Silence

I'm sitting here at the table in the still of the morning. All doggies and people are sleeping soundly (except for DH who has already left for work). I hear the ticking of several clocks and the whir of the laptop. Near silence.

A rarity here lately.

Life in our little village has been rough. Jill has been acting up more than usual and you really never know what's going to happen next. She is defiant, back chats and has mood swings like you can't imagine (just to name a few). In the heat of the moment we remind ourselves this is not how our little darling normally acts.. she has a lot of stuff jumbled up inside and is trying to deal with it all.

Jack hasn't been acting out nearly as bad (yet).

No word from The Office. No phone calls, no emails. Total silence. My nature is to second guess why it went from a 9-1-1 must-get-the-transition-started-NOW to nothing. Ziltch, zippo, nada. Trust me, I'm the Queen Of Over-Thinking and my mind has been spinning. The reality is, it's a big group of workers that need to participate and I bet they are having a tough time getting everyones schedules to jive.

No complaints. We'll take whatever extra time we have and run with it.

Here at the table I know I will soon long to see their little bed heads bobble down the hallway each morning. I know I'll remember the sounds of their laughter wafting downstairs and all things Disney playing in the background. I'll miss their incessant chatter and bantering. I do believe I will then rue the silence.

Bring on da noise!

"Expect The Unexpected"

That bit of advise was given to us at the very first informational meeting we attended with the county. The speaker looked to be in her mid-40's, tall and thin, with long brown hair and pale skin. I clearly remember her eyes sparkled as she told her story.

Like us, she and her husband had tried with no luck to start a family the old fashioned way. Somehow, they found their way to fost/adopt and their journey began. Initially they were hoping to adopt a young (newborn-toddler) Caucasian girl. A child that blended in with their little family.

She told us the one thing we should expect is the unexpected in our journey. She advised us to listen to our hearts and to each other. You can imagine our surprise as she proudly showed us a picture of her son. They had adopted him a few years earlier and he was currently in high school. Not only was he older than the age they originally wished to adopt.. he was a he. Oh yeah, he was also African American.. and her pride and joy. When his younger brother came into the system they adopted him, as well.

The Unexpected.

I think one of the things that has caught our family off guard is how deeply they love Jack and Jill. Like many of you that have gone the fost/adopt route (or are thinking about it) you know most think you're not playing with a full deck when you confide that you're considering doing this. With the best of intentions many try to talk you out of it. Although we know most were uneasy with the whole idea, all tried to support us as best they could. Let's face it, foster kids have a stigma. Not to mention the loss and pain we're setting ourselves up for if the kids go home.

Due to the Influenza Type A outbreak at the house of pestilence (ie: the day the kids moved in we ended up in Urgent Care with Jill who was very sick and diagnosed with the flu) the family didn't get to meet the kids for over a week after their arrival. All they got were quick phone updates from DH, Nantie or me about how downright adorable and sweet they are.

Once The Plague passed and the house was deemed clean (think "Poltergeist") they filtered on over. It didn't take long for them to fall head over heels in love with Jack and Jill. Each wiggled their little ways into everyone's heart.

Although it has just been over a month, it's hard to remember life before them. The thought of a quiet house without the two of them zooming around and chattering up a storm breaks my heart. And I am not alone. All have voiced concern over them leaving.. none can bear the thought, either.

We were very aware of the risks involved going into this. Nothing was ever sugarcoated. We knew that DH, Nantie and I would bond and love the kids unconditionally because they are with us 24/7. We didn't fathom what a profound effect they would have on the rest of the family.

The Unexpected.

Sunday Sunrise

Since I had to be up at the crack of dawn, at least it was spectacular.

Ground Zero

I was going to call this post "Twin$ G@ne Wild" but shivered at the thought of the creepy Google searches that would find their way to my little blog. This was once the bland room where I contemplated our future while sitting on the floor. My heart ached and the wait seemed unending.

It is now a place where imaginations flow and laughter spills out the door. Yes, it gets picked up every night but the in-between moments of wild 4 1/2 year olds was sure worth the wait.

Two Weeks Ago Today..

*Two amazing little people entered our lives.

*We went from just DH and I eating dinner on the couch to a family of five at the dinner table (with the TV off and conversation on).

*Our once (somewhat) picked up house transformed into a toy riddled home. And it rocks.

*A depressingly empty bedroom (that I lamented over in December) became a place of bedtime stories and where nightmares are soothed.

*DH and I couldn't tell the difference between Belle and Princess Jasmine.

*I had no idea I could make it through a full day of work after only getting 3 hours of sleep. It was possible back in my early 20's.. not such a pretty sight now but can be done.

*I would never EV-ER of considered making ANYTHING with Hamburger Helper or Kraft Mac & Cheese. Not only have I prepared both, they're not so bad in a pinch. (Missy, it's not SPAM so don't completely lose all respect for me).

*Was the last time I shaved my legs (just kidding.. ya, that's it.. I'm kidding).

*We had no idea we could be so exhausted but happy at the same time.

*The journey of our lives began.