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Goodbye to my sweet foster children

It has started off to be a semi-depressing day.  My foster children go home today after school.  It has been 6 months!  Just the thought of having no more influence on the kids makes me sad.  This morning I got a call from the Mom and first thing she said was, "Are you so excited?".  (Well, no not really, was what I was thinking)  I replied, "I think it will be good for the kids".   

Here is an overview of my day so far...

7:00 am   Wake up and make the baby a bottle.  Takes her forever to suck it down.   Jeremiah and Luke are playing on the wii.  

7:30 am It is time for the kids to turn of the wii, get dressed, clean their rooms and make their beds.  

8:00 Just finished feeding the baby.  (Such a slow eater)   She drinks 6 of the 8 oz.   

I check on the progress in the kids room and there really is none.  I am not sure what they were doing the whole time.

8:45 Time for school, however the kids are now jumping on the trampoline.   I put Luke's lunch in his backpack and notice a project (a blank music record that we were supposed to fill in with pictures, a collage of his life) that was supposed to be completed and turned in today. Luke breaks down in hysterics thinking he will get booted out of G.A.T.E for having a missed assignment.  One that he could not do without my help.  It has been a crazy 2 weeks and I forgot to help him.  I feel bad and think in the back of my mind, "Things will get so much easier once the kids are gone".  While I am calming Luke down, Jeremiah comes in from jumping on the trampoline and cries, "I have a headache and can't go to school today".  

9:09 The school bell rings at 9am.  Needless to say they are all late, again.  We all get in the car, no Jeremiah.  I go back in the house and find him upstairs determined to stay home.  We finally get him in the car and drive to school.  I walk in and check them in, Jeremiah cries that he wants to go home with me.  Mark and Jeremiah walk to class and then I do the paperwork to withdraw Jeremiah from school stating that this is his last day and drive home.

I have to add this.....  A few things I will not miss.... 

-Changing 14 diapers a day, sometimes more sometimes less.

-Cleaning up Zuri messes, on average it would be 5 a day.  I don't know how one child can get into so much, so often.  Today's mess was chucking a glass from the island counter to the floor.  Why?  To watch it shatter?  I don't know.  I, know better than to leave breakables out, I am not sure who did leave it out.  Usually it is things like pouring out the rice container, unraveling toilet paper, dumping out people's cups, bowls etc.  Spitting her food on the floor, Putting her hands in her messy diaper and then putting those same hands on other things.  etc, etc, etc....

-The boys fighting or arguing, the whining and screaming.

-There are a few more but those are the big ones.

I never would of survived the past 6 months without......

My amazing husband

Both of our families giving endless support

My sweet friend, personal assistant, nanny, support system Liz 

Great friends like Laurie and Holly to help out 

I will miss.....

Raising baby Mika

Giving Zuri snuggles and watching her and Abby play.

Seeing how Zuri loves having Chad be her daddy.  

Hearing Zuri yell, "Papa!" when we visit Grandma and Grandpa.

Getting hugs from Jeremiah

Watching the children pray and learn the gospel

Many of you have asked me, "What are you going to do when the kids go home"?

Well, I am not going to be late, more than I'm on time for school.  

I am going to help my kids with their school projects.

I am going to have more time to snuggle my children and have more one on one time with them.

I will keep my house clean for longer periods of time.  

I will finally be able to have some time to read the books on my list.  

I will be able to read my scriptures in peace.

I will be able to fulfill my calling in church.

I will be able to exercise.  (I have taken a 6 month break, that is true sacrifice for me) 

I will be able to shop without getting a babysitter.

Oh, there is plenty that I am very excited to do.  Hopefully, I can focus on those things as I take them home today.  

Cupcakes!

Tonight's family home evening dessert is......chocolate cupcakes!

Here are my fine cupcake helpers, Abigail and Jacob.  

Jacob is one of her most favorite friends.  

(Right now, Abigail is pointing to the 

computer screen and saying, "Jacob, funny"!)

The hardest part was keeping their fingers (and tongues) 

out of the batter.

Picture Time!

What should of taken 20 minutes, took 2  1/2 hrs!  Yikes!  If I had known that, I would of just taken the pictures myself at home.  We just found out our sweet foster kids are going back home next Friday and I wanted to get a nice picture of the 3 foster kids.  

For fun I thought it would be nice to have one group picture of all the kids for a scrap book I am putting together for them.  As soon as Abigail sat down, she burst into tears.  She is just so shy!  I actually never got a picture of the 3 kids because next Zuri burst into tears also.  At least the boys & baby were happy!  I guess 4 out of 6 isn't so bad.

Abigail managed to get through this picture as long as she could sit on the pony!  

Of course I had to get this one too.