Monday, August 30, 2010

Our weekend together

What a weekend!
After meeting to pick up Jasmine for the weekend Halie was very sad. As we were driving the hour back home, I looked in the rearview mirror to see tears streaming down Halie's face. I stopped the van and went in the back to hold her. She just said that she was so sad and missed her "other mommy" (Nancy, her previous foster mother). I held her and I prayed with her. We told God that we didn't like feeling this way and that it is so hard when we miss people we love. I tried to give Halie some words to explain her feelings, but she just needed to cry. Although I held her in my arms, my arms were not what could comfort her at that moment. Luckily, after a good lunch and a nap, she woke up happy again.
Saturday was a fun and busy day. I was at a Great Banquet team meeting for the first half of the day, but Dave took the kids to get haircuts, run errands, and play at his school.
The busy morning was follwed by a picnic with all of our Great Banquet friends at Brown's Farm. The kids LOVED the tractor rides. I think they went on 4 or 5 times.
Straight from there we went to the movie night at the kids' school. That is about when we realized that we had packed too much into one day. Although the kids were still doing alright, Dave and I were hitting a wall. We were both exhausted and needed to end the day. Luckily, everyone went to bed easily.
There was a picnic after church today as well. We planned to stay for the potluck lunch, but after the line kept growing and our kids patience was not, we decided to cut it short and head to McDonald's. Of course, the kids were thrilled.
Having Jasmine here for the weekends is great, but it is frustrating for me to feel like such little progress is being made. I feel like we can't completely begin the transistion phase because we're not all together. Halie and Brice are adjusting so well, but then, as soon as Jasmine comes, Halie begins acting out...not listening, throwing toys, etc. I am wondering if she is not upset that Jas gets to stay at "Grandma" Nancy's and she doesn't. We've debated letting her go back to visit or spend a few days at their house, but we want her to understand that she is with us forever, and are afraid that might confuse her more. Any thoughts or advice from my fellow adoptive parents out there?
I did begin telling Halie her "story" today. I talked to her about how Chloe, Carter and Wren grew in my belly, but that she and Brice and Jasmine have been growing in my heart for years. We talked about how she grew in Mommy Brandy's belly and then she got to stay with Grandma and Grandpa until God found just the right family for her. While Grandma was praying for the perfect family for the three of them, we were praying for the perfect three kids for our family. God heard our prayers and brought us together.
Of course, I'm feeling good as I tell her this, and she's listening intently. Then, with lots of thought in her eyes, she says, "I want you to grow in my belly, Cara!" Ummm....deep thoughts from a 4 year old. Oh, well. I planted the seed. I am sure we will have this conversation a million more times in a million different ways as she grows up.

1 comment:

  1. Jasmine asks about the sibs daily-first thing every morning!!So monday we went to the YM so she could play with kids. tuesday we met dori,john,jenna at mc d for a couple hours.jenna feared coming down the big slide so an employee had to rescue her!jasmine is so over being an only child. she follows my around all day,jabbering. sometimes i turn around and step on her toes..tonite she and granpa took the trash to the road,then walked across the street to see if the neighbor big kids wanted to play for awhile!!!thankfully-they did!!dinner,bath,bed. i am so relieved,happy that u r gonna be their forever family. excited for us all. i am starting jas in headstart wed.she has been there many times last year with the kids. blessings on u.

    ReplyDelete