tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19901382170431950112024-03-18T23:52:43.027-05:00Reaching Beyond Our BordersOur family's journey of reaching beyond ourselves in everyday life, adoption, homeschool, and ministry...Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-75660462484593160212014-11-14T13:24:00.000-06:002014-11-14T13:24:24.979-06:00Finalized! Finally posting here that we finalized our adoption of our 3 kids on September 12, 2014!<br />
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The day was great and we were thankful to have some important people to us there to witness it. <br />
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We've seen some more peace in Joshua's spirit since that day, now that he knows it is permanent. Gabriel doesn't fully understand what this means and time will eventually show him that he is here to stay. <br />
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We are all still adjusting and blending into a family and the boys basically fight like normal siblings do, which is a good and bad thing!<br />
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Isabelle turned 1 yr old in August and she is a walking, talking, feisty little thing! :)<br />
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<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-19278347827758573572014-06-23T09:54:00.002-05:002014-06-23T09:54:13.383-05:00Overdue updateHaven't blogged about our adoption because, well, we are right in the thick of it and there isn't time!<br />
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G (6) moved in May 9<br />
Baby I moved in a week later<br />
J (9) moved in June 7<br />
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Things have been a little insane around here. It is a painful process becoming a family but it will be worth it I know.<br />
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Baby is teething and hitting separation anxiety stage along with the insecurity of being moved from foster family. So there's that. She is currently crawling after me screaming her head off as if I abondoned her, simply because I walked 10 ft to the kitchen to grab her bottle. <br />
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Then there are 3 boys sharing a room....YIKES! There is much talk of bodily functions day and night, giggling, wrestling, arguing, pushing limits and seeing what they can get away with. <br />
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The biggest obstacle has been getting meals made since baby screams no matter what I do unless I hold her. It's gotten a little easier with a Lillebaby carrier that someone gave me, but hasn't totally solved that issue. <br />
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Please keep praying for us and if you are local and want to bring a meal, we'd appreciate it. Grocery gift cards are another welcomed commodity since these boys can EAT! :)<br />
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Other adoption friends have said it is about the 6 month mark when you finally feel like you can breathe again. Then each 6 months after that you seem to turn a corner. I'm looking forward to those days. ;)Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-84816226076336258112014-04-29T14:24:00.001-05:002014-04-29T14:24:15.413-05:00Moving Right AlongWe had another Wednesday visit last week and will discontinue those now that the weekends are being extended. We had both boys from Friday at lunch time until Sunday at 4 pm. Baby girl came from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon. <br />
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Everything went great and the kids are all really bonding with each other and us. G turned 6 last week so we had a birthday celebration for him on Sunday when Grandma Laura came over. <br />
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Each Monday after visits, I have been completely drained mentally and emotionally. This Monday however I felt almost "normal." I also really missed the kids instead of sighing with relief that we survived the weekend again. I wasn't ready to send them back home and also felt sad that we won't see them for the park visit on Wednesday. <br />
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G will be the first one to move in so he is having a longer visit this weekend. He is coming Thursday through Sunday and then will move in on May 9th! I have been working on getting things lined up for his school transfer and hoping to tour the new school the end of this week or next week. Just waiting on his IEP to be sent over. <br />
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There is no exact date for baby to move....hoping for sooner than later. J will move June 7th right after school ends because he needs that closure. Can't wait to have all my babies living here for good! I will finally feel so relieved! <br />
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We will celebrate J's 9th birthday this coming Sunday! Thankful we won't miss any more birthdays or special moments in their lives. Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-51301013264559954602014-04-15T13:16:00.000-05:002014-04-15T13:16:02.684-05:00Overnights! I got behind in blogging after each visit. Things have been busy but all is going well! Far better than we had expected at this point. <br />
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Last Wednesday we had our normal afternoon at the park visit and it was a lot of fun. Grandma came since Joseph had a busy week at work. We took oldest boy to his baseball game afterwards like we've been doing and enjoyed that extra time with him. It makes for a long day but is worth it to see the kids!<br />
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On Friday there was a big meeting to discuss several issues that had come up in the transition plan, not issues on our part or on the kids' part. That lasted over 2.5 hours and left me exhausted for the rest of the day. It will all be fine in the long run though. <br />
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On Saturday they brought middle boy G to us for his first overnight. We had a great day full of playdough, McDonald's, Walmart and the park. Joseph got home early enough to play with the boys for a while while I cooked dinner. It all went smoothly and allowed for Nehemiah and G to have some fun and bonding together. G fell asleep after a while and actually slept in the next morning! I told him we are "practicing to be a family" and that Joseph and I love him and want to be his mommy and daddy forever when he asked why he was spending the night. (On Sunday when it was time to take him back, G said, "I not go back to ----, I stay with you ever!") So sweet!<br />
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On Sunday, they brought oldest boy J to us and Grandma came over. We played a while then decided to do water balloons. That was fun and Grandma got soaked! We had lunch and went to the park. Time went way too fast and it was time to take them back already. J gave me some of the first unprompted hugs that day so it was really sweet. He mentioned his turn spending the night the following weekend so I know he is ready for that! We found out yesterday we actually get to keep him for 2 nights this coming weekend so I am very excited!<br />
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We didn't get to see baby I at all this weekend so that was sad. The boys kept asking about her! We will get an extended visit this Wednesday though so that will be fun. We just have to find things to do all day in the city we are meeting in. <br />
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Things are progressing and goodbyes are very hard now. Can't wait until they can all move in! I miss them all so much in between visits. Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-27167465041002230872014-04-08T15:08:00.001-05:002014-04-08T15:14:38.751-05:00My life is on hold...I've been trying to put words to how I've been feeling or how to explain where I am at in all of this adoption stuff. I feel like MY kids are missing. Our house feels a little too empty and a little too quiet in between visits. I feel energized and exhausted.<br />
