it is so cute because they are all starting to remember what "I love you" means! I don't have to repeat it in Spanish anymore! And they know Chicken, and "do you like?" in English too! I love their accents! "I love you" comes out as "Eyeeee lub jew!" Awww!

After dinner, Brent, Cait and Luisa went down to the bank to get out cash and picked up Bunelos for a treat. Yum!

I think our bio kids are feeling a little homesick and tired of the drama. They each needed some extra lovin' tonight so I snuggled with each of them individually after everyone else was in bed. There were some tears and feeling like this is too hard, but we talked a lot about learning to love people that are hard to love. And how we can show forgiveness since we have been forgiven so much by the Lord. We all need truth spoken to us when we get discouraged so I hope I was able to give that to them tonight. This stage of adoption is stretching each of us beyond what we are able, so we are each learning to cling to the Lord for strength to endure and show grace instead of judgementalism. I think it is so hard for our bio kids who have been raised in a Christian home and in a fairly sheltered environment to deal with a lot of the behavior they are seeing. It is shocking them. But it is good because it reveals the hidden sin in their own hearts to them that wouldn't be seen unless tested. Who am I kidding? It is TOTALLY revealing MY ugly sin to me! I have much to confess to Him. I am so thankful for grace!

8 comments:

  1. You and Brent are really doing great- table manners and all!! I need to work on that with the kids too. I am glad you were able to take the time with the American kids tonight- they are so strong and always up for any challenge, I am sure with a little encouragement they will be great. It is good to hear that you and Brent can divide and conquer and get things done like grocery shopping and the kids can still go to the pool, etc. Sounds like fun, exhausting, full days that you will always remember :)

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  2. My first thought when you said Brent took the kids to the pool and you went to the grocery store was thinking back to those days when Dad worked three jobs, I was home for long hours with three little guys in a town house and no car and how much I looooved when I got a rare chance to go to the grocery store ALONE! LOL Love you guys and praying and rejoicing in the fruit He is producing in ALL of us through your faithfulness. Love you all so much!

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  3. We've been Praying for your bio kids. Got to be stretching them too. Glad that you are taking time to focus on them, but you must be exhausted.

    Isaac prayed for your sickness at bedtime last night.

    Our devotion this morning was from 1John 5. Loving God means keeping his commandments ( including loving the fatherless) and his commandments are not burdensome.

    Keep with it & rest in Christ as you strength!

    Love you guys!
    Dan W

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  4. It's hard to be away from home and the familiar for so long. I'll be praying comfort over the kiddo's today.

    Love ya
    Juls

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  5. Praying for endurance for each one of you. And praying for less tantrums too!

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  6. No soda AND no potato chips for breakfast?! Jeez! You're strict! :) I read somewhere that kids have tantrums because they feel comfortable enough around their parents to let their feelings out, because they know their parents will still love them in the end. So if you look at it that way, tantrums are a good sign! Ha! Anyway, I'm still awed by this whole situation and I'm praying for you and your family. This is probably way out of everyone's comfort zone and you are all doing an amazing job of keeping it together. Your faith is amazing and God is good.

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  7. Oh your posts bring back memories! I at least have the perspective of being able to look BACK :)!

    We started with 'family training' table manners after our first meal with our kids. The ladies at the B&B set a serving plate on the table and four hands shot out to grab what was on it! We just sat there agast and watched the carnage unfold - that was lunch. We were more prepared at dinner and insisted on serving each their dinner one at a time - been that way ever since.

    Hang in there, you are doing great!

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  8. I can relate to paying more attention to the bio kids and helping them with homesickness. Just keep giving them a lot of hugs.

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