Dotting my i's and crossing my t's

I have my final home study scheduled for Saturday morning and then it is all just a waiting game after that.  I found out yesterday that my school is out for a week starting March 10th and it would be fabulous to get a placement during that time.  I figured even if I don't get a placement, it gives me a week to get ahead with my schoolwork as well as get this house in even better order.  

I was also thinking that maybe during that time I can cook some meals and throw them into my deep freezer for when I do get our first placement.  It would be so nice to not have to think of cooking dinner the first week or so.  I figured if I make some meals that can be thrown into the Crockpot, that would be even easier for me.  

I was also thinking about making some cinnamon rolls from The Pioneer Woman and freeze most of them so the boys have some sort of yummy snacks after school.  I was thinking I could also make some muffins or something to freeze.  

I ordered the car seat on Saturday, it is supposed to be here on Friday.  I decided to clean out my van this past weekend and rearranged the seating in the car to make space for the new car seat.  I am going to place the car seat behind my seat and I put my six year olds high back booster in the center in the very back of the car.  He loves it because now he is facing the TV directly and has the car blankets on the seat next to him and I am going to make a toy/activity box to place in the seat on the other side of him.  

I found an awesome organizer on Pinterest and am going to make one if not two for our van to help with getting it organized and fun.  If you click on the link above, it shows you how this can be made into a toy/activity box and placed in the seat next to the kids and it even has a buckle so it doesn't budge if you have to brake hard.

Such a great idea to have in the car so you don't have all kinds of things all over.  And this makes it all within reach of the driver as well as the front seat passenger.  I swear there are endless things to make if you have the time to search Pinterest and have the skills, time, and resources to make them.  I think I am now adding to my list of things to do during spring break!!!

I was trying to decide what to do in regards to a car seat.  I have been going back and forth endlessly on wether or not I should buy an infant car seat or just a convertible one.  I finally decided that I would save myself the money and just buy a convertible car seat.  I was only able to get about 4 months worth of use out of my infant car seat with my youngest one because he hit 22 lbs at 4 months old and it was such a waste to me to spend a hundred dollars on a car seat that I barely got any use out of.  I am not a fan of using car seats on strollers and I honestly think infant car seats are just really HEAVY when lugging in and out of the car.

Now that the decision has been made lol  I so badly want to show you guys the car seat that I ended up purchasing.  I had to go pink and wanted something that we can use for many babies of any size and age.  I chose to go with the Grace MyRide 65 LX Convertible Car Seat.  A child can use it rear facing until 40 lbs and can use it forward facing until 65 lbs.  

Isn't it cute!?!  I can't wait to put it in the car and of course we got a cute mirror to put on the head rest so I can see the baby from the drivers seat.  This mirror is so cool, it has lights and plays music....best part, it has a remote so I can control it from the front seat!!  Where was this stuff when my boys were little??  I love the things that are available for babies and children now a days!!  

                                       

Ok, enough of me going on and on and on and on....I can get so carried away when it comes to Foster Care!  

Do you have any recipes or ideas about make ahead meals?

Lamb mobile

I bet you wouldn't have ever guessed but I love lambs!!  Crazy huh ;)  They remind me of home and give me a warm and comfy feeling....can't beat that!  

I have been wanting to find a cute mobile for the crib and I wanted it to be lambs.  I looked ALL OVER and couldn't find any that I liked until I found this totally cute ETSY store.  It is amazing and she makes these mobiles herself.  I went back and forth trying to figure out which one I wanted and/or which one I liked the best.  After lots of back and forth and sending my mom and sister the choices, I finally narrowed it down to this one....

I love it and I think it is perfect for this room, this crib, this home, and hopefully to all the beautiful babies that sleep in that crib and look at those little lambs floating up above them.  

I hung the mobile from the ceiling and am able to move it up if I get an older baby or adjust it in any way if need be.  I think it looks so sweet and have caught myself looking at it many times as I am laying in my own bed.  I can't wait to look over and see a sweet baby laying in that bed.  

By the way...that pillow will not be in the bed when a baby comes.  The pillow is from my own bed but I throw it in there at night when I am turning the bed down.  I do babysit a little boy who sleeps in the crib when he is here and he likes to use a pillow but he hasn't slept in there in a couple of weeks.