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I guess the best description is that I feel like my life is on hold or paused during this transition process. We have visits with the kids twice a week this month. The day before is spent getting ready for the visit and prepping Nehemiah and spending extra quality time with him. The day of the visits I don't get much done since I just want to get to the visit. The day after a visit is spent emotionally recovering from the excitement and huge amount of energy spent and also A LOT of special time with Nehemiah. So, yeah, that's about 6 days of the week right there. <br />
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I'm not complaining but I just felt like I needed to share that for anyone heading into this process or wanting to better understand what's going on with us. <br />
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I am somewhat of a planner and like to know what I will be doing in the summer or fall but at this point we don't know what behaviors will surface once they've moved in and what we will be able to be involved in. I usually buy next year's homeschool curriculum now but I really don't know what the kids actually have a true grasp on educationally. There are so many unknowns right now. That is part of the journey and part of what makes this process exciting and very scary all at the same time. <br />
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This feels surreal to already <i>feel</i> like they are MY kids but then realize that we only found out about them in February. Everything seems to be happening very fast, yet at a snail's pace. I know that probably doesn't make much sense unless you've been in this or a similar situation. I'm ready to just get on with it, but also know I'm not ready to handle all 4 at once by myself. I'm living in a land of conflicting feelings: ready for them to be living here, but grieving the ease of life with just one child and the peace and quiet. Don't misunderstand me; I am in no way saying we are doubting this is God's plan and the right direction for our family, just trying to explain some of the other feelings besides all of the excitement I usually share.<br />
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Adoption is hard and messy and redmeptive and beautiful. Feeling honored and blessed to be a part of it.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-91093543093253363752014-04-07T14:35:00.000-05:002014-04-07T14:35:02.091-05:00An Awesome WeekendFriday afternoon we got to pick up baby girl for the weekend. I noticed right away her runny nose and excessive drool. Yep, time for teething already! She was a little fussier this weekend and clingy but I just used it as more time to cuddle! Thankfully, she loves being in the Moby wrap as much as I love wearing it! It really is comfortable and feels so snug. My back has been sore a little bit each day but not much at all which is great considering I am wearing her for 2+ hours each day usually. <br />
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On Saturday I ventured out to Walmart with Nehemiah and baby in the Moby. She did great and barely made a peep the whole time in the store. I figured I better start breaking myself in with going places with multiple children. <br />
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Both nights she slept great. I used my essential oil diffuser in her room with peppermint and thieves in it (I was pretty sure it was just teething but just in case, I wanted to kill those germs!). I also used peace and calming on her after bath time. For myself and Nehemiah throughout the weekend I used Joy and Valor a good bit. I am seeing so much good from using our oils regularly. Much more calm, less anxiety and better mood stability. On Sunday, when I was taking the kids back, baby was crying and wanted to be held, which of course I couldn't do in the car for an hour drive. Her crying was making me anxious and driving the boys crazy. I pulled out Stress Away oil and rubbed it on my wrists and held it in front of A/C vents. It was a pretty instantaneous calming for all and baby went to sleep. So thankful for our essential oils! (Side note: let me know if you want to order some since I am a distributor for Young Living).<br />
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Sunday my mom came over to help for the day. The boys arrived around 11 am. Time went by so fast! I started out by going over some house rules which I neglected to do last week. They were calmer anyways since it wasn't the first time over. They played with toys some and then the Wii and iPad. Everyone took turns well and shared thanks to my trusty kitchen timer! This also allowed me some one-on-one time with the boys while others had turns. One of our boys is developmentally delayed and I wanted to feel out what he knows already and where he is at educationally so we played with the dry erase board for a few minutes. Things I had read in the files that he didn't know when those reports were typed, he now knew! I was so excited! He is showing such great improvement and so much potential when in the right environment and therapies. There is no telling how far he can go. <br />
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My mom cooked lunch for us, otherwise we would have starved I guess! Baby wouldn't let me put her down much and the boys were begging for attention left and right. I know over time this will improve and I will find what works. For now I think I need to cook when they are sleeping and just heat up food when it is time to eat. Any other ideas for food preparation with multiple children? So far the boys haven't been great eaters, so I need to find out their favorites. <br />
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After lunch, we went to the playground. Big kids had fun and baby took a nap in the stroller. When we couldn't stand the heat anymore, my mom treated us to ice cream cones at McDondalds. She is so brave. At first I wasn't sure about taking them all to a restaurant yet, albeit fast food, but then I decided I better practice while my mom is here to help! She said next week we should take them to Walmart and see how that goes. Probably a good idea, otherwise we WILL starve if I am afraid to grocery shop! Hahah!<br />
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Weekend went even better than last week! Feels so good to have them here. So thankful that they will move in one at a time though with a couple weeks between each one so that I can get each one settled and into the routine. Caseworkers meet again on the 14th to decide on some dates for the next part of the transition plan so I am excited about that!<br />
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We've gotten some donations and gift cards in the mail and it makes me cry each time because I am so thankful for how willing you all are to help us. God always provides and uses friends, family and even strangers to bless us! Thank you! Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-81465553982677497252014-04-03T08:38:00.000-05:002014-04-03T08:38:17.036-05:00He Sets the Lonely in FamiliesWe don't think the boys have been in church much, if at all. This brings with it sadness that they don't yet know of God's great love and also an opportunity for us to show them in our everyday life and actions. Psalm 68 was on my heart this morning and as I was reading I was reminded that God is a "Father to the fatherless," that "He sets the lonely in families," and "Our God is a God who saves." Our prayer is that they would learn to love and trust us and in turn love and trust Christ with their lives. Pray with us about this!<br />
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Our visit yesterday at the park went well. Baby girl definitely recognized us this time and was so happy and relaxed with us. The boys were excited to see us and had a good time. Each of the boys had a few run-ins with each other but with some space calmed down quickly. We are starting to see some testing of boundaries, which is completely normal and expected. <br />
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There was a little boy at the playground that was hitting all of the kids and calling names and didn't appear to have a grown up watching him. Our boys did fairly well refraining from hitting back. We had a great opportunity to talk with them about what to do in those situations and that it is always best to make good choices even when other people around us are not. <br />
