Well Read

I love to read. I always have. Hey, it's a big reason why I teach and love my job. Amy and I have always been avid readers. For fun, that is. College textbooks?  Not so much.  But then life happens. Jobs happen. Kids happen. Dogs happen.  The free time in which to enjoy a good book seems to vanish into thin air. 

But I've decided recently to start reading again. Well, not that I stopped. But to make a more concerted effort to do so. To relax and unwind. Kind of like Amy and I are doing with running. Something for ourselves that we enjoy. 

Where to begin?  What to read?  I'm currently in the middle of several books. But I wanted to start fresh. Something new. So I decided to check out a book from the library. On my iPad. There's an app, Overdrive, that allows you to access libraries and their ebook database. You can then use your library card to check out. It's pretty awesome and I highly recommend it if you haven't done so already. All the fun of checking out a book without having to change out of your jammies and head to the library. 

Now, don't get me wrong. I still love an actual book. A real one you can hold and turn the pages. But I also embrace technology and the convenience of an ebook.  I think they can happily coexist. 

So the book I checked out is an Agatha Christie book, Hallowe'en Party. I love Agatha Christie and it's been ages since I read a book of hers. A good, old fashioned mystery. Ahhhhh. Sadly though my time with the book expires tomorrow and I cannot recheck it out since there is a hold on it. Thanks a lot random Houstonian for placing a hold on my book. Oh well. I plan on binge reading tonight. Who knows?  Maybe I'll finish?  

So. That's what's new here. What about you?  Reader?  Hard copy or ebook?  What are you reading right now?  Any good recommendations?

All is well, curled up with a good book, in Drosche Land.  

Fitness

Yeah. So I am still surprised to find that I am writing about running and fitness. Much less the fact that I am actually running.  Craziness.

You might remember back in July when I posted about the fact that Amy and I had taken up running. Amy started the trend actually and encouraged me to try it. The 14 pounds I gained during the "waiting for the call" period of our adoption journey were also speaking to me. Granted their words were more along the lines of, "Have another donut!"  Regardless I decided to start. I mean, we are not getting any younger since we are 30ish. Plus, what good is all the healthy eating doing if we don't back it up with other healthy habits. 

I started slowly. Literally and figuratively. Not only did I move slowly, but I began with short distances. It wasn't long before I was moving more quickly and covering more ground. This motivated me to keep at it. That and the fact that Amy had also signed us up for our first 5K. 

The last time I blogged, I used the term rulking. You know, not fully walking but definitely not running. Well, I've moved past that now. I am actually running for the entire duration of my exercises. I know!  I'm just as shocked as you. Still. I started to enjoy it. I hadn't experienced the "runner's high" people spoke of, but I wasn't dying. 

Then came the 5K. Sadly Amy and I couldn't run it together. By then we had the placement of T & L and they could not be left alone with anyone but Amy and I. So I went with my sisterinlaw Amanda. It was a GlowFoam 5K. It was in the middle of August and it was hot. But it was fun. 

Prior to the race there was a concert. You were sprayed with colored foam. Multiple times.  You were drenched in foam residue. With several thousand of your closest fellow Houstonians. Then it got dark and the time for the run finally came. Black lights and more foam stations were set up along the    course so you could get further foamed and see yourself glow. It was pretty awesome. I'll admit too that it was fun. I enjoyed it. It definitely will not be the last 5K. Amy and I are already looking into some ones in the future that we can do together. Now, don't go jumping to conclusions. I'm not doing any half marathons or marathons. That's just crazy. But a 5K?  I can handle that.

So, there you have it. I run. Several times a week. Amy and I alternate days and times to fit our scheduled and we have gotten to the point where we make time for it. Not only has it helped health-wise (I've said goodbye to those 14 pesky pounds) but it is therapeutic. Calming in a way. It gives us some time to unwind and relax. Again. I never thought I would be referring to running as "relaxing" or "therapeutic". But it is and we are enjoying it. I still don't know if I have experienced any runner's high. I do feel good after a run, provided the heat isn't so oppressive that I feel as though I'm melting. Maybe that is a runner's high?  Who knows. Regardless, we run. I guess it is possible to teach a lazy dog healthy tricks and habits. Go figure.

My number!

                               Foamed up and ready to run!

All is well, step by step, in Drosche Land. 

Kickin' It

It's been a while since the boys played sports. We took last year off since there were so many changes with new jobs and new schools. That was ok. We needed the extra time to adapt to the changes and get into new routines. 