The saying that is above the crib says Happiness Dwells in the Soul.  I love that saying...it makes my heart so happy!!  

What do you think of the lamb mobile?  Does it make your heart flutter the way it makes mine?  How can it not ;)

Light at the end of the tunnel

On Friday night, I got a phone call asking me to bring the boys in to the agency for Home Study number two.  I slept maybe a total of 2.5 hours Friday night, my nerves were all over the place.  I woke up at 5:30 that morning and couldn't go back to sleep.  The boys and I got to the agency right about 10 am and had to wait a little bit for the lady to get there.

When she did get there, she introduced herself to the boys and told them that she was going to talk to them one at a time.  My middle son went first and said afterwards that she had been really nice and asked him questions like, how is he doing at school, what does he do on a normal day, she asked what he likes to do for fun, etc.

My oldest son went second and he said that she just asked questions like, how he's doing in school, how does he get along with his brothers, she asked if my youngest son was a mamma's boy (he was sitting in my lap waiting for the interview) and my oldest told her yes.  Then she asked if he was a mamma's boy and he said that he laughed and told her that they are all mamma's boys :)

My youngest went last and he is SUPER shy.  He opened up real quick to her and told her that he is excited about getting a baby and she asked if he would be jealous and he told her no.  He also told her that I am his favorite person.  He then went on to tell her that his brothers hit him and are mean to him and when he tells his mamma, she yells at his brothers.  I overheard this part and wanted to crawl into a hole....he was eating up the attention she gave him and kept going!!!  She said to me after she finished interviewing the boys that she thought they were great boys and told me how great I was doing.

She never mentioned the comment my baby boy made and I didn't say anything to him about it either.  His brothers do hit him and they tease him but that is what big brothers do.  He taunts them and annoys them till they are ready to scream (and sometimes do).

She talked to me alone and I sent the boys to the car.  During this time she told me that my middle son told her about his sister whom we just met for the first time a year ago (it's a long story and I will tell you guys about it some other time).  My son told her how I reached out to the sister and how she has become a huge part of our life.  She told me that speaks volumes about the kind of person I am (blush) and she said that it looks like I am doing the right thing by becoming a foster parent.  She then told me that she is going to come by this week for a short visit, 15-20 min and then I am all done.  She is going to try to finish my home study by the end of next week and I should be licensed and ready to accept children in the next two to four weeks!!!

I can't believe this is coming to an end!!  There is actually a light at then end of the tunnel!  I made the decision to become a foster parent in the beginning of November but with Christmas there were no PRIDE classes coming up.  I started PRIDE classes on January 10th and it is now the end of February (most of the delay was due to bad weather in the area) and I am finishing up!!  I can't believe how fast this process is!

I ordered a convertible car seat yesterday and now all I have left to buy is a stroller.  My home is ready and so is my heart.  I am so excited right now!!

Home Study number two is now scheduled

I got a call this evening about 7ish from the woman who came out to do my first home study.  She wanted to know if I was able to bring the boys and come to the agency in the morning so she could do her interview with the boys.  I told her that would be no problem and we would see her then.

Now it is 1:30 in the morning and I can't sleep....I am a nervous wreck!!!  What if my boys so something that is wrong or going to make her question if we can do this??  What if she doesn't like my boys?  What if?  What if?  What if?

I have all these thoughts going through my head and all I keep thinking is....it is what it is and if tomorrow doesn't go well, then that is what was meant to be.  I just feel like so much stuff has fallen into place perfectly as if me becoming a foster parent is meant to happen and I hope and pray that is the case.

I got a beautiful mobile in the mail today.  I found it on ETSY and had to have it.  It has lambs (swoon) and we put it up tonight and it looks adorable above the crib.  I will have to take pictures and share it on here,  Maybe I will do that tomorrow when I write to report on how the home study goes.

Wish me luck!!  Have you had to have your children interview for a home study?  If so, how did it go? What are they looking for when interviewing children...good and bad?  Say a little prayer for us in the morning, we need it!!

All of my training is now finished

Last night I went to CPI training, otherwise known as Nonviolent crisis intervention.  The class was very informative and teaches us all kinds of awesome things that all parents need to know.  They talk about the way we talk to children, the tone of our voice and the choice of words we use.  I have to say that I learned a lot of usual information and will be using some of this on my own children.

