Cathy in IL
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Posts posted by Cathy in IL
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I am so happy for you!! That is wonderful news!
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I hesitated answering - but you said you wanted to hear both the good and the bad.
I have been a foster mom for ten years. I have had wonderful experiences and heartbreaking ones. The biggest blessings of those ten years are my three children whom I adopted from foster care.
Here are some of the ugly parts of foster care. You will be told in training that you are a valued member of the team. In reality, many caseworkers and DCFS will want you to shut your mouth and close your eyes when poor decisions are made for a child. Foster parents are excluded from meetings when their opinion should be considered. You may see therapies and other things a child in your care needs and find you have to fight to get those needs met. When you advocate for a child or disagree with a bad decision, you will be labeled a troublemaker. Threats and retaliation are real. I am living this nighmare now, have experienced it before, and have seen many of my friends go through the very same thing. It is a terribly broken system.
Finding a good agency to work with does help, but the overall system is so messed up that it is difficult to help the children who are caught up in it.
Have you ever heard of Safe Families for Children? It is a new movement of people in many parts of the country who are opening their homes to children in crisis with no state involvement. If adoption is your ultimate goal, Safe Families is not the way to go. But if you want to care for kids who are likely to go back to their families, I would look into Safe Families.
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I used to be. I grew up on the stage but haven't performed since playing Grace in Annie about 11 years ago. Dinner Theater was very popular in my area when I was a child and teen. I enjoyed it and earned enough to pay for my first year of college. My children have expressed a little interest, but they are more interested in other things right now.
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We just went to Disney on my son's Make-A-Wish trip. It was an incredible time! Tthe Unofficial Guide is definitely a good thing to read. We had front of the line priveleges with Make-A-Wish, so I don't know lots about the touring plans in it, but the rest of the information was so helpful.
If you are going to do breakfast at the parks, get early ADRs and you can enter the park before it is open. We did this our first day at Magic Kingdom so we could see Main Street and get pictures in front of the castle with no crowds.
My children are 6, 8, and 11. My only boy is the youngest. We spent two days at Magic Kingdom, one at Disney Hollywood, half a day at Animal Kingdom, a day at Universal, and a day at Seaworld.
If your children enjoy meeting character, consider character meals. That way you know you will see the characters and not have to stand in line for them. We did breakfast at the Crystal Palace with Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore. It was a great way to start our trip. The kids all enjoyed the parade with the characters around the restaraunt. The food is a buffet of good enough quality with plenty of variety. We had lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table with all the princesses. This was lots of fun! It was so pretty in the castle, and my 8 year old dd's face was filled with joy. My son got a sword and the girls got wands. They all took home wishing stars. The food was good, and the servings were large. Their sorbet was a great dessert. We also did breakfast at Ohana with Lilo and Stitch. Pluto and Mickey are there too. They serve breakfast family style there, bringing platters of food to your table. They refill anything you ask for. The juice they served was excellent. They service was fast and efficient. From there we caught a ferry to the Magic Kingdom.
We also dined at the Sci-Fi Drive In theater. The food was nothing spectacular, but it satisfied everyone. The environment was a lot of fun! They gave the kids a license. We got special drinks with clip-on light up Tinkerbelles and Cars.
At Disney Hollywood, my kids played and played at the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids set. They busted up laughing in the Muppets in 4-D. The Star Wars attraction was a hit we had to do twice. My son got to participate in the Jedi Training Academy. They hold this a few times a day next to the Star Wars attraction. Since it was his Wish trip, they just took my son's name and told us to show up for the training. They said people start to line up for it about an hour before the training because there is a limited number of spots.
The Toy Story Ride was fantastic. I think we could have spent a lot more time here, but there was a party at Give Kids the World where Make-A-Wish families stay that we didn't want to miss.
There was too much to describe at Magic Kingdom. We did nearly every attraction, some of them two or three times! We particularly enjoyed the Buzz Lightyear ride, all of Fantasyland, and meeting their favorite characters.
Animal Kingdom was one we didn't do much of because my son got too tired. We did see the LIon King show and the parade. We went on the safari.