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When it was time to go, we literally had to coax middle boy out from under the playground equipment because he was refusing to leave and get in transport workers' car. I ended up carrying him all the way to the car and buckling him in. It is hard for all of us to say bye at the end of our visits and I think it is even harder for him since he is only 5 and doesn't quite understand what is really going on or what adoption is. Since oldest boy is kind of on our way home, we took him to his baseball game and stayed to watch. He really likes that we are able to watch him play. Side note: little league parents are CRAZY! Yikes!<br />
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Yesterday morning, Nehemiah met with the counselor for the first time and it went great. He actually talked about how he was feeling during all of this and he connected with her. She had some good suggestions for bonding with baby and helping her to know who we are. She also had ideas for helping the boys get along. :)<br />
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I'm still waiting to hear about how this weekend will look for visits but I should have baby overnight again and boys should be coming again on Sunday. They are trying to work out transportation still.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-33405729864154405892014-03-31T10:00:00.000-05:002014-03-31T10:00:57.527-05:00First visit at our HouseSaturday morning began baby's first overnight with us. She did fabulous! She was a little nervous when we first arrived at our house, looking around in each room trying to figure out where she was. We took it easy the rest of the day and just had lots of snuggles, playtime and I wore her in the Moby wrap a good bit. She relaxed considerably after a hour or so. We got lots of real smiles out of her! She slept great during the night, although I didn't because I kept worrying about her waking up. Haha! She absolutely loved watching all her brothers play and she squeeled and kicked her legs in excitement a lot. She is such a happy and good baby so we really had no problems. <br />
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On Sunday, my mom came over to help me since the boys were getting dropped off for their first day visit at our house. We knew it was going to be crazy especially for Nehemiah who isn't used to sharing his stuff. We put my iPad and Nehemiah's special blanket on my bed and had prepared him to go in there to calm down as needed. He was sent in there 2 times, I think. He had also gone though his toys and picked out a few that he just wasn't ready to share yet and we put those up in my closet for the day. All of the boys were so excited to be together, it was cute but a little insane at times. :) After some playtime and lunch, we headed to our local park to run off some energy. Next we headed back to our house, for a little more playtime. I fed baby and gathered all of her stuff up from the weekend. Then it was time to drive the kids back. Thankfully, my mom volunteered to stay with Nehemiah so he didn't have to make the 3 hour roundtrip car ride. <br />
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There were some tears and tempers flared but overall it was successful. We have to start somewhere with them getting used to each other in our home. It will definitely be helpful to get some tips from the counselor tomorrow. <br />
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On the car ride taking the kids back, we had some good conversations. Oldest boy and I talked a little about how it was going to be a hard adjustment at first for everyone but that we'd work through it together. We talked about how the grown ups will handle the issues and that he didn't have to try and correct the other kids. We talked about how it will be to share a bedroom because he has his own room at his foster home. He said he wants the top bunk. :) I encouraged him to finish the school year strong and to do his best. I gave him huge hugs when I dropped him off and told him I love him already and couldn't wait to see him again. <br />
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Then I took the younger two further down the road and had some sweet conversation with middle boy. Until now he's been kind of oblivious to what is going on and I know he still doesn't understand fully, but I did tell him that one day all of us were going to live at my house. He said, "We are?!?" with a huge grin on his face. He loves Joseph and calls him "Jo-fish." So cute! I talked with him about getting smiley faces from school for good behavior. He talked about being a Rescue Hero and I used that opportunity to tell him that rescue heroes need to listen carefully and follow directions. I got super big hugs before I left. I dropped them off at a Wendy's with the other foster mom and I was crying before I even made it out the door. This is so hard. Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-733471419261154042014-03-27T10:24:00.001-05:002014-03-27T10:25:41.808-05:00Grandma Laura meets the Kids!Yesterday we had another fun park day with all the kids and Grandma Laura got to come and meet them. She, of course, fell in love with them right away and not far into the visit they were calling her Grandma already! <br />
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The boys love all the attention and are happy and fun kids. I can tell we will be spending a lot of time outdoors and at parks! If only we could bottle up all their energy! With middle boy, I got to be Dora and Joseph was Boots the monkey and he was Diego most of the time. We played baseball and tag together too.<br />
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Gots lots of smiles and cuddles from baby girl yesterday and tried the Moby wrap for the first time. It worked great and felt so snug and safe. She liked the Robin hip hold that I learned from a YouTube Moby tutorial. I put baby down on a big blanket and she was scooting forward in an army crawl position! I couldn't believe it! As a mom you don't want your baby to grow up too fast, but you REALLY don't when they aren't even living with you yet! <br />
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It just about broke my heart loading two of them into the transport worker's car when it was time to go. I know it will just get harder as we attach more and more. Baby girl was buckled in car seat crying and reaching her tiny hands up to me. <br />
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When the visit was over we took oldest boy in our car to his baseball field and stayed to watch his game. He got two great hits and he loved the fact that we were all there to watch him. :)<br />
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During the day we were able to have conversations with oldest boy about homeschool, chores and the kids coming to visit our house on the weekend. He was excited and says he likes chores. We have been told all along he really likes to help so that will be great! He was also excited about the fact that school can be over by lunch time if he works hard and has a good attitude. <br />
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Absolutely love their hugs! Oldest boy gave us each about a dozen hugs when it was time to go. It is so cute to see an almost 9 year old boy completely jump up into Joseph's arms for hugs. He is very affectionate!<br />
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A counselor that has been working with the kids is coming to our house this week to talk through any concerns I have so far and to start working with Nehemiah through his feelings about it all. I am so thankful that this service is available to us. It will help us in huge ways. Adopting from the state has so many benefits. <br />
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We will be having a virtual baby shower thrown for us soon so keep an eye out for that via Facebook. In the meantime, you can help by checking out my blog post titled, "How YOU can be involved with our adoption". I have started working on a Walmart wish list for a "special occasion" also. We appreciate so much the gifts we've already received. Things are moving quickly and it all really helps.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-91481365070146304312014-03-23T18:44:00.000-05:002014-03-23T18:45:05.023-05:00Saturday fun!On Saturday, Nehemiah and I were gone for 12 hours! We were exhausted by the end of the day but we had a great time. <br />