However, as the new school year approached, both Braeden and Jackson every so subtly reminded us that they wanted to play sports. Again. As luck would have it St. Mark offers soccer through a neighborhood league for the kids who are not old enough for the school's team. This seemed very convenient and right up our alley so we signed them up. Sadly, Braeden's team didn't have enough 3rd Graders interested to make a team. Bummer. So we put that on hold for a bit. Jackson though joined the majority of the boys in his class on the 1st/2nd Grade team. This is great because they practice once weekly at St. Mark and have games on Saturdays, often at St. Mark. It's also less competitive than a separate league which is good for Jackson as he just wants to play. Win!

As it turns out we were able to get Braeden joined on a league near our house. His cousin, who is in 4th Grade, is also playing and we just found out they are on the same team. Another win!  They practice once weekly, the same night as Jackson. Even though it's way out by our house, the fact that it's on the same night makes it a win. Their games are on Sunday so our weekends have been taken up by soccer for the next few months but it's all good. Braeden's team is also more competitive, good for him as he is more serious about sports than Jack. 

So, everything ended out working for the best. Both boys get to play and Amy and I get the benefit of convenient scheduling. That's definitely something to rejoice about since it will likely not always be the case. But they are excited and so are we. This weekend marks our first games so stay tuned for details and pictures about that. I'm exciting about taking my camera out and using it more often. It's spent quite a while away since things have been so busy lately.  Another win. All in all I think we are ready for a fun and successful fall sports season here. 

All is well, having a (soccer) ball again, in Drosche Land. 

Update

So I've been absent for a while. Life here in Drosche Land got pretty busy after the placement of T and L. Crazy busy.  So, blogging paused for a bit. As much as I wanted to post, there just wasn't the time or energy to follow through. 

I'll just jump right into the update and let you know that T and L are no longer with us. We received notification last Thursday that they would be moving to a new foster home on Friday.  Friday came and I took Braeden, Jackson, and Stella to school while Amy stayed at home with T and L. A few hours later the CPS worker picked them up and it was over.  As I've mentioned before this wasn't a surprise to us as we always knew it was the likelihood. 

These past 5 1/2 weeks have been quite the journey. Filled with ups and downs. We experienced a lot and learned a lot. We learned about each other, our children, the system, and of course T & L.  We continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers, that He would keep them safe. Hopefully in the short time we had them with us we were able to instill things that may help to shape their future. 

You're probably wondering what now?  What are our plans?  For fostering. For adoption. Well, this was something that Amy and I obviously prayed about and discussed in length over the past 5 1/2 weeks. We've come to the conclusion that we are not going to pursue anything further. No more fostering. No more adoption. We have 3 blessings that we love very much. We need to focus on the five of us now.  Adoption continues to be something that we hold dear and find important, we will just support and advocate in a different way than we'd planned. 

So we move on. Move forward. This weekend we have spent time relaxing and recovering. Stella is moved back into her bedroom and it has been rearranged for just her.  Amy and I have also spent a lot of time moving furniture and getting the house back in order.  It has been nice to sit. To enjoy each other. To relax. 

So that's it for us now. That's our update. Thank you to everyone for the thoughts and prayers during this past year as we traveled the road through the adoption and foster care process. It was felt and greatly appreciated.  Thank you. 

All is well, updated, in Drosche Land. 

Getting Schooled

Well, I've been gone for a few days as things have been super hectic here in Drosche Land as we prepped for another school year. You can imagine how busy we have been with both Amy and    being teachers and having the 5 kids. But all is well and we have survived the beginning of August which was filled with meetings, preparations, classroom setup, meetings for T & L, and just life in general. We survived!  Today was the first day of school for all of us. Amy lucked out with a 1/2 day while the kids and I jumped in fully with a whole day. All in all it went very well. There were no tears this morning when getting ready. No tears when taking pictures, which I love to do. No tears during drop offs. That in and of itself is a success!  Everyone came home excited and exhausted. They are all asleep now but I, for some reason cannot fall asleep. So here I sit, telling you about our day. 

Stella. This year she is in the Toddler 2s class. Little Miss. Look at her. She was so excited to meet her new teacher, she talked about her for the past few days. She is potty trained and ready to go. Full of sass as always but sweet on the inside. Right now she is I so fully into wearing dresses which she proudly proclaims as a "pretty dress" over and over. So we let her wear one for the first day. She also loves her new shoes that light up (thanks Mom!). They are adorable. Right now in life she loves to play with all things girly still. Dolls, stuffed animals, purses, anything pink, bows, etc. Barbies are just around the corner!  Favorite foods are noodles and rice, she's a carb loader. She also loves fruit and French fries (carbs again). Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins are her favorite shows and she is obsessed with any princess movie, The Princess and the Frog and Sleeping Beauty are in full rotation now. She's a firecracker and has us all wrapped around her little finger.  Again, I'll mention her sassiness, oh my!  