An easy way to get fun pictures is to buy a photopass CD. There are photographers at all the Disney Parks who will take your pictures. Ask them what special effects they can do. Some can add Tinkerbell, Simba, or balloons in the picture. If you buy the CD you get all the pictures to do as you please with.
I can tell you the highlights from Universal and Seaworld too is you are interested.
I think some planning will make your trip a lot less stressful and you will see what you want to see.
You are so lucky to be going! I would go back in a moment if finances allowed it. Such fond memories!
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No advice. I'm just glad you posted because I have been wondering about and praying for you.
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I don't know the answer to your guestion, but I would try posting it on the DISboards. I think there is still a homeschool thread on the family board.
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I know first-hand how your entire body feels it when you cry hard enough and hurt long enough. I really wish I could share details because what is happening is so unjust and wrong and should be in the light, but can't be right now. I fear that if I share too much, it will only get worse.
I have no voice. Not one that anyone will listen to. Decisions are being made for a child I love by people who don't really know her at all. The very procedures the state has in place to protect children like her are being disregarded. I don't know who to trust.
Today I have cried so hard, and then I had to shove all the feelings inside to direct 40 three and four year olds in Awana Cubbies tonight. My head aches. My back hurts. I am exhausted but unable to sleep. I can't eat.
I wish I could tell you all the details. Just be praying that the right thing happens this week. Hold your children close tonight.
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Have any of you had children participate in the MUN? We have an opportunity to start a homeschool group that will be led by someone with lots of experience in the MUN. I am quite curious about it. Has anyone in the hive had experience with it?
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I am still on hold, waiting to see if we are granted the wiver we need to bring my goddaughter home. It's been a month now.
Just got a call today about my dd's cousins who need a place to go. There are three of them. I would do it if I knew what was happening with this waiver.
I know the need is great, but I am so discouraged with the system right now.
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My son was in the PICU last year on Christmas Day with RSV. I will pray for Ruby and her family. The PICU is such a sad place to be.
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An alternative to adding the veggies back to the brockpot is tossing them in the broiler for a short time. This browns them nicely, but it does add another dish to wash.
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I once stumbled upon an excellent forum that would be a great help for you. I can't recall the exact name but it was Budgie something, I think.
The mother bird will feed her young from the seeds you supply. A nightlight is helpful so she can fiind her way back and forth from the food to the babies late at night. The babies grow so fast that they eat day and night for the first week. They need lots of fresh water too.
Hand-feeding the babies is very time consuming because they need to eat a lot. They are probably better off being raised by their mother.
Have fun with them! We have wanted a baby parakeet for a year or so.
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We had a Wii tournament - Mario Cart, Toy Story Mania, and Smarty Pants. I explained our theme for the year - prayer - and introduced our family song for the year. We then had a Praise Fest with Rob Biagi music and prayer after every song or two. We decorated the letters in the word PUSH - pray until something happens - to put on the wall. Then we put out their favorite snacks, toasted in the 9pm hour with sparkling grape juice, and talked about our favorite memories of the year. We ended the night with some more praise songs and counted down to the New Year along with Paraguay because we have friends who are missionaries there.
The kids are all in bed now, and I am relaxing so I can get some sleep.
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I am homeschooling three children - K, 2nd grade, and 5th grade. I don't have pictures, so I will describe our system the best I can.
We have four plastic carts with drawers. One cart is for group lessons. Each child has their own cart of drawers. The drawers are numbered 1-6. The drawers for individual students have 2 velcro circles on them. One is used to attach a time card if the activity is timed. The other is used to attach a picture of me if the activity is to be completed with mom. Each night I put the following day's assignments in the appropriate drawers. On top of the carts their is a plastic pin with a snap lid to turn in completed work. Reminders to put names and dates on papers and double-check answers are written on the box cover. They each have a timer, small box to store assignment cards, and an assignment book on top of their cart.
The assignment book is made of three folders laminated, hole-punched, and connected with yarn (soon to be replaced with metal rings). Each day has a two page spread with velcro dots. Each weekend I attach the assignment cards for the week in the order they are to be completed. On the back of the assignment books I have cards for help, bathroom breaks, water, and snack. They are replaced daily and can be used at the child's discretion.
