I am exhausted

I dont do well on 3 days no sleep. of course the kids DID sleep so they were up at 630! I NEED to go to Ukraine just to get some sleep!

Today is pick the kids up at camp and have lunch with them and watch their program.
of course its two and half hours away.....which means the entire day.

Tomorrow I fly out. Cody and I will go. happy to go and nervous about several things. I usually dont worry about stuff I just figure stuff will happen when it happens but gosh after the last crazy whirlwind of a trip that lasted FIVE WEEKS I am a little nervous. anything that could go wrong did. well I guess there were some things that didnt go wrong but A LOT DID!

I will miss home and the kids. and my life here. Even telling Ben again and again to EAT EAT EAT! when he is dawdling.

yesterday was an awful day and it went on way too long.

and now I must get everyone dressed and ready to go for the day. Eric is rounding hope he gets done in time.

storms

literal
at 430 this morning it was lighter outside than it was at 745. it was very dark outside! the street lights were on. the rains came, along with winds and thunder and lightning. kids were getting all panicky so I took them downstairs for a couple games of Uno. they forgot all about the weather.

figurative
Once the weather let up we had planned to go to St Cloud to shop but that didnt happen. everyone usually loves shopping day. but they were all so ornery I said forget it. I dont need the stress and punishment of taking 6 kids to the store while they crab at each other and me about every little thing. So I called it off. I will go alone another day. Maybe tomorrow. I was really looking forward to shopping day with them. but now I am just mad. they are mad. some are sulking in their rooms, some are off playing other things. but no one is going shopping now. Maybe next time they will be able to talk civilly to each other and myself. tough love. sucks for me too. Oh the joys of parenthood.

what to do with a child who

really doesnt seem to grasp simple concepts like taking off yesterdays underwear before putting on todays? He HAD been dressing himself no problem but after my being gone a long time he has reverted back to crying and wanting me to do it. it now takes twice as long as it used to for him to dress himself. and he has no concept of take off the old before putting on the new. since he wears afos and has trouble standing he has a hard time getting them off again. Then again maybe they didnt change undders at the orphanage every day. I know the girls get a bath x1 a week. so maybe underwear change/clothes change is only1x aweek.

no eight is not enough

we now have ten! we are now the parents of 12 children! I havent been keeping up THIS blog because I have been in Ukraine for 5 weeks working through mountains of paperwork to adopt 4 kids there. I do still have to return there to finish things up and bring home the kids but we are currently back home dealing with the daily life around here while we wait out the ten day wait. soon life around here is going to EXPLODE with activity and noise and food consuming. We have to finish the bunks for the girls, get the bunks up for the boys. Also have to get a set of bunks for the other boys so they will all fit in that room. need to work on organisation and clearing out and simplifying. Half a loaf of bread fed the kids lunch today but I realised that that will no longer be the case soon! an entire loaf of bread will be consumed in lunches! Ordering everyone backpacks for school with their names on them so we can keep track of them all. Working hard to get in the habit of doing dishes each meal so there isnt a backlog after dinner. need to get these new routines established NOW before I am inundated with children and dirty dishes!