I started my sweater!

Well, the yarn I was watching finally went on sale for $1/skein, so I went and bought my yarn and started my sweater yesterday. Besides my first bag, this the only thing I've made for myself, and I'm really excited about it. So I've got several projects going right now...
My mom's big monster bag - I've set that aside for a while, but I will pick it up again. It's close to getting done!
Z's scarf - this is a project I work on while he's at karate - it requires counting to 18 over and over. :)
H's scarf - I work on this one in the car when I'm waiting for kids, or whenever I just have a few minutes to crochet - no counting!
My sweater - lots of counting! I have to follow a pattern, this can only be done when kids are at school or asleep!
My afghan to donate - this is for Project Warmth, and it's probably half done.

So, I won't be starting any more projects until I finish these! Except the dresses I'll be making this weekend!

More Thoughts & Updates on the Family

I reread my previous post and it sounded so sad and hopeless at the end. Overall I don't feel that way about life, or about H's situation. It is very... sad, I guess, or depressing, or disappointing that H is still so scared in so many situations, and about life in general. But she's also made great strides. I love those first moments in the morning when she's still sleepy and she crawls on to my lap and snuggles. I know she's learning to trust us. And I do pray for her all the time, and not without hope. I don't know how things will turn out for her in life, but I know we're helping her. :)

We had a nice relaxing weekend, and it was good for reflection. Things have been going well.

We don't see as much of J as we used to. He's got work, school, and friends, but he seems to be doing well. He got a great score on his psychology exam, and he seems to have his priorities in line, and that's reassuring.

Z is really enjoying karate. He's been doing a good job on his chores and homework and reading time, so that he can earn gameboy time. He'd play all day if we let him! He's really enjoying school, and even some things he struggled with last year seem to be coming easier to him. That's been fun.

H has picked up the reading skills she lost this summer. Her class started spelling tests! No way did I think she'd be able to do that, but so far our practice sessions are going ok. I'm impressed with her. She's a very determined little girl!

G is loving preschool. She's top dog there in her second year in the same classroom. She loves her teacher, and has been busy helping others learn how to care for the class pets (guinea pigs). She keeps telling me she needs a guinea pig at home, and I keep telling her I've picked up enough poop in my life and I'm not interested guinea pig poop thank you very much! :)

I'm still crocheting a LOT. I bought a "lot" of yarn on ebay and have been making some projects with it. I'll have to take some pictures and post them some time. There's a great yarn sale at Hobby Lobby this week, but I decided I need to make room in my yarn boxes before I bring more yarn into the house. :)

T is still enjoying the church band and working out at the gym he joined. The kids love the playroom there, so that's given me a little more time to myself.

Well, this week's project is overnight potty training for G, which means I have some pee sheets to wash. I'd better get on that!

How long will it take?

I had an interesting conversation with H in the van this weekend. H and I seem to have a lot of meaningful talks in vehicles. She asked me how long she’d have to continue to see her therapist. (We go each week for an hour.) I explained that we’d go for a long time. Then I was inspired to explain why. To make a long story short, I explained was “trauma” was. I think I actually did a decent job of it, too. And I explained that after a trauma, our minds and bodies can trick us into feeling scared, even when everything is ok. I decided to use an example to make my point.

C: So, even though you know that Daddy and I would never hurt you, sometimes you used to get very scared at bedtime.
H: Oh, I don’t think you’ll hurt me at bedtime, I think about how you’ll hurt me right now, in the van.
C: But you know that Daddy and I don’t hurt kids. We keep you safe.
H: But you might hurt me. You could hurt me right now.

The conversation went on for a little longer, because I just couldn’t believe she meant what it sounded like. But she did. She did mean it. She really doesn’t feel safe. She really thinks, any minute, despite almost 3 years of relative calm and overall safety… she still thinks that any minute it could all change and we’ll hurt her.

I just continue to pray. I don’t know what else to do.

"I could make that!"

I was looking around on ebay the other day and saw a cute dress for sale and thought, "I could make that!" So I did! :)

The girls are wearing Tshirts with skirts sewn onto them. G has a shirt that was too short from last year, and H has a $4 T from Target. I bought material at Walmart for $2/yard (1 1/3 yard each) and I was set! It took me about an hour for each, but I'm sure it would be quicker if I sewed more often . (At least I didn't have to look at the directions to remember how to thread the sewing machine this time!) It's hard to see in the picture, but G's skirt is covered in candy corn, so each skirt matches the top. Anyway, I am very pleased with the results, and so are the girls.

Back to the Routine

Well, I'm back from vacation for a week now, and it sure feels good to be back in our routine! I really enjoyed my time with my extended family, and had such a wonderful break. But it does feel good to get back to things! The kids, T, and his mom met me at the airport with big hugs and lots of stories. It was so nice! This was definitely a vacation I came back from feeling very refreshed!

We also have some good news on the adoption front. It's looking more and more like H's adoption will be finalized before the end of the year. That is really a relief. I was beginning to wonder if it would ever move forward.

That's about all I've got here. Routines are wonderful, but sort of boring I guess. :) I continue to crochet and I'm really enjoying that. I'm working on a Big Monster Bag for my mom, and I want to finish that before I get on to anything else!