My books are all organized according to subject on floor to ceiling bookshelves. Art shelves hold all the creative supplies in labeled bins. Math manipulatives are on shelves and in a roling cart with larger drawers.
We also have daily schedules and routines on the wall in the kitchen. The schedule starts with the morning routine and goes through to the bedtime routine. A color coded chart lists each child's responsibilities for each routine.
HTH!!
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DCFS is asking for more paperwork. It is taking a long time, but they are still moving towards bringing her home. We will visit her everyday this week and bring her home on a pass for the holiday weekend. Hopefully by next week all this drama will be over.
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Gaby is beginning to respond to the antibiotics. It looks like they caught this early enough.
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Any news? My friend was over with her baby today. Her baby is named Eliana which means "God answers." I thought of you and this baby girl. Eliana Sarah could be a cute, fitting name.
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Please pray for my friend's son. He just had brain surgery and is recovering in the hospital. Now he was diagnosed with a serious infection. I am posting his mother's words below -
This message carries an urgent need for prayers!!!
The rash,turns out is an acute streptococcus A bacterial infection of the dermis (deeper layers of the skin). If treated on time (which I think we did, thanks to me being so pushy) can be resolved in a few days without complications. However, if it reaches the blood stream it can damage the heart.
The scare is that this infection started at the sight where he had his art line (the IV that goes in the artery inside the wrist). The Infectious Diseases doc fears Gaby's artery could be damaged because of the way the rash has spread (it is following the artery down his hand). Gaby has been having an unusually hight blood pressure and heart rate and we didn't know why. Now we get to wonder.
He will be having an ecocardiogram as well as a doppler sometime today to monitor the heart and the artery. They said that a negative result doesn't mean damage will not happen but that it hasn't happened yet. There will be a need for Gaby to be monitored for a few days due to this minor inconvenience. He has been placed in a cocktail of IV antibiotics to fight this specific group.
That's not all, his shunt sits peacefully in his heart, if this infection were to reach the blood stream, the shunt and the csf would get infected too. Meaning...shunt and stent (the one we just relaced) would have to come out. BAD CONSEQUENCES!!!
The good thing is that the worst case scenario hasn't happened yet, that we did started the antibiotics on time and that prayers are more powerful than any antibiotic out there.
I ask that you please, please, please put your prayers in over drive for the Gabster one more time. Pray that the infections stops spreading, that it does not reach the blood stream and that there is no damage to his heart nor artery.
Headache wise he is great, the steroids yesterday did the trick and he is doing really good.
We met in the hospital years ago. Gaby has been through more than you could imagine in the past couple years. Please be praying.
Cathy
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I'll be praying for your phone to ring with good news as I pray for mine to ring with news about our baby girl. The waiting is so very difficult.
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At the ER last night with my son, there was a child named Malaria.
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Wow! How kind of him to hang around and wait for you. I am glad your gifts got to everyone in time. Your stress must have been high by the time you got them!
I think our Christmas miracle was having everyone together for Christmas including my goddaughter home on a pass from the group home.
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You would take turns with Wii Fit Plus because most of the activities use the balance board. We all enjoy the Wii Fit Plus, but I don't think it gives much of a workout at all. I would love to find one that really makes you work!
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It depends. Normally they seem to flag these births. I have seen plenty of babies not get flagged though because of the mom lying or the hospital staff just not following through. My dd's biomom told the hospital she had 8 other children. What she did not tell them was they had all been taken from her and one had died from neglect. The hospital staff never asked and didn't know her history because she left the state to deliver my dd.
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This is one of the many, many pictures from Deyki's Make-A-Wish trip. We had the most amazing time and have many family pics to choose from for Christmas.
Do you think adoptions out of Haiti will be
in General Education Discussion Board
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I think it is a great idea, but unlikely to happen. Nothing with adoption seems to ever be expedited. I think there would be too much concern about possible corruption in adoption to expedite anything in a situation like this.