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We started the day with going to see oldest boy's baseball game. He was excited we were there and so were we! The boys talked and played around as often as they could. I even heard them telling one of the coaches that they were going to be brothers! Too cute! We had printed out some pictures from our visits to give to him. And he really liked them!<br />
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After that we grabbed some lunch and trekked across the city to visit the foster parents of Baby girl. It was great to meet them and get a feel for how she has been raised so far. They are sweet, God-loving and homeschooling family! Then we took baby to a nearby park and splash pad. Nehemiah ran and played and I got to have 2 hours of playtime with my sweet girl. :) She fell right to sleep in the car ride back to her house. It was a long 1 hour and 40 minute drive back to our home through traffic. Very long day but worth it!<br />
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Tomorrow we are getting their rooms set up so when they come to our house for the first time they can see they have a place here with us. Things are coming right along and falling into place!<br />
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So excited!!!<br />
<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-20281975568038481572014-03-19T21:50:00.000-05:002014-03-19T23:26:15.832-05:00Second VisitToday was the best anniversary ever! We got to spend over 2.5 hours with all of our kiddos!<br />
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We met at a nearby park and had so much fun. The boys all seemed to get along and play together well. <br />
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Baby girl fussed a little at the beginning but was happy once she had a rattle to hold and was in the sling. <br />
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We kicked the soccer ball around, threw the football, played policeman, pushed them on the swings and watched them play on the playground equipment. Had chances to interact with each of them more than last time. They remembered us from last week and were excited to see us, it seemed. <br />
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The worker that knows the kids well and was supervising the visit kept saying how great she thought we would all be together. She said she could see how we all fit and were bonding already. She snapped a few pictures that I hope to get copies of later. <br />
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Middle boy (G) kept looking for Joseph all throughout the afternoon and really seemed to have bonded with him. It was so cute! He would say, "where'd he go?" And I'd ask "who? Brother? Nehemiah?" He'd say, "no, where Joseph go?" I'd point to where Joseph was and he'd be happy again. Later he got a ride on Joseph's shoulders and really liked that!<br />
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Oldest boy (J) let me know that he knew I'd been in contact with his foster mom through email and that she was telling him the nice things I was writing about him. He looked happy and proud. When we arrived he said "I knew it'd be you coming today!" :)<br />
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Looking forward to another visit on Saturday and so very glad we don't have to wait a full week to see them again. <br />
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Praying for their hearts as they start to realize the changes that will be happening in the coming months, especially for Oldest boy (J) since he is really the only one that understands right now, besides Nehemiah. Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-63657933719633768152014-03-17T16:30:00.001-05:002014-06-23T09:41:02.688-05:00How YOU can be Involved in Our Adoption<br />
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Many of you have asked how you can help us or what we need for the kids/our expanded family. Thank you, first of all, for praying for us and caring for us! Secondly, thank you for reaching out and asking! </div>
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We NEED your prayers. This is going to be a HUGE adjustment for everyone involved (us, Nehemiah and the kids...including the foster parents that are attached to these kids). </div>
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We NEED you to be positive and encouraging. We already know it will be hard and we know the horror stories and we know the possible issues that may arise. And we know we will have our hands full! We have said yes to adoption in obedience to God because He has placed a burden on our hearts for kids in foster care and a love for them. We are trusting God to help us each step of the way. We have resources and support in place to help with all of the needs. So please, just be encouraging. </div>
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We will NEED help with meals once the kids move in. We expect this to happen in May/June. We will know more specifically as our visits progress. In mid-April we will mostly likely start having them for the weekends.<br />
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To sign up for MealTrain use this link:<br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://www.mealtrain.com/?id=mmftjsv5euqt</span></div>
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If you feel led to contribute to material or financial needs, here are some possible ways to help:</div>
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<strike>1 backless booster for the car</strike></div>
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Diapers (size 3 or 4)/Good nights (size 4-8)<br />
Wipes<br />
Board books<br />
Board games<br />
Wii games/remotes<br />
Leap pad apps/games<br />
Baby gates (we need several)</div>
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Mini van (joking, unless of course you have one to give us!)</div>
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Deep freezer or a refrigerator/freezer</div>
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<strike>2 bikes (16 inch and 20 inch)</strike></div>
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<strike>2-3 Helmets</strike><br />
<strike>High chair</strike><br />
Sam's or Costco membership<br />
Legoland passes<br />
Baby toys (12 month+)</div>
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<strike>Clothes (baby girl 9-12 months; boys size S/6, M/8, L/10)</strike></div>
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<strike>Twin Bedding (3 boys comforters- Lego themed room most likely)</strike></div>
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<strike>One Twin Bed</strike></div>
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<strike>Fitted Crib sheets</strike></div>
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<strike>Shoes (boys: size 12 with Velcro, size 1, size 3)</strike></div>
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Homeschool materials (if you want to help with this, ask me what I'm looking for)<br />
Desktop computer to use for homeschool </div>
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Gift cards: </div>
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Grocery stores (Winn Dixie and Publix are nearby)</div>
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Gas</div>
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Walmart</div>
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Thank you to those who have already given us items we needed! Thanks so much for loving on us and our kids! </div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-55851610333181951032014-03-14T17:29:00.002-05:002014-03-14T17:29:39.792-05:00First VisitWednesday was our first visit with the 3 siblings we want to adopt. We had previously planned for a park day but the intermittent rain all day spoiled that plan. Backup plan was a local bowling alley.<br />