Jackson. First Grade this year!  As you know he has come to St. Mark with Braeden, Stella, and I and I am so excited. That means that he is in my class and is the second of our children that I will have taught. He is one of a kind. We have found a good balance of medicine for his ADHD and he is thriving and focused. He loves numbers and anything mathematical. Right now I think he may be heading toward something related to engineering, I could totally see that. He's obsessed with his Kindle and Minecraft. He loves superheroes and collecting feathers (he found a blue jay one on the way to the car this afternoon). He loves being an older brother and dotes on Stella and L. While cartoons of any kind are still loved, he is getting to the age where he loves the Disney tween shows. Jessie, Austin & Ally, and I Didn't Do That to name a few. He had a great first day of school today and is excited to have me in class. With him being at Epiphany last year with Amy I really haven't seen him in an educational setting until today so that was interesting. With as outgoing as people think him to be, he is actually very analytical, sensitive, and quiet. He spent the majority of today just taking in the new surroundings and watching, assessing, and learning. I know he will come out of his shell eventually, he just takes slowly to new situations. But he is a trooper and there isn't anything he can't do if he puts his mind to it. 

Braeden. Third Grade. Seriously?!  Where has the time gone?  Oh he loved today and came home full of talk about his binder, planner, and all the procedures he learned. He loves school and is always excited to start a new year. He proudly proclaimed that today was going to be easy because, "first days are always easy because yet you don't have any homework yet!"  Just wait little man, just wait. He has always been, and still is, our athletic one. There isn't a sport he won't watch or want to play.  He would have the TV tuned to ESPN all day everyday if we would let him. He also is obsessed with video games, sometimes glued to his Playstation 3 and Kindle. He loves to read and is always wanting to start a new book, if only we could get him to finish one!  Like Jackson he is fully into the Disney tween shows. I think he truly believes he is going to turn 16 any minute!  Help us when he does becaus we already are dealing with some of that preteen attitude!  Oh my!  But he is an excellent oldest child, always wiling to pull extra weight and help ell out when needed with the many younger children. He has a huge heart and is a compassionate person, never thinking the worst of anyone.

T & L. Obviously I can't share their photos here. But they started today as well. T in PreK and L in Waddlers. They have adjusted to school very well considering they have never been in a group care setting.  T's teacher said she had a great day and was very excited to be there. Possibly the highlight of her day was her new backpack that she has been dying to carry since we bought it about a week ago. Her teacher is amazing and knows of the situation. She has been nothing but supportive and helpful. No matter how short of a time T is in her class, I know she will do well.  L has the same teachers Stella had last year so that was a smooth transition for us. We know she will be well cared for and loved. Her report today came with a picture of her with a huge grin on her face. She enjoyed it. She also is doing so well and that is exciting. Her teachers also are so thoughtful and caring, which we already knew when dealing with Stella and her allergies last year. 

Amy and I also had great days today. Our classes are awesome and the kiddos great. We are off to a great start. Amy is happy to be teaching the same grade for a second year and the stability and familiarity that comes along with that. I am so blessed to be at St. Mark and am loving it as always. 

So, all in all it was a great first day. Sure there will be days when things are far worse, but maybe I'll come back and read this post during those times to remind me of the good. This year is going to be a great one. It started off a little crazy with the girls' placement and all that has come with that, but we are adjusting and adapting. I know we will have a great time this year, all of us. It's so exciting. Everything is new and fresh. Everyone is excited and eager. I love my job. Well, I think sleep may finally come so I will wrap this up for tonight. One great day down and just a 170ish more to go!  Ha!

All is well, getting educated, in Drosche Land. 

Visiting Hours

Well, the last we spoke Amy and I were preparing for our first visit with the girls' family.  Well, that was last Thursday and it went well. I mean, I guess it went well. We are newbies and have no frame of reference. However, it wasn't our worst case scenario, not by far. Therefore it was a success. 

Obviously given the circumstances of our meeting in the first place, it was awkward. I mean, how could it not be?  But the family members we met were nice. They introduced themselves and we did likewise. They did thank us for taking care of the girls and we obviously praised the girls and said good things.  Then we left them to their visit and spoke with our caseworker and filled out some paperwork. The hour actually went by pretty quickly. When it was over we talked a bit more, sharing some of the current details about T and L. They were enjoying school, playing with our biological 3, our dogs, etc. then it was time to go. 

