The Normal Beaty Bunch

Andrew and I were engaged, about to be married.  We spent a lot of time mowing together, and listening to whatever was on the radio as we drove from jobsite to jobsite.  I remember hearing Dr. Dobson, on Focus on the Family, give these words to new parents:

Caleb, 2 1/2, & Hannah 2 months

Ok - those may not be his exact words - but it's the right idea.  The kids God gives you - by birth - or by adoption - are only BORROWED to you from HIM.  They ultimately belong to GOD....Andrew and I are responsible to do our best to train those precious souls to fall passionately in love with Jesus.


Sunday, Hannah and Jordan moved away.  They didn't 'just go to college' for 9 months.  They packed up ALL their earthly belongs (except for a box of beanie babies!) and got a moving truck and MOVED.


They went to another part of our country, rented a house, going to school, and are living there.  Until God MOVES them somewhere else.


They aren't coming home next summer.  They might visit - but they are not moving home.



BUT THEY ARE PASSIONATELY IN LOVE WITH JESUS... and we have accomplished (only by the grace of God) what God asked us to do .. 20+ years ago.  

I've been working on coming up with a catchy status for facebook - one that everyone would like, and comment on, and say cute things about - as Hannah and Jordan pack their truck and move to Spokane Washington.

I failed.  Nothing cute - but nothing sad either.  See - I'm really excited for them.  So many people get excited when their babies get accepted into the right school, or land the right job, or get that promotion (all of which are GREAT things) but what REALLY gets me going - REALLY gets me excited - is seeing my babies FOLLOW GOD.

Jordan and Hannah are headed off to FOLLOW GOD - to pursue His work in their life.  What more could a momma ask for?  A good house, or FOLLOW GOD?

Yes - I'll miss them - so will my babies (who cry EACH and EVERY time I say something about 'moving truck') ....But they are FOLLOWING GOD.

Their oldest uncle told my mother once - "It's safer to be in the middle of a war, and in God's plan, than to be here at home with Mom, and not in God's plan."  I'm thankful Hannah and Jordan are in the smack dab middle of God's plan.

Hannah - this is just for you:

Noah~playing quietly - SUDDENLY throws train across the room.
Me~"Noah! What's wrong?"
Noah~"I'm MAD at Hannah!"
Me~"Why are you mad at Hannah?"
Noah~"Jordan won't take me to the farm anymore!"
Me~"So shouldn't you be mad at Jordan?"
Noah~"No! He showed me the cow peeing in the mud!  But I'm mad at HANNAH!"

Me~"It's ok Noah.  Hannah and Jordan are following God."

Naoh was born 2 months early.  His birth momma liked her drugs, but her drugs didn't like Noah.  He suffered from torticollis- which impacted the development of his muscles on his left side. We noticed that he couldn't turn his head well, because his neck muscles were weak - thus resulting in a 'flat head' and therefore the privilege of wearing a helmet to reshape his head.
Another things we noticed was that Noah ALWAYS held food in his mouth - on his left side.  He would pocket it, carrots, cheese, cereal, bread, YUCK!  He would eat part of his food, two bites of his food, or all but the last bite - it didn't matter.  And then he'd hold that food in his mouth....for HOURS and HOURS.

We got him evaluated - and then got feeding therapy for him - to help him learn to swallow.  He had other 'feeding issues' stemming from the torticollis - and eventually he 'graduated' from feeding therapy.

Two weeks later, we had apple pie for breakfast (Yes - I do feed the kids pie for breakfast - it has a LOT of fruit in it!).  5 hours later I heard myself say "Noah, swallow your breakfast so I can feed you lunch."  That's when I realized we had a problem!

Noah 'suffers' from something called Sensory Processing Disorder. (http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com )  The best way I can explain this - to the best of my understanding/knowledge - is that he cannot proccess the different things that affect his senses.  For example - when you're hot and tired - and you take a shower to relax you - and the water falls over your head - you sigh a deep sigh and relax.  Noah SCREAMS - it hurts.  It's not relaxing at all.  Or, you step outside and the gently misty rain is refreshing, Samuel (Noah's brother) runs inside crying because of the 'pain' of the mist hitting his skin.
 
Noah also 'chews' on his blanket. He constantly wants something in his mouth...his blanket, his fingers, a stuffed animal ... or food.  It is a comfort to him.  He won't use a pacifier (never really did) ... but MUST have something in his mouth.   You'll notice in this picture of Titus' adoption day, that all three younger bio sibs have their hands in their mouths.  That's a sensory thing!

Many of the behaviors that my boys do - I never allowed my older kids to do (take their shoes off at church, jump on the couch, run around during supper, etc.) but I am learning that all of these behaviors are due to the SPD they have, and are a result of their prenatal exposure to drugs.  It's not their fault!

I believe that Noah's desire to hold food in his cheek because it is a comfort to him.  Soggy bread or mushy cereal is like a security blanket for a 'normal' kid, or like a piece of gum  or a cigarette hanging out of someone's mouth, or for me  - like a cup of coffee in my hand!  He uses that food to comfort himself.

There are a LOT more things my kids do - to help calm themselves, to feel 'comfortable' - but for right now - I'm going to grab a cup of coffee - and give Noah a snack!

Wow - I'm glad we aren't giving birth to any more children.  This 'choosing a name' thing is HARD!  But - after much discussion and even more discussion - we have decided on a name for our youngest child.  

We've  used 14 boy names so far ... each and every once carefully chosen for the person they represent in the Bible.  So - lots of thought went into choosing this name.


TITUS - He was trusted by Paul - he comforted people, brought joy to people, cared for people.  He was an all around good guy who LOVED Jesus.

NATHAN - He was a prophet, who God spoke to, and who wasn't afraid to do what was right, stand up to the King, and speak truth.  (I mean, think about it.  He went to King David, told him that he was living in sin by sleeping with another man's wife.  That's a scary task!)

Our prayer for Titus Nathan - is that he will be a man of God, who is trustworthy and compassionate, and who isn't afraid to speak truth even when it is not safe to do so!

We love you son.

Ask my kids what I want for Christmas - and they'll all recite (in a funny, high pitched voice)  A CLEAN HOUSE AND A HAPPY HOME!

Seriously - that's all  I really want from my kids.  (Now - my husband -that's a different story - I've got a list for him!)  But from my kids - even the married ones - I really just want a clean house - and a happy home.

#1 A CLEAN HOUSE

Now - reality - REALLY????  A clean house-  with 9 kids living here?  THERE'S NO WAY!  Cleaned the bathroom, someone peed on the wall.  Empty the sink, someone puts dishes in there.  Mop the floor, someone spills applesauce and runs and hides!  Shampoo the carpet, someone spills their drink. A clean house will never happen while we live here.

Maybe that clean house will happen when the youngest child moves out on his own????

#2 A HAPPY HOME

Really - all I want is kids to not fight - to not steal their siblings toy, or their hairbrush.  To not scream at each other "I had that first!". To allow the other to go first to wash their hands.  To sit by each other and not poke or hit or pinch.

Maybe that happy home will happen when the children move out?

Today, at church, Caleb and Hannah were sitting side by side, with their spouses on the outside.  They weren't poking each other, they weren't hitting or pinching or kicking or fussing at each other....

This is the first of many 'happy home' Christmas gifts!  THANKS GUYS!!!