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The boys were all so excited and were a little wild! Everyone seemed to get along and fun was had by all! It was interesting juggling my attention between all of them while holding and keeping baby happy. My awesome sister in law is sending me a moby wrap so next time will be easier with some of my hands free to interact with the boys. Dividing my attention between them all will take some getting used to and practice but it went very well. Joseph was able to come but was extremely tired from work. He did get some baby snuggles and helped the boys bowl too. <br />
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We hated for it to end and are really looking forward to next week's visit and praying for good weather for the park! :)Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-14471117347824892592014-03-10T22:18:00.002-05:002014-03-10T22:18:58.827-05:00Matched! <br />
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On February 3rd our home study to adopt from foster care in Florida was completed! Woohoo! I was giddy and it all of a sudden felt so real. It was about to get even more real. </div>
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A few days later we were informed about a sibling group of 3 for adoption and given a brief bio on them. We both felt great about it and requested that our home study be submitted for further consideration. </div>
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We were contacted for a phone interview by the agency the following week.</div>
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On Friday February 14th we were called and told they chose us as a match for the kids! I was in tears and felt like I had gotten 3 positive pregnancy tests all at once! </div>
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The next Wednesday we went for a full disclosure meeting part 1. We listened for 2 hours straight all about the kids, their history and birth family. They sent us home with a 5 inch binder full of all their information and records (a little light reading...ha!). </div>
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Thursday February 27th we went for full disclosure part 2 to talk over any questions that came up in our "light" reading and hear from foster parents and others that work with the children. It all went well and any remaining concerns we had dissipated after discussing it all. We continued to pray about it and seek wise counsel. </div>
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On Monday March 3rd we told them YES we would like to proceed to visits! </div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-29680563919243315552013-10-07T07:56:00.000-05:002013-10-07T07:56:05.863-05:00Week 1: Be Prepared<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">How do we prepare for the holidays when we are trying to lose/maintain our weight?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsi-erpI_-NnGmlPJvWxNCJESwUp0w2DfXkl-59ntdSbHsUz-opg3mSBTuVQSCIiYaakX19W-K9bcj7GYQ5DaocScbPzR_q116XSaTdlq7i851JncOpz9bx0vDDVenPOm1dPQ3AVEvFZA/s1600/prepare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsi-erpI_-NnGmlPJvWxNCJESwUp0w2DfXkl-59ntdSbHsUz-opg3mSBTuVQSCIiYaakX19W-K9bcj7GYQ5DaocScbPzR_q116XSaTdlq7i851JncOpz9bx0vDDVenPOm1dPQ3AVEvFZA/s320/prepare.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Like the Scouts say, "Be prepared." I have only gotten this far in my weight loss journey because I have taken the extra step to prepare in advance. </div>
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When invited to a party where everyone brings something, bring a couple dishes or items that you know you can have and enjoy. Adjust your favorite recipes to be healthier versions that are still really yummy!</div>
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Eat beforehand if necessary. This gives you more time to focus on visiting and making memories.</div>
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Think ahead to all your favorite holiday treats. Which ones are deep tradition that you feel you just cannot live without? What is so important that the holiday just won't seem like that holiday without it? Which items/goodies are only just so-so? If you are going to splurge, use moderation and only splurge on items that are absolute favorites. Don't waste a splurge on items that are just so-so. No brainer really but think ahead to the gatherings in the next few months and decide ahead of time what you are willing to splurge on. In the past, anything covered in chocolate or containing chocolate was worth eating but now I am much more careful with my choices. I am still thinking of what I will splurge on but I do know I will have a small scoop of my mom's mashed potatoes and gravy and corn casserole at Thankgiving, and a couple peanut butter cookies with Hershey kisses in them at Christmas. Those are favorites that came to mind right away. I personally could skip the pies and such. I will have a small piece of my son's birthday cake (special home made ice cream cake by my Mom). What is on your must-have list???</div>
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Use "cheat and eat" products from Omnitrition. They can be ordered <a href="http://www.omnitrition.com/sjt" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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CHITO-TRIM</div>
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• Fat blocker</div>
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• Made from outer shells of shellfish, and attaches to fat you eat and carries it out of the body in a very nice way.</div>
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• We call these the “FUN Couple” (Phaso and Chito)</div>
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• Great for many intestinal/bowel issues</div>
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• Diarrhea/Constipation</div>
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• If you open up capsule and make a paste with water, it helps take the ouch out of burns, cuts, stings and bites</div>
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• Minimizes scaring and overnight you will see a huge difference</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAOzB1gL6-NSpz6zXb1nX1DVlm-5UwE5TpR02gbqoHI5uTjrRySh7hkGu1A-0g0O9l0W2S4ORKklZnEFuJS1HsZRJhpfMYqBtoOUbYzltEZEgJ7L6-YXTvr-au_a41OWfPVgsFuV_U2A/s1600/halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAOzB1gL6-NSpz6zXb1nX1DVlm-5UwE5TpR02gbqoHI5uTjrRySh7hkGu1A-0g0O9l0W2S4ORKklZnEFuJS1HsZRJhpfMYqBtoOUbYzltEZEgJ7L6-YXTvr-au_a41OWfPVgsFuV_U2A/s320/halloween.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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PHASO TRIM</div>
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• Carb/sugar blocker</div>
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• Made out of white kidney beans</div>
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• Stops the conversion of starches to sugars in your body.</div>
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• We call these the “FUN Couple” (Phaso and Chito)</div>
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• Great Beer calorie blocker, or any other type of “liquid bread”</div>
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• Should not be used while on the Omni Drops Program<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84jZWndC8FM2iZkRQz5G7-Liz3-qUMMSBsm-StgOqeAi6SRqd9h5hyphenhyphenkixL1z9A8TlQFE-lpByw20jG7KBOcJBYgnT8zqMwgOmf-oBmQd8fZoTwbCot6hfj0qaNprcE5jJ5aSsrCRLms8/s1600/tgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84jZWndC8FM2iZkRQz5G7-Liz3-qUMMSBsm-StgOqeAi6SRqd9h5hyphenhyphenkixL1z9A8TlQFE-lpByw20jG7KBOcJBYgnT8zqMwgOmf-oBmQd8fZoTwbCot6hfj0qaNprcE5jJ5aSsrCRLms8/s320/tgiving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tune in next week for more tips for the holidays!</div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-20260277486276596632013-10-06T16:55:00.000-05:002013-10-06T16:55:17.020-05:00The 12 Weeks of Christmas SeriesI am starting a new series this week that will lead up all the way to Christmas. <br />
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Each week, I will have a new post that will help with tips for losing or maintaining your weight during the holidays! I am determined to maintain my over 62 lb weight loss! <br />
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How about you? It is possible, my friend!<br />
