Long overdue updates

I'm not sure if anyone really checks in here anymore.  The stat checker has crapped out, and I don't feel like setting it up again.  I've neglect this blog for a while now, but have a ton on my mind tonight so I guess it's time to unload it all. 

Kristopher.  He is out of school for the summer.  Past 1st grade with no problems.  Spring testing came back saying that his reading and comprehension was near a 4th grade level, math was near end of 4th grade level.  He can now tell time on a regular clock, passed basic math facts all the way up to 4th grade division.  I'm not sure what exactly they will work on next year, but I've already gotten lots of plans for talks with teachers.  We had some big anxiety issues near the end of the school year, and lack of sleep again.  It got really bad for a while.  I mean really bad.  He would cry and make himself sick from the worry for hours.  Bedtime would start between 7:30 and 8, and he wouldn't stop the questions and tears and crapping till about 11-11:30 some nights.  It was brutal.  Then, one day out of shear frustration, I offered him $2 if he would go to bed without whining or crying, and without getting up to keep trying to poop when he clearly did not have to.  He went straight to bed without a sound.  Next night, we started a sticker chart and things were going pretty good for a while.  Last week we had a few issues, but back to sticking to a good reward system with stickers and cashing in charts for prizes, and I think we're good.  He takes 5mg melatonin to go to bed, and has started sleeping in a little later.  Today he woke up at 8am and is way more rested than before.  It's great. 
Summer has been kind of boring so far.  I wanted to get him involved in swimming lessons, but they are held at 11am daily.  Taking 4 kids to the pool when 3 of those kids can't join in, is not a fun adventure, so we skipped it.  I'm going to sign him up for a YMCA program in the fall and hopefully continue it all winter long.  So far, the only weekly event we've been doing has been the summer movie thing.   A lot of local theaters have $1 days, where we can see fairly new but already out on DVD movies.  The little kids went to see their first movie last week and had a blast.  We saw dolphin tale.  It was a cute movie.  This week is yogi bear.

Fostering.  No placement yet.  We were actually going to do a short term respite care thing for 10 days with a 14 yr old girl.  She has some delays, and is more like the mentality of a 9 yr old.  Should be an interesting experience, but from what they told me about her from her file, she seems like a fairly easy to get along with kid.  And since we've never parented a 14 yr old before, and I'm surrounded by younger kids all the time, I think her delays really won't be that big of a deal for me.  It's from July 2-12th.  I was also told that there are a few pregnant mom's who have had their previous children removed from the homes.  In most cases, when the child has been removed and rights taken away and child adopted, they do not get another chance with new babies.  So, in a few months there might be a few babies added to the system, and we might get a call with a short notice to go to the hospital for a pick up.  Kind of scary, but also kinda really cool.  Secretly, I'm hoping to get a baby call.  I'm so mixed.  Most cases like that, they are adoptable within 6 months....

Another new thing that has happened was we had to get a new car.  We now have a GMC Acadia.  Love it.  So much easier to haul around all the kids, and more room than our explorer had.  And, safety features out the butt so my insurance actually dropped. 

Well, that's most of it in a nutshell.  I have some cool pics to post when I have more time.  For now, I think I'm going to go to bed early and enjoy a nice cool sleeping night.  It's been way too hot lately and tonight we have decent temps.  Great sleeping with the window's open kind of night.