I am so excited to be able to say that all of my training is finished and now all I have left to do before getting my license is finish the two home studies.  I have no idea when she is going to come out for the second and third home study though.  I asked one of the couples last night who had their first home study done on Thursday, if she had mentioned when she is going to come out again and they said that she had just told them that she would be in touch.

I have to say the one thing that annoys me is that I was the first one in the class to turn in all of my paper work and there are still people who are not finished turning in their paperwork and they are getting home studies done.  The couple on Thursday don't have some paper work in and they are still able to proceed.  I busted my tail getting everything done in the first week and I thought by doing that, I would be able to finish faster.....I was wrong :/  Sorry, I don't mean to whine on here....just frustrating to know that rushing and busting my tail the first week....it didn't get me anywhere.

Anyway...I am now free to take care of my own boys and get caught up on my school work and spend some time with these little monsters of mine :)  My six year old told me today how happy he is that I am done with my training because now I can be home with him at night and play games with him.  So on that note....I am going to play the board game LIFE.

Have a great Tuesday!

Home Study one.....check

The first of three home studies is now completed.  The Home Study was supposed to start at 11 and of course that didn't happen.  I was so nervous and having to wait was making everything that much harder.  I got a phone call...on my house phone, which I never use at about 11:30.  I didn't even realize that I had given my house number because it is never used....the only person that uses it is my youngest son.  The woman said she was just leaving the current place and would be here between 12 and 12:30. I got the best advice ever after that from someone really close to me and he said to take this moment as if I was getting a chance to showcase my parenting and my home.  This woman can not come into my home and tell me my worth.  Being told this was what I needed to hear and I was so thankful.

I decided to get on Skype and talk to my sister to try to make the time go by faster and also so I wouldn't be freaking out here at home.  The lady came in at about 12:15 and she was soooo sweet!!  I have met her before but now I got some one on one time with her and she put me at ease.  She told me the first meeting was the shortest one and it would last about 30-40 min and then the second one would be with my boys and would last about an hour and the last one was going to be with me and would probably be about an hour too.

She looked at my home and told me what needed to be done which was to put child safety locks on the kitchen cabinet with my household cleaners and a lock on the bathroom cabinet so I can store my laundry detergent there.  She said I wasn't allowed to have candles in the house and she told me to use wax warmers instead.

The one thing I was sure she would mention was the crib being too close to my bed and guess what??  She didn't even mention it at all!!!  She didn't have anything negative to say about my home at all and she said she was here to help me become the best foster parent I could be.  She asked me if I had any questions and I told her that I didn't and asked her if that was a bad thing?  She said it wasn't and she also mentioned that she was there for my first night of PRIDE training and she knew I was the one asking all the questions lol  She left me her card and told me to call if I had any questions or concerns.  I have to go in for my CPI training tomorrow night and I am going to ask one thing then, I want to know when she is planning on coming out here next and how long she thinks it will take before she finishes her three home studies and I get licensed.  She told me it could be 4 days after licensing or 3 months before I get a child but I already knew this.

I feel so much better now that the first home study is done.  Now to keep my house in perfect, pristine condition till we can get this all done!!

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

First home study

My first home study is in two hours and I am soooooo nervous!!!  I wish my PRIDE instructor was coming out here to do this home study.  I loved her so much and feel so comfortable around her!! The woman who is coming is really nice but I don't know her very well, I have only talked to her a few times.  My house is clean, closets are even clean in the entire house and I am ready for her to poke around and do her thing.  The thing that makes me most nervous is that she won't think my home is big enough or good enough for me to foster or I will say something to make her not like me!!  I talk a lot, especially when I am nervous and I have to try to stay quiet and only answer when asked a question....no extra talking in there!!!

During the last PRIDE training, we talked about the home studies and they mentioned that beds must be three feet apart.  Well, the crib is not three feet away from my bed and there is no way with the layout as it is, that I will be able to have three feet between the bed and the crib.  I wonder how some are able to have two babies in their room and keep three feet between all beds?  I am so nervous about this part that I even looked at moving to something bigger.  Then I realized that this is home and we are going to make it work and if they don't approve me because there is not three feet between our beds, then so be it :/

Ok, my nerves are getting the best of me.  I am gonna go scrub something to make the time pass faster.

Next time I post, I will have my first home study done!!!