Saturday, March 31, 2007

The Day After

Well, we made it through the night, and surprisingly all the kids slept through the night with no problems! I was very proud of myself this morning. I wanted to run over to our church yard sale this morning. It was my first outing with all the kids by myself. I had everyone fed and dressed, got my shower, got dressed, fed the animals, and had everyone buckled in the van by 9:00! On the way to the church I realized that I was really hungry. I had forgotten to feed myself! Oh well, it's not like it would hurt me to miss a few meals. The kids are playing well, though there have been a few arguments amongst the girls this morning. I think Kylie is having the hardest time adjusting. Caitlyn is all excited about playing with Dawn, and I think Kylie feels a little left out. Over all, I think things are going much better than expected. Monday, we should have an answer regarding John's surgery. I'll post an update then. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Dawn and Corey



Well, they are all finally in bed! Actually, it went a bit smoother than I expected. Jeremy had to work tonight, so I was a little outnumbered! Dawn and Corey arrived mid afternoon, right smack in the middle of nap time. All the stuff they had would have not even filled a paper grocery sack. From the start Dawn was brave and showed no tears, even though she had never met us or the social worker that brought her here. She was the ever strong big sister. She was excited to see the girls and they went off almost immediately to play Barbies. I was very relieved, but then we realized that Corey wasn't going to be so amazingly easy. He was VERY frightened, and exhausted emotionally and physically. He stood at the end of our kitchen table for half an hour without budging. Jeremy got him a drink, but he was even too scared to take it out of Jeremy's hand. Jeremy set it on the table and walked away. While we pretended not to watch, he would steal a drink here and there, always quickly so we wouldn't catch him. He started warming up a little and I thought I would help him up onto the couch to rest. Jeremy turned on some cartoons, and I got him a blankie. Big mistake!! As soon as I took his shoes off, he freaked! I realized that taking his shoes off meant he was staying, and that was still scary to him. I put them back on, and let him get down on the floor. His cry was such a sad cry, and the fear in his eyes was enough to make my heart break a hundred times over. He preferred Jeremy's easy ways. You would have thought Jeremy was a professional! I was so impressed and so was the social worker. I was having a hard time not grabbing Corey and trying to hug the fear away, but I took my lead from Jeremy and took it slow. He warmed up pretty quickly after that. It still took him almost three hours before he let me touch him, but he was smiling and laughing within an hour and a half. By bedtime, he had let me bathe him, and tuck him in. The previous foster mom said she had had a hard time getting him to sleep, but he dozed right off in his new bed for me. That made me feel good. At least he felt secure and safe enough to sleep. He had a grand time playing with John, although sharing was an issue at times. We thought at first that he couldn't hardly talk, but I discovered this evening that he can talk pretty well, and talked up a storm to John. As for Dawn, I did catch her getting a little teary-eyed when she though no one was watching. She's a tough girl though, and I think that she'll adjust well. Her birthday is tomorrow, and we're going to make it as special for her as possible. Because of foster care confidentiality, I can't tell you their story. I wish I could. We don't know at this point whether this will turn into an adoptive placement, only time will tell. But even if they're only here for a few months, we will treasure the time we have. God knows, and He has a plan. I can't begin to explain to you the emotions I'm feeling. I've been overwhelmed and on the brink of tears for the past two days, and have succumbed to them several times. Jeremy and I just want to be used for God's glory, and we know that this is much bigger than us. Watching them tonight, especially Cory, and watching them relax and the fear leave their eyes, I know that this is what we were meant to do. This is our calling. Is it heartbreaking? I think Jeremy will agree with me that the answer to that is a big YES! But even if they don't stay very long, at least for now they will feel safe, secure, and loved, and we'll do our best to fill their minds with happy memories. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Thoughts From Grandma

My mom sent me this email and I wanted to share it with all of you; just a glimpse into our hearts..........

I have learned through the years that God answers prayer. Not always when we want but in His perfect timing. He listens to our pleas and desires of our heart, considers the best for us and answers in a pure and sovereign way. He is so faithful and loving.

Children are a very precious commodity to me. A blank slate on which to instill the things of God. His love for them, His character to display before them and teaching them to trust Him. At the same time it is extremely frightening to think that we are all examples to these fresh minds. It makes me pause and think of my behavior and the words I speak in their presence.

Many times I prayed that the Lord would instill in the hearts of my children the same love and appreciation that I have for these little ones. And God has blessed me with the answer of “yes”. To leave a legacy for the next generation is an incredible thing.

Today our family will grow by two more grandchildren. Angie and her husband Jeremy have opened their home to two precious little ones that need to be loved. Even if this is just a temporary situation it is an opportunity to make a mark on the hearts of these children. If just for a week or two they can experience a loving family that serves the Lord I pray it will leave a mark on their heart and give them a deep desire for more of Christ and His perfect love. May they one day see the sovereign grace of God on their lives. He has placed them in this home for a reason. God must know that this is the home these children need.