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These posts will not be all about Omnitrition products, although I will mention them when they can apply or help the related topic. These posts, tips, encouragement, and resources will be for anyone! <br />
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<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-3117919021602409752013-09-24T09:34:00.000-05:002013-09-24T09:36:35.951-05:00More Pics and Conference CallTook some new pictures the other day...Size 22 down to a size 14 so far!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f8q_uHary-Nso0bAukEOaImtQYOhaK9K3r283syfIK2pQWDJ7K7haqxfzRJRx5qIya9gxTYpXsAJ86yshyUrJ_CpZqd2Ka7ULs2rWX-rvWPtdcmpIKhlpkKlxa0j6nnrwlZ6poXfj3I/s1600/face+r3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f8q_uHary-Nso0bAukEOaImtQYOhaK9K3r283syfIK2pQWDJ7K7haqxfzRJRx5qIya9gxTYpXsAJ86yshyUrJ_CpZqd2Ka7ULs2rWX-rvWPtdcmpIKhlpkKlxa0j6nnrwlZ6poXfj3I/s200/face+r3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd9F5azTQVjNgWH72RXaP-c2PDYxvYFvNTeYUMQQLTqGkLPLSJ_cHnDM0wSrh7NnOrjG168bAJrz2uaynqPH0oyOto2BK4-goygBIkmOnGp5xANT9y8ymM7bX954O1OD_QCQNFtdrwjM/s1600/r3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd9F5azTQVjNgWH72RXaP-c2PDYxvYFvNTeYUMQQLTqGkLPLSJ_cHnDM0wSrh7NnOrjG168bAJrz2uaynqPH0oyOto2BK4-goygBIkmOnGp5xANT9y8ymM7bX954O1OD_QCQNFtdrwjM/s200/r3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0z45UPP0KbKag_djwLbTbu4326rsxfqtBccvbu-f5csHA1NT7OOZkGhlxhMv18mRjrXp7I0yvjJ1-x0GgiV7qPmrCeEG5LMElaCTleULw31O5JOGyZ2SgYPQrJSR6CR5MfC_L1EE74c/s1600/5+months.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0z45UPP0KbKag_djwLbTbu4326rsxfqtBccvbu-f5csHA1NT7OOZkGhlxhMv18mRjrXp7I0yvjJ1-x0GgiV7qPmrCeEG5LMElaCTleULw31O5JOGyZ2SgYPQrJSR6CR5MfC_L1EE74c/s320/5+months.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Want to hear more details about Omnitrition? There is a no pressure way to hear from many others about it. Every Tuesday night there is a listen-only conference call. Listen in and let me know what you thought!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuSSiN_rjmIttqkxFK047RmQdwWliC1kwTGJIygU6bg9iWwafTwusp_T6mjbuEVJAl8jljXKp0FbqHqDGikTNHwZpfPhZN8R7vZWyvoZurfPdYZNvrTT6Uoi07lqc6SR87IRRP-j24OI/s1600/conf+call.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuSSiN_rjmIttqkxFK047RmQdwWliC1kwTGJIygU6bg9iWwafTwusp_T6mjbuEVJAl8jljXKp0FbqHqDGikTNHwZpfPhZN8R7vZWyvoZurfPdYZNvrTT6Uoi07lqc6SR87IRRP-j24OI/s320/conf+call.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-4106299062267607302013-09-20T16:58:00.000-05:002013-09-20T16:58:52.611-05:00So HOW exactly did you lose all that weight?!?!?!Well...a lot of hard work, eating clean and the Omni Drops Program. <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMxOICTo9uCUrRwQzUJQMms789vv85O7S1katfipn-ps-0k-Uyq-8OuHzBPBuEI-Eo3p6Sp5yMFWns9Ut6NrjlboaG7VX0ouLzDaCg7dpRPeVkftEXN0mPT6Tayy3ryWMi61jX2dboxY/s1600/fat+is+hard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMxOICTo9uCUrRwQzUJQMms789vv85O7S1katfipn-ps-0k-Uyq-8OuHzBPBuEI-Eo3p6Sp5yMFWns9Ut6NrjlboaG7VX0ouLzDaCg7dpRPeVkftEXN0mPT6Tayy3ryWMi61jX2dboxY/s320/fat+is+hard.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">OMNI DROPS<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">No alcohol<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">No fillers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Made in an FDA approved facility in the United
States<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Take 10 drops under your tongue 3 times per day,
load for 2 days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Follow the eating plan for 21 to 42 days while
continuing the drops 3x/ day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Women report an average weight loss of ½ to 1 lb
a day <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Men report an average weight loss of 1-2 lbs per
day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">In addition to the healthy food you eat you are
supplementing with your own fat and burning stored body fat calories for energy
and fuel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">VERY IMPORTANT: Maintenance is 21 days to reset
your hypothalamus, thyroid, adrenals, cholesterol, and metabolism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Comes with eating plan, weight chart, recipes,
and distributor support!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<div>
I used the "Fab 5" pictured below for the best results:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSr40o-dlgXJQ77An92kld_2AmCEdqfE581jyeoTrMfNPL7hM40KMj3tjbu4LVCCQD5n3aFSMxGOP6IVZFYccIlVVa7AiCJcjvZVvT9O3JfEc8tM6GbuECE7hjuTi-cKzMVhqWeyIq-ZY/s1600/fab+5+other.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSr40o-dlgXJQ77An92kld_2AmCEdqfE581jyeoTrMfNPL7hM40KMj3tjbu4LVCCQD5n3aFSMxGOP6IVZFYccIlVVa7AiCJcjvZVvT9O3JfEc8tM6GbuECE7hjuTi-cKzMVhqWeyIq-ZY/s320/fab+5+other.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fab 5: Drops, Charge, Nite Lite, Omni IV, Fiber N Mor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So the drops program comes with a specific eating plan that is clean, whole foods. I have learned how to spot the nasty stuff on labels and learned to cook! <i>Gasp</i>! I cannot say that I <i>love </i>cooking but I definitely do not <i>hate </i>it like I did before this journey started. I am eating more produce than I have ever in my life! We do not count calories but measure portion sizes. </div>
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Results? YES! </div>
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Eating clean has brought:</div>
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Weight loss</div>
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Energy</div>
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Better Sleep</div>
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Better Mood</div>
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Less Medications</div>
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Many people ask me, "Is that <i>healthy</i>?" I hold back laughing honestly because I have never been more healthy in my whole life! I tried other accepted programs before and stayed within my "<i>points</i>" by still eating pre-packaged JUNK. How is <i>that </i>healthy?!?!?! I eat lean meats, fruits and vegetables while on the losing phase. I add back in dairy and eggs on the maintenance phase. The maintenance phase is where I finally realized that this is a whole <b>lifestyle </b>change, <b>NOT </b>a diet. I can truly see myself eating phase 3 (maintenance) for life. It is <b>SO </b>good! </div>
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<div>
www.omnitrition.com/SJT</div>
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<br /></div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-52546719155271495652013-09-20T15:39:00.002-05:002013-09-20T15:39:47.614-05:00Health OverhaulBack in April, my husband and I took a leap and decided to try <i>something</i> to change our health. We are in our early 30's but we were obese and felt much older. We wanted to be able to keep up with our son and live to see him grown and with a family. We wanted to have energy to be able to serve the Lord wholeheartedly and to live free of emotional eating. This had been a life-long struggle for us both.<br />
<br />
That <i>something </i>we took a leap on is called <a href="https://www.omnitrition.com/sjt">Omnitrition</a>. Omnitrition is a 24 year old health and nutrition company. They have supplements for weight loss, energy, better sleep, overall nutrition, workout support and more! The #1 selling product for almost 24 years is their liquid vitamin <a href="https://www.omnitrition.com/sjt">Omni IV</a>. It is truly amazing and I hate to go even one day without it. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fLnOoX02WZrK7er1CZuKXKG74H1jJQpVEo_1nipieHqUy5m9WF559SpYOlN-C8-BoaCNBLns229FXEZdPaiC8WnSEds1t-XVGa_ubr_6eYblGVC0JrcG4fBA-MsxI7CCB7U1HU46HpA/s320/fab+5.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.omnitrition.com/sjt">https://www.omnitrition.com/sjt</a></div>
<br />
<br />
We each had about 100 lbs to lose, give or take. I still am not sure where I will end up. I have no particular number or size in mind. I just want to feel healthy and be able to live life fully!<br />
<br />
