Spring break is over and the kids returned to school today. Don't get me wrong, I love our kids and would do anything for them, but this past week has been a very stressful one with the house stuff and on top of that the kids being home. I feel bad that we didn't really do anything exciting, but we were supposed to be moving or at least finishing packing after all. Since we lost our first contract, the moving and packing didn't happen, instead we were kicked out of our house for hours at a time in order to show it. We did the best we could. Hopefully we are in our new house for the summer and they will get to go out and play in the backyard.

Yes our kids have the key to our hearts. They have had that key since the first moment we laid eyes on them. They have brought so much joy into our house, which has made it an actual home.

 
 
Since we had to be out of the house from 4-6:30 for the buyer to do an inspection on the home, we spent the afternoon at the park enjoying the last day of this awesome weather. Tomorrow our weather becomes bipolar and will be extremely cold, windy, rainy and possibly snow. And yes, I noticed that all of the kids were wearing the same color of shirt. This never happens, they never wear the same color of school uniform shirt.

Carson also said to a little girl that his biggest crush ever is gabby. Oh no we are in trouble with this ladies man

Carson Carson Carson. ...I told him to sit down and put his seat belt on after getting a drink at the gas station and he didn't so I said I'll take your drink away and his response. ...No no no no not when I just got it. Yes he got seat belted at that point.

Some of the responses he gives and the gestures and facial expressions just crack me up to no end. Like last night when we asked him to sit down and fold his arms for prayer and he wouldn't so we started the count down from 5 (long story why we count down in stead of up) and the look on his face and his body language was hilarious, Joe and I just could not stop laughing, which makes the girls laugh then Carson laughs. I know it is bad parenting when we laugh at their bad behavior, but you can't tell me that you have not done this at least once in you child rearing days.

Heather Forbes:
It isn't about "fixing" your child, it's about understanding them, providing the needed supports and boundaries, and unconditionally accepting them so they can find their own internal path for healing.

The reason for the above quote is because we are raising traumatized children and they do have underlying issues. We have come to the understanding that we are not going to be able to fix our children in the sense of making them perfect. Yes, we can get them therapy and give them every opportunity to succeed and heal, but we cannot force them, they have to want it. We accept our kids and their issues. We love them unconditionally. We are just trying to steer and guide them in the right direction and hope that they choose a path that won't lead them to further heart break. In our ideal world, they would all be lawyers or doctors...LOL...no not really, we want them to be who and what they want to be. We tell them every day they can be whatever they want to be, but they have to work towards that goal and we will be here to support them and push them in that direction, but we cannot do it for them.

Moments and glimpses like yesterday, where we were all feeling the spirit so strong, I know that we are doing something right in the parenting department. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these kids will be ok and they will be extraordinary in whatever they set out to accomplish.

In the mean time, my prayer to our Heavenly Father is to help protect and guide them in the times of need, especially in the times that they are away from us. I pray that they will be able to feel the spirit and know if they are choosing right from wrong. I want them to know that they are able to turn to Him and seek guidance.