Good Morning

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monday-lets-do-thisIt’s Monday. I don’t mind this day at all. It brings a return to structure – or in this case another day of structure after I mistook Sunday for Monday (It’s Sunday).

Monday are the day I get down to business. It’s our day for serious school work. There are other days with structured learning, but it’s done in the midst of appointments and play dates. My girls are both in Kindergarten (Junior & Senior).

Technically Athena attends the public school down the street from us. But lately she’s been home most of the time. There’s a relatively new program here in Ontario – play based learning. I’m sure it’s great for other kids. Mine, however, require a great deal of structure and guidance. It’s gotten to the point where Athena is clenching her jaw in a strangely skewed manner. Primarily this happens at school and occasionally at home when she’s stressed or upset. The dentist noted her mouth is now growing incorrectly.

“It can be corrected,” she said. “You just need to encourage Athena to put her mouth properly.”

To save the pain and cost of extensive reconstructive dental surgery, Athena’s been staying home so I can get her jaw back to normal.

We’re on our second Monday morning. As much as my girls like structure, I must admit I do too. But I also love the opportunity to drop everything to go visit a friend. In addition to academics, Raine requires assistance in socializing. Somehow any skills she learned in daycare went out the window. She attended a full year of Junior Kindergarten last year. It seems in play based learning children are given the opportunity to work out differences on their own. Raine’s has a strong personality. In the unstructured environment, she tended to resort to domineering her peers. At such a young age, she still needs guidance on how to interact. So we take advantage of invitations to visit friends whenever they come.

But generally Monday’s are spent at home doing school work, laundry, and putting things back in order from my weekend “off”. I like to pretend I have a Monday – Friday job. Often I don’t do laundry or mop floors on the weekend. But Monday I’m back in the swing of things.

I must admit I really like Monday.

 

 

 

It’s Sunday

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wonderful life
Welcome to my new site – Wonderfully Unusual. I had a post in mind to welcome you to this new space. It had to do with the quote above and the name of my site. It was complete in my mind. But I’m having a difficult time recalling it. Let me tell you why.

The kids and I have been hit pretty hard with colds this week. This is our first round since last winter, so I’m not really complaining. In the midst of designing my new blog I have some deadlines to meet. I must get my income tax done to prove I still qualify for the adoption subsidy I currently receive. Sometime this coming week a social worker is doing a home safety inspection. I have yet to be informed when. All the safety’s in order, but the house is a bit of a mess especially since I haven’t been feeling well.

This morning I pulled myself out of bed at 6:45am. Promptly I called 4yr old Athena’s school to leave a message saying she wouldn’t be in today because she’s unwell. When the kids finished breakfast I started them on some school work. I sipped my coffee and thought the radio must have made a mistake when the announcer mentioned it being Sunday. Or, more likely, I misheard.

I debated texting the neigbour to tell her Athena wasn’t going to school. Instead I waited for her daughter to arrive. Normally she walks Athena to and from school.

“I guess Natalie has forgotten about you,” I commented.

“Maybe she’s sick too,” Raine offered.

We explored all the possible reasons Natalie hadn’t arrived which wasn’t a big deal since Athena wasn’t going to school. Then I realized, It’s Monday and I haven’t posted my Sunday blog! With all the work on the new site, I was quite disappointed at my oversight.

After an hour of school work, the kids went to play in the backyard. I fervently hoped the home inspection wouldn’t be today. Needing a quick distraction from all the housework looming around me, I picked up my phone to scroll through facebook. That’s when I discovered it’s Sunday.

I nearly fell over laughing at my mixed up mind. Can’t recall ever having made such a huge oversight. Let’s blame it on the cold that’s starting to lift. Really glad I didn’t text the neighbour. I’m so happy I had today to tidy the basement and nearly complete my income tax. Best of all I got to post on my new blog. But I don’t have any fancy words to welcome you. I’m still a little jumbled after my false start. Maybe next time.

The Games We Play

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Lately my girls have been playing “I’m a New Foster Kid”. The game goes like this: one of them pretends to be a foster child who has just arrived at our home. The other shows them around and explains our life. This past weekend it was Raine’s turn to be “our special guest” (which is how I refer to the foster children who come to us). She decided to call herself Kara. Most of the game was spent correcting Athena who was forever calling her Kiera. During dinner on Saturday, Raine – pretending to be Kara – said, “When I go to my grandma’s tomorrow, I won’t be coming back. I’m going to live there. That’s what happens with some foster kids.”

“You can play that in the game,” I permitted. “But in real life you’re living here.”

“I know,” she answered. “I’m not a foster child.”

This declaration is a small miracle. It’s taken time for Raine to see herself as adopted and a permanent resident here. There are still times she threatens to leave, but most often she’s happy to stay. Never again will Raine or Athena be a new foster child in someone’s home. That is a really big miracle.

in families

Happy Easter

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But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in my family. His power may appear, to the natural eye, somewhat less dramatic than Christ’s resurrection. But in the case of my girls, He’s brought them from death to life in a marked way. In truth, every one of us requires His resurrection. Our own hearts are dead with sin until He gains access. Thankfully, I encountered Jesus early on. The same is true of my daughters. Holy Spirit is at work in their hearts.

Raine quickly took hold of her sister when I was snapping pictures and said, WP_001125“Hug!” That is a small miracle. For a long time she’s resented Athena. But Raine’s heart is turning towards her sister as the Lord brings life to the deepest part of her.

Today my parents are taking the girls for their first sleepover. It’s been a slow process for Athena to connect to her adopted grandparents. Two weeks ago, she suddenly announced, “We should go to Grandma & Grandpa’s to sleep!” I contacted my mom and we set up a plan. When Athena realized I wasn’t going, she burst into tears. But when the time came today she couldn’t contain her excitement. With incredible joy she climbed into my dad’s truck. My mom’s promised to bring Athena home if at any point she becomes upset. I don’t think that’ll be necessary. With some time to get used to the idea, Athena is happy to go. It’s a small miracle. Where fear once resided, the Spirit is bringing confidence and courage.

I am grateful to have the Spirit who raised Christ at work in my life. I am grateful for a Saviour who brings me alive to Himself.

It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself?

Romans 8:11 (The Message)

Perseverance

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Daily, I choose what values are imparted to my children. Sometimes I’m intentional. When they catch me exercising – which is rare – I’m quick to say, “I want to stay healthy and keep my body strong.” Never do I hint at the fact that I need to lose weight. I want them to be comfortable with their appearance. Most of the time I am as well which is why the exercising doesn’t happen nearly enough.

I'm still committed to spring. Wearing rain boots.

I’m still committed to spring. Wearing rain boots.

There are other values I may not have been so intentional about. This week Raine’s perseverance surprised me. After a warm couple of days, snow hit us once more. We woke up to a winter wonderland again. Tuesdays are always hectic and it’s garbage day as well. Raine’s been a big help in getting the bins out. Without mitts (since I’d packed them all away), she wasn’t happy to do her job.

I opened the garage for her and got back to packing lunches. Raine returned to tell me her hands were too cold. I advised she abandon the mission then carried on getting Athena ready for school.

When we piled into the car, I discovered all the bins were out and carefully lined up along the curb. There was the regular trash, compost, paper recycling, and plastic recycling. Despite the cold, Raine had persevered.

This, by far, may be the most important value I can impart.

Praying for my girls…..

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

 

Raine out for breakfast on her 6th birthday

Raine out for breakfast on her 6th birthday