Children Du Jour: Seven Years

Friday, October 10, 2014

Seven Years

Seven years
29 kids
19 ultimately reunified
4 in relative placements
1 moved to be with a sibling
1 adopted by another family
3 stuck with me for good
and
1 still in the works.

I am forever grateful for each of these children, no matter how long they stayed. I am also grateful for my inability to consistently say 'no'. Seven years ago, my guideline was 2 kids, aged 4 to 8. Had I stuck with that, the current crew would not be here today.

Saying "yes" has changed my life.

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From the Mouths of Babes

"How 'bout we just got to Old McDonald's tonight so you don't have to cook, Mommy?" --Chickadee, October 8, 2015
"I wanna talk about Jesus Christ." --Speed at the dinner table, Nov. 18, 2014
"I wonder, when I die, who's gonna tie me up to the cross?" --D, February 17, 2013
"When the music (in the car) is loud and the birds are flying outside, it looks nice out, doesn't it?" --D, January 27, 2013
"My kiss was a bird on your cheek." --Little D, November 9, 2012, after a particularly squeaky bedtime kiss
"You can still be my bestest mommy ever, even when I don't live with you." --Big Sister, March 31, 2012
"Mom! I was, like, FREAKIN OUT!" --Big Sister, February 24, 2012
"Why us got two heads, Mama? A forehead and a big head..." --Big Sister, February 20, 2012
"Aw Man!" --Tiny, who kicked and spilled the catfood, January 15, 2012, second 2 word utterance (1st one = the usual "no mama!")
"Don't I look BEAUTIMOUS in this?" --Big Sister, January 6, 2012
"Why us can't see us own heads, Mamma?" --Big Sister, November 23, 2011
"Mama, I like you. I love you inside my heart." --Big Sis, October 23, 2011
"I had fun with you today, mama." --GG, August 12, 2011
"Why someone left their eyebrow hanging there?" --Glamour Girl, pointing to someone's forgotten bra in the Sea World bathroom stall, August 7, 2011
"Mama? Will you please call me 'mija'?" --Big Sister, July 1, 2011
"I wiped my pajama." --Glamour Girl, June 2, 2011, not exactly getting the word right....
"No, Mommy." --Little Sister's first two word utterance, May 14, 2011
"Brussel sprouts is not my favorite, Mom." --Big Sister, April 19, 2011
"Baby boobies is kinda like breasts." --Big Sister, March 23, 2011, while watching me dress Little Sister
"Wow, Mom! Look at all those boobie holders!" --Big Sister, March 5, 2011 while walking through a department store
"Mama? I love you like a flower!" --Big Sister, March 4, 2011
"Mira, (Little Guy)! Que bonita Mommy!" --Night Owl, July 21, 2010
"I'm not naked. I am wearing a sock." --Curly, May 20, 2010
"You're a really good foster parent, Tammy." --Curly, March 10, 2010, randomly from the backseat of the car
"I love you, shower. You're good for snappin', you know?" --Curly, March 6, 2010, after figuring out that wet fingers snap louder
"We have so many presents, we're gonna need another tree!" --Curly, Dec. 24, 2009
"Mashed tatoes my best friend." --Ladybug, November 15, 2009
"Pooooor Tammy! You only have ONE KID!" --Bug, when Beignet was at a sleepover, October 18, 2009
"Does XXX (on that adult video store) mean Kiss, Kiss, Kiss?" --Baby B, driving home from Temple, August 15, 2009
"I will tell my friends that lava in a volcano is much hotter than soup so that they don't stick their hands in one." --Beignet, July20, 2009
"Look! Winnie the POOP!!" --Ladybug, June 24, 2009
"Yumolicious!" --Ladybug, May 16, 2009
"You know we have room for another sister back here in the middle, don't you?" --Baby B from the backseat of the car, April 19, 2009
"Must've been the hokey pokey." in response to my query of "What was THAT all about?"--Baby Beignet, March 26, 2009
"I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to my undies."--Baby Beignet, February 14, 2009
"God is Grace, God is good." --Baby Beignet, January 30, 2009
"I so happy, I purr like a cat!" --Little Bit, November 11, 2008
"AHHHH! This is the life!" --Little Bit in the bathtub, November 1, 2008
"I don't DO mixed vegetables because the corn tastes like carrots and the carrots taste like peas and the peas taste like lima beans." --Sass, October 2008
"How could I live here SO long and you've never fed me CELERY??" --Miss Sassafras 9/2/2008
"How come when Jesus was nailed to the cross, He died, but I didn't die when I stepped on a nail?" --Miss Sassafras, August 2008
"Have you ever seen the show Extreme Homemakeover? I think you need to write in." --Miss Sassafras, 7/26/2008
"I like C.C. now. I kiss him on the lips." --the shorter gentleman, July 2008

The Zoo

December 9, 2016-....: Junebug
July 2, 2015-March 18, 2016-Eagle
June 20, 2014-January 16, 2015 : Junebug
May 9, 2013-August 7, 2013 and again on August 23, 2013-FOREVER:: Speed, Sunshine, and Chickadee
September 7, 2012-March 29, 2013: Little D and Peanut
September 5, 2012-February 15, 2013: Buddy
April 1, 2011-March 30, 2012: Glamour Girl and Tiny Man
December 10, 2010-March 3, 2012: Big Sister and Little Sister
June 29-November 5, 2010: Night Owl and Itty Bitty
May 15-November 3, 2010: Little Guy
January 22, 2010-February 18, 2010: The Little Howler Monkey
December 11, 2009-May 28, 2010: Curly and Sister
March 30, 2009-November 25, 2009...Little Ladybug
January 30, 2009-December 17, 2009...Baby Beignet
October 10, 2008-November 25, 2008: Little Bit
July 25, 2008-November 22, 2008: Miss Sassafras
July 17, 2008-July 25, 2008: The Gentlemen
June 25, 2008-July 9, 2008: The Town Crier
May 15, 2008-June 10, 2008: The Princess
May 15, 2008-June 23, 2008: The 3rd brother
Dec 13, 2007-March 21, 2008: Two Blond Brothers
November 1-5, 2007: Shorty but Cutie