Monday, May 19, 2014

Month seven!

Sweet S,
Its been seven months since you came to live with Bubbie and me! We can't believe you're already 14 months old...twice as old as when we met you!

We're still enjoying being outside with you. Eating in the yard is getting to be a regular thing.



You LOVE to dance. Your favorite music seems to be light rock...but usually any music will do. Yesterday we went to a concert in the park and you danced along with the band and even found sticks to wave like the band conductor waved.

You say "Bubbie" regularly and clearly but haven't yet mastered "Meggie." Your favorite name - and probably favorite person right now - is my dad. You call him "STEEEVVVVEEEE" and you love to see him. Every time I've buckled you in the car seat for the last week you've said "STEVE" like you're asking to see him. We do go see him often - so that's lucky for you!

You love to swing with him at his house! (Yes, the swing is hanging in the carport!)



You also say "keeeys" and "shoes."

One of the funniest things you do is make a clicking sound with your mouth when you see a dog. We're not quite sure where this comes from but it is pretty funny!

When you hear a phone ring you hold your hand up to your ear like you're answering and if you do get your hands on a phone (or remote) you hold it up and pretend to talk.

We got to celebrate Easter with you this year. We dyed eggs in shaving cream!



You had a pretty purple dress you wore to church and then a different dress with bunnies on it you wore at my parents house for our Easter meal. You also had a bunny outfit Bubbie's parents bought you. You're one well dressed kiddo. In this picture you're holding eggs we dyed together with Aunt Missy on Saturday.



Here you are with your Easter pjs and Easter "babies" as you call all stuffed animals.

And the Easter Bunny came to see you!


You found some eggs in the backyard and Steve and Aunt Beck had a photo shoot!



Not long after Easter I had to go out of town for a whole week! Bubbie (and a small army of helpers) took good care of you while I was gone. It was the first time I'd been out of town for longer than one night without you since I met you. It was hard! You got to take a bath at Steve and MaeMae's house while I was gone!



Right after that trip we went on a trip with the teenagers Bubbie and I work with in a leadership program. We went to Alabama to learn about Civil Rights. We saw some pretty cool things and met some cool people. We got to spend some time with Susan and Stacey while we were there and that good times. You loved chasing their dogs.



We also celebrated Mother's Day this month. This is the first Mother's Day I've been a mother! I am thankful for you and the other three kiddos I've gotten to care for since this foster adventure started. I am especially thankful you were with me on that day. We did think about your birth mom some and hope she had a good day. After lunch with my family at Grandmama's house we got to go swimming. The water was a little cool...but we had fun anyway! I can't wait to swim some more with you this summer!


This month we also got to go to Atlanta and see and spend some time with Aunt Audrey and Sig. You enjoyed getting to play with them and their dog Spud. Bubbie and I really appreciated this time with them!

We found out we have a special meeting on July 2 with people who will learn all about your situation and make a recommendation to a judge about what will happen. We are already thinking and praying about what will happen after that day.



We love you, Sweet Girl and are enjoying taking care of you. You bring us joy - and not just me and Bubbie - so many others! You are a gift! You are loved.

Love,
Meggie




Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day was a strange one and even as I write about it I'm not totally sure what to say.

It was the first Mother's Day I've been mothering.

But it almost still seems too good to be true sometimes.

Sure, I am caring for and loving and teaching and nose-wiping Sweet S right now and have "mothered" 3 other kiddos in the last nine months but the reality of being a temporary mother makes celebrating harder I think.

I got several messages on Mother's Day affirming my motherhood and celebrating my First Mother's Day but still most of the time I feel like I am faking it. Or faking it isn't the right word...but I'm not sure what the right word is.

Anyone else?