We loved our results and how we felt almost immediately and also began building a business. It is easy to sell something when you believe in it 100% and can stand behind the products!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLt_zrzUkbCsaKn9xqk0SAwGfi6W3qyJgucL5-7zaMKhaYXpwKYgbqKBj3Q5IhXseUhNbYZU-akn2klZHdhGAs3nOb0MAWDyjG7sQHGXci0CiKC9ePpp_19ts4ir0ThPdNCkbPXbT0uEI/s1600/multi+products.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLt_zrzUkbCsaKn9xqk0SAwGfi6W3qyJgucL5-7zaMKhaYXpwKYgbqKBj3Q5IhXseUhNbYZU-akn2klZHdhGAs3nOb0MAWDyjG7sQHGXci0CiKC9ePpp_19ts4ir0ThPdNCkbPXbT0uEI/s320/multi+products.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are some examples of GREAT products!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I will be sharing much more about our journey so far in the weeks and months to come. So far I have lost over 57 lbs since April! Joseph has lost over 68 lbs! If we can do it, ANYONE can!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KVLyw-Xa1iO8L094w0CsUG4CQUszY4QyCygXMme88trmaBl4x7FLDMbVtl0-lSQBgRF08TFC915tmwEiwNeQtb_LRa75E39H2gYFARB_ysHDbUhIngzmDbgva5z7taBw9O6iqD1gIn8/s1600/50+lbs+gone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KVLyw-Xa1iO8L094w0CsUG4CQUszY4QyCygXMme88trmaBl4x7FLDMbVtl0-lSQBgRF08TFC915tmwEiwNeQtb_LRa75E39H2gYFARB_ysHDbUhIngzmDbgva5z7taBw9O6iqD1gIn8/s320/50+lbs+gone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Contact me for more information today! <br />
863-797-9748<br />
www.omnitrition.com/SJT<br />
sLthompson1982@gmail.comStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-82239319877423192412013-08-24T21:35:00.000-05:002013-08-24T21:35:00.065-05:00Homeschool 2013-2014 First Grade<br />
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I<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"> thought I'd outline what curricula we are using this year in case anyone is interested. </span></div>
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Long Story Short Devotional</div>
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Saxon Math 1</div>
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Apologia Astronomy and Jr. Notebooking Journal</div>
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Shurley English 1</div>
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Foundations A by The Logic of English</div>
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Cursive (within Foundations book)</div>
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AWANA Sparks </div>
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We will do Explode the Code 3 after we complete Foundations. We will also take light weeks and choose a Five in a Row book to study and make a lap book. Nehemiah loves FIAR and lap books! </div>
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Being in a new area, I haven't met any homeschoolers in real life yet but I have connected online with a few from our church. Hoping to meet up with them soon and find out which homeschool group to join around here. </div>
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<br /></div>
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We have completed 2 weeks of school already and so far it is going well. Nehemiah is very smart and cooperates for the most part. Not sure how to get him to not throw a fit about reading each day. When it is time to read, he has a tantrum and says he can't and won't read. I tell him he has no choice, then he proceeds to read the lesson smoothly and easily. It is an emotional battle to say the least...ugh! </div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-45338486027741845322013-08-24T21:28:00.000-05:002013-08-24T21:28:05.476-05:00Wait No More<br />
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Today we went to a foster care and adoption <a href="http://icareaboutorphans.org/">conference</a> put on by <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/">Focus on the Family</a> in Orlando. It was a great encouragement for the church to rise up and live out James 1:27 which says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."</div>
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<br /></div>
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God is:</div>
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Father to the fatherless</div>
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Defender of the weak</div>
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Hope for the hopeless</div>
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<br /></div>
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We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus to these children and teens. We are to be the fathers and mothers to the fatherless, the defenders of the weak, and the hope for those that are hopeless. </div>
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I got so much out of the different speakers today. I laughed and cried. Two women shared stories of how they grew up in abusive situations, were removed from the home and then later on were placed with loving, patient couples that displayed Christ's love to them. They both are now married and successful women that love the Lord. </div>
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The speakers did not sugarcoat the adoption process or the children that need families. They did not tiptoe around the fact that this could possibly be the hardest thing you take on in life. But it is oh SO worth it! </div>
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I realized today how selfish I have been in my thoughts on adopting or fostering. We had such high expectations for the kids in the past and wanted so much from them in return without realizing it. These children have NOTHING to give in most cases, especially at first. If we bring a child into our home and he or she disrupts things, so be it. If that child lives with us and never learns to trust or love us, so be it. Don't get me wrong, that is an important goal but we will still have been obedient to love and be a family to that child. This year I taught AWANA with an older man at church. He and his wife have adopted 4 children from foster care. Two of them were teens when placed with them. They never really adjusted completely or attached to the parents. When they became adults they went off and don't contact their parents much. Is this sad? Yes. Does he regret adopting them? No way. Would they do it all over again? YES! They were obedient to God; they shared the love of Christ and family to them and will still welcome them with open arms now. Did my friend and his wife get a picture-perfect family situation and children that just adore them? No. </div>
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Family is messy. Biological, adopted or otherwise. We all have drama and issues and baggage. The Lord is able to overcome it all and transform lives. </div>
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Much of this and other truths God spoke to me about, I am still processing. It is so hard to wrap our human, selfish, prideful minds around this kind of unconditional God-love that is required. </div>
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We also got to meet the woman that will be teaching the 8-week adoption classes we signed up for in October. We are working with a local <a href="http://www.heartlandforchildren.org/">agency</a> that places waiting children with families. There are currently 750 waiting children in Florida. This means their parental rights have already been terminated and no other family member can take them. They belong to the state. There are also roughly 19,000 children in Florida's foster care system at any given time that at least need a safe, temporary home. It is heartbreaking. There are over 15,000 churches in Florida...these children should have to "wait no more". </div>
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Will we, as the church, rise up in obedience to God's word and take care of the weak, hurt and vulnerable? There are many ways to be involved. Just obey.</div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-15570159640196882622013-08-23T21:21:00.000-05:002013-08-23T21:21:00.116-05:00Life Update<br />
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In June, there was a shooting in our apartment breezeway so that night we moved back in with my mom. Yeah, not cool. We knew at that point that Joseph was probably going to get the job with Bonnie Plant Farm and that we would be moving closer to the plant station anyways. </div>