Probably the biggest news was the fact that we found out a family member is interested in pursuing custody of the girls. This is a good thing. The goal of Foster Care is the mending and reunification of family and Amy and I totally support that. We don't know much more other than that though. There is no timetable. The girls could be with us for a week, a month, or longer. It all just depends on the process. So for now we just continue as we have been. Day by day. Minute to minute. 

Amy does have a phone conference with some family members tomorrow so we will see if that brings any answers or new information. We also still have to meet our new caseworker, also something that should provide some further clarity. 

Overall though the first visit was good. Interesting. It was surreal honestly. To even be in that position, one we never imagined or thought we would ever be in, was something to take in. But it was positive and it was something that I am glad we did, meeting the girls' family. Putting names to faces. Allowing them to see and meet us. I think it was good.

All is well, post visit, in Drosche Land. 

One Week In

Ok. So a week and a day technically. But I was tired yesterday and chose to veg and sleep rather than blog. 5 kids will do that to you!

But anywho. We've had the girls for a week now. And boy has it been a week. A rollercoaster would be an understatement. There have been amazing highs and ridiculous lows, often in the same day. But we are seeing progress in both girls. Slowly but surely. I think I said it before and I have heard it from countless other foster families, in person and via blogs, that you live day to day. Especially at the beginning

So I obviously can't share too much about the girls, although I'm dying to. I know pictures are a no but I'm not sure about names. So I'll stick to L for the youngest, 13 month old, and T for the older 4 year old. That way I can refer to them. 

L is doing well. She's young so she can adapt more easily and I is more flexible. We are working on weaning her from the binky and that is our major step with her. When we got her she had it in her mouth all the time. Now she only uses it for naptime and bedtime. See, we are just not binky people. Braeden was easily weaned. Jackson loved his and was more difficult. But by 13 months they were well past it. Stella didn't want to have anything to do with them past a month so it was never an issue. L though was a trough addict. But the good thing, in spite of the crying and screaming that comes with weaning, is that her verbal skills are rapidly increasing. She has found her voice and is not afraid to use it. Loudly. Anywhere. But that's a good thing. We will work on volume and words as we go. All in due time. 

T is a bit different. Being older she is more set in her ways and has more experiences to guide her each day. But she still has made some progress, albeit slow going. We work mainly on manners and rules to keep her and others safe. Baby steps. Slowly but surely. She and Stella have butted heads quite a bit though so that is our biggest hurdle right now.  Working on their relationship.  As you know Stella is quite headstrong and is used to being the sole female child in the house. Having someone else come in has been a bit hard for her. Plus first impressions were not the best so she is still holding onto that. But there are glimmers of hope. They do play together well occasionally. They do talk somewhat. Baby steps.

We have also been humbled so much and have seen His hand and the goodness of others so much lately. So many friends, coworkers, and others have stepped up to help provide the girls with clothing and shoes, food for the family, a listening ear, and other much-needed things. The things we never could have been prepared for when waiting for an emergency placement. There have been tears of joy and gratitude abounding and it makes our hearts swell. Just another way in which we know He is helping and guiding us on this adventure. 

Amy and I are hanging in there. We also have our good days and our not-so-good days.  Being a foster parent is a whirlwind of emotions, daily. Frustrating. Rewarding. Heartwarming. Trying. I could go on but I think you get the picture. However, at the end of the day we are confident that we are doing what He has called us to do.  We take it step by step and try to remember to seek His help along the way. We also are being sure to make time for ourselves, together and individually. Our runs have become therapeutic and we make sure to get them in. 

There is also the fact that we are back at work.  Our jobs have become somewhat of a respite too as we were told they would. Being with our friends and other adults is helping. Working and occupying our brains is helping. It's nice to be busy planning for the beginning of the year and giving our if minds a break from everything else. It's healthy. 

Which brings me to the fact that the girls have attended St. Mark for 2 days now. They are doing well. L has taken to her teachers and friends and is adjusting. She cries a bit but is enjoying it. T is with Braeden and Jackson since it's care for Faculty/Staff kids so that's good. Plus the daughters of a good friend/coworker of our are there too. So we are hoping it will be a good, slow transition to an actual school day. 

Wow. Just like that I have talked your ear off. But blogging is therapeutic too so thanks for listening.  I could go on and I am always blogging in my brain but I will wrap it up here. One last thing is that the girls have their first family visit tomorrow. Amy and I are nervous about this since it is our first time. We are also nervous about the potential for regression and mood changes afterward. But we are praying and know that He is with us as always. So I'll update on that later as well. Along with all of the other foster care stuff in my brain to share. But it's getting late and this is getting long. I think everyone is asleep so maybe I'll veg out with some Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. You know I love me some of that!

All is well, one week in, in Drosche Land.