Grace

Haven't had alot of time to post as we have been so busy. We are half way done with our foster care classes. Ananya has her pre-op appointment on Wednesday. So her surgery is nearing. Patrick and I are very nervous as it is a big surgery. Our family has never experienced anything like this. Any one who feels lead to pray for us and our precious little girl her surgery is on September 17th.
I've been doing alot of praying lately myself. I know that God has our children picked for us before we even think about it. I always feel lead to pray for our kids before they are ours. I started several years ago while waiting for Ananya. Just a couple of days before we saw her I wrote a letter to my future daughter. I always ask that God simply put our family into these childrens' hearts before we meet so that it will ease their transition with us. I know it will be a hard road even without knowing their past.
I've been thinking of birth parents lately. Ananya and Prasun will most likely never know their birth parents. Our new children will. How to balance a house with so many kids with different stories is something to think about. Adding another culture to our house will be interesting.
I have alot of thoughts lately about foster care and public schools. We are going to have to send any new kids to school until the adoption is finalized. I can't think of a worse time in their life for that. I think that being at home with me and Anthony, Ananya, and Prasun would be a great bonding experience. I could give them individual attention to advance their skills. I could work on their social skills in a positive way. I don't know. I think MY School rocks. It will be way more interesting once enrollment picks up. HEHE.
I always worry about how our kids are going to react to us. Now that we have 3, I worry about how they will react to each other. I worry about if I'm making the right decisions, about discipline, about medical stuff, about homeschooling. Pretty much everything. I just don't want to screw my kids up too badly. Mostly I feel like we are doing pretty good. My kids don't embarrass me too much in public with bad behavior. We have alot of fun. They seem really happy. But there isn't really a way to judge how you are doing raising your children until its done.
I wish I didn't lose my temper so often. I wish I could do more everyday. I wish I was more organized.
By our best effort and God's Grace, we will get the job done that God has put in front of us. It's kind of like a good book to me. I can't wait to see the ending.

Homeschool

Hope we can do some more fishing this fall. Wish I could go kayaking. I'm gonna have to wait until the kids are bigger. It goes right on the list with running. One day God willing all of my children will be up and moving on their own and I'll have older kids that can babysit so I can have a hobby or 2. Patrick just works very hard and I hate to take time away from being with him and just dump the kids so I can do what I want to.


Around our house, we started school alittle early. Last week actually. I'm starting slowly. Not the normal, one day no school, the next all of it. Last week about the only thing we did was math. I have Anthony finishing up the book from last year. It's some angles, areas and perimeters. We are also reviewing decimals and things. I just think he needed alittle more review.
This week I am adding reading and Japanese to the math lessons. I've also turned the TV off again. It helps Anthony concentrate and the little ones can amuse themselves otherwise. Next week we will add journaling and spelling. Then I'll add the rest of the stuff.
My goal is to try and come up with a schedule that will work. Trying to work in housework, Anthony's school, therapy for the little ones, and trying to start doing more preschool with the little ones has me stumped. I've spent the last 2 years trying to figure out how to homeschool. I jumped in quickly and then had to figure out what to do next. I have managed to teach Anthony something apparently. Every year he takes the California Achievement Test. Last year, I got results but had no comparison from previous years. This year I could see where he was strong and where he was weak. No surprises. He did really well.
I made a list of field trips. I printed out the soccer schedule for the college in town so we can go to their games. I got Anthony registered for soccer. I found a church we may go to on Wednesday nights. I figure out how to start with Ananya and Prasun. I'm going to teach them the alphabet. I think we are going to learn 2-3 new letters a week. I've got to make some photo pages for each letter. I've got some library books for each letter. I'm pushing the limits some by picking books about ants and clucking cows. Just some words that start with those letters.
I found a great Bible for Anthony. I would recommend it for anyone with boys. It is a graphic bible and reads like a comic book. He read like 30 pages today. Its amazing. It is called Good and Evil: The Bible as a Graphic Novel. I found it here.
I'm excited this year about what we can do. I have alot of things going on. We start our foster care adoption classes tomorrow night. I'm super excited. Anthony will love having another brother or sister, hopefully.
Well, its my bedtime. I've got things to do tomorrow. I'm waiting for Fedex and the mailman as I've ordered things online and am waiting for 3 more deliveries. I love getting mail. I had to order a new Iphone. Mine fell in my Kool-Aid and won't work. I'm addicted to my phone and have been hating Patrick's old one.
Anyways. I really have to go. I'll try to get some new pictures of the kids soon.

New Video

I got some video of Prasun singing.