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In July, he started the new job and we found a cute rental house in Lake Wales. We got moved and things have finally settled down a little. </div>
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In August, we started 1st grade! I cannot believe my little boy is getting so BIG! </div>
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In a couple weeks I am going on a business trip to Seattle, WA for an Omnitrition training school. I am super excited about that. We will receive top-notch training from the company leaders and learn tons of info from the doctors that helped formulate the products and supplements! Be prepared to hear more about all of that! ;) </div>
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Be on the look-out for more blog posts coming soon!</div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-14084746045272851802013-02-13T22:55:00.000-06:002013-02-13T22:55:15.781-06:00UpdateI have been MIA on the blog for a long time. Lots of changes going on in our lives. I thought I'd catch everyone up to date on our happenings.<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">July 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Announced we were leaving our jobs and ministry at the children's home. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Moved in with my mom in Florida. Joseph looked for work.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">August 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Started homeschool (kindergarten) with Nehemiah. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">September 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Joseph finally found work!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">December 2012 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Moved into our own apartment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">January 2013</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Began taking Nehemiah to doctors to get some answers for sensory and behavioral issues we are having. Ordered tests and evaluations...still waiting for answers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Homeschool is going well. We have our good days and bad like with anything in life. It helps that Nehemiah is so smart. He is reading well and has a natural curiosity about everything. I have loosened up a lot and am realizing he learns much better through real life than sitting at a table. I gotta keep that boy movin'! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0078125);">Life is feeling a little more settled now. Hoping to be able to keep this updated regularly now. I know my adoring fans are cheering wildly right now! Hahaha! </span></div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-70684942883710758142012-05-28T16:56:00.001-05:002012-05-28T16:56:32.390-05:00Darkness to Light TrainingWe recently had some training at work regarding protecting against, spotting and reporting sexual abuse. I thought it was very good and pertinent information to pass on in this day and time. We certainly cannot walk around suspecting everyone and every situation but we do need to be educated and know what to look for. <br />
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Current statistics are: <br />
1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18<br />
1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18<br />
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Information is from Darkness to Light and their website has so many helpful resources on it! So check it out! <a href="Www.darkness2light.org">www.darkness2light.org</a>. There are suggestions for reporting any suspicions on the website. <br />
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Here are some practical ways to protect our kids and protect ourselves as we interact with kids:<br />
Reduce the number of one-adult/one-child situations<br />
Have multiple adults supervise<br />
Monitor Internet use<br />
Evaluate adults that are close with the family<br />
Adult interaction with children should be in public places<br />
Require background checks or screenings for adults/organizations kids are involved in<br />
Drop in unexpectedly<br />
Ask specifics about outings if your child is going with an adult<br />
Talk with child after being with an adult and notice mood and behavior<br />
Be direct; talk to other adults about being aware of abuse <br />
Teach kids it's not good to keep secrets with adults; teach proper boundaries and about private parts<br />
If a child starts to share, don't freak out! Listen quietly and calmly so they don't shut down. <br />
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Some common signs of abuse (Obviously any of these alone does not necessarily mean there is a problem. When several of these are present, use common sense to look into it further): <br />
Sudden and extreme changes in behavior<br />
UTIs, infections and STDs <br />
Not wanting to go to school when they used to enjoy it<br />
Depressed/hurting their self<br />
Nightmares<br />
Bed wetting<br />
Derogatory self-talk<br />
Sexual experimenting/sexual language (that is beyond their developmental level)<br />
Use of drugs/alcohol<br />
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With this information we can be better stewards and protectors of the children in our lives.<br />
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<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990138217043195011.post-47443352517081029952012-05-25T00:55:00.000-05:002012-05-25T00:55:39.644-05:00Homeschool Planning 2012-2013I have begun to plan our first "official" homeschool year: kindergarten. I am super excited and may possibly be going a little overboard. ;) There is an incredible amount of information, resources and free printables out there! We also have an insane amount of awesome iPad apps that are educational and fun (and most are free)! <br />
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I keep going back and forth between using an all-inclusive bought curriculum and just collecting various resources to cover the subjects and skills required. I am pretty sure I will be doing the latter. I just cannot justify paying for curriculum for kindergarten when so much is available for free and the core standards are easily met by these mostly free resources. I am gathering several extensive lists of standards/what a kindergartner should know. I will use the core standards to make sure we cover everything expected. <br />
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I do have some purchased items that I've gathered in the past. A couple of years ago I bought Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten because I had an awesome coupon code and couldn't pass it up. We have used it a little and Nehemiah enjoys it. I also have a used copy of Teach your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Nehemiah has not enjoyed the 10-15 lessons we have done so far in that book (because of the redundancy and it being stuff he already knew). He has the basics of reading down already just by us reading a lot and practicing words together. He can sound out CVC words and knows many sight words. I am not sure which program I am going to use for reading yet. I know I need to decide and stick to it! We will also continue to "play" www.starfall.com. <br />
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For organizing and gathering worksheets, I am starting by making a manilla folder for each week of the school year (36 weeks, 36 folders). I will be doing all of my printing and laminating at once and file it according to which week we will use it. Today I made a board on Pinterest titled Kindergarten and repinned some things out of my general Homeschool board. I also bought a new ink cartridge for the printer because I'm going to need it! :) <br />
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I'll update every so often to share how I am coming along in my plans, in case anyone is interested. If you are a teacher or homeschooler and have tips, advice or resources please pass them along to me! Thanks in advance!<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02726169501301345475noreply@blogger.com0