I pray for Angie and Jeremy daily, as I do for all three of my children. The words of the song “Everything To Me” express my prayer so clearly.

I want to tell the world I found A love that turned my life aroundThey need to know that they can taste and seeNow everyday I'm praying Just to give my heart awayI want to live for JesusSo that someone else might see that he is...Everything to meHe's more than a storymore than words on a page of historyHe's the air that I breathThe water I thirst forAnd the ground beneath my feetHe's everything

I pray that in the lives of my children, their children will see that Christ is everything.

~Cindy McKay

Two Precious Gifts!

Just a quick note to let everyone know the news! Things have been so crazy the last few days, that I haven't really had a chance to sit down and write an entry, but as of this afternoon we will have two new kiddos!!! We found out Wednesday evening that they would be coming, and have spent the time since then preparing. They are a brother and sister. Dawn is turning four tomorrow, and Corey turned two recently. We are all excited and scared to death at the same time! I will sit down and update everyone on how today goes, after I get the kids in bed tonight. Love you all and PRAISE to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Possibilities

I was trying to decide whether to even post today, as I have no real news. I do have some possible news, but nothing definite. First, John David's surgery may be postponed six weeks or so. His Dr is on Bolivia on a missions trip this week, but when the nurse practitioner received his records from the pediatrician, she said that the Dr may want to wait. I don't understand all of their reasoning, but something about the number of ear infections he has had, etc. They still want to take out his adenoids, but they might try something else first. I'm not really sure right now what is going on. I probably won't have a definite answer till Monday, seeing as his Dr is out of the country, unless the nurse can get an answer via email. We'll see. Also, it is VERY possible that we will have two new kiddos VERY soon, but not definite. We had a meeting this morning with the social worker, and may be getting our first foster placement next week! I'll let you know more as soon as I know more. On another note, the newsletters are done!! I know, it's about time. I am heading to Kinko's to copy them in the morning, and will mail them out tomorrow or Friday. I am very excited about this one, because it's got pictures and more pages. Hope you like it! Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Redneck Joke

My Dad sent me this joke, and I thought it was too funny not to share! Enjoy!

A West Virginia couple, both bonified rednecks, had 9 children.They went to the doctor to see about getting the husband "fixed".The doctor gladly started the required procedure and askedthem what finally made them make the decision - why afternine children, would they choose to do this.The husband replied that they had read in a recent article thatone out of every ten children being born in the United Stateswas Mexican, and they didn't want to take a chance on havinga Mexican baby because neither of them could speak Spanish.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Surgery Scheduled For April 6th

I called John David's ENT dr this morning and they have scheduled his surgery for next Friday, April 6th. That is actually a little quicker than we expected! It will be good though, because he just finished a round of antibiotics and there was still fluid in his ears. We would like to get the surgery done before he becomes infected again. He has a pre-op appointment next Monday, and then surgery on Friday. Please pray that all goes smoothly. Since this surgery is more complicated than his previous one (it should still only last about a half hour), they actually have to put him completely under this time. Please pray that he handles the anesthesia well. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Kylie's Haircut





Today Kylie got her haircut. It was a salvage job, a result of the haircut she decided to give herself last night! We had company coming over for dinner, and shortly before they were due to arrive, Kylie decides to cut a chunk off the back of her hair. As you can see from the pictures, It was a large chunk. So today we took a trip to the beauty shop and got her a nice short bob. I have to admit that it does look cute, but it will definitely take some getting used to. I had a hard time not crying while I watched her beautiful blonde hair falling on the floor under the beautician's chair! I know, it's just hair and it will grow back. Jeremy's off today, so we're enjoying time with Daddy, and we have a dinner picnic planned at the park. It's beautiful outside! Jeremy will be on day shift at work till September, and possibly permanently. That is such a blessing for us! Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Adenoids? Who needs 'em?


Thought you might enjoy this recent pic of Kylie and her beloved animals! I took John David to the ENT dr this morning, and they are definitely going to put tubes back in his ears, but they are also going to remove his adenoids. The dr feels this will be a more permanent solution to the problem. As much as I hate the fact that he even has to have this done, I'm all for a fix for the problem! The lady that schedules the surgeries is out of the office till Monday, so I'm supposed to call Monday to schedule everything. They did say that it should be sometime in April, probably the middle of April. Well, that's all for now. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

It's Official! I'm Old!

Well, I got the word yesterday that my 10 year high school reunion is coming up!! It doesn't feel like it's been near that long ago that I graduated. So the weekend of September 21st, it looks like we'll probably be in Tennessee for the reunion. My biggest fear? That all my old friends will realize that I'm still the geek I was in high school! That and these pounds left over from having John David that I would like to get off before then! The reunion news along with the fact that I now have grey hairs growing in faster than I can keep up with, is the reason I'm feeling a bit old today. I used to be able to pull the grey hairs out when I would see a new one, but then a friend told me that everytime you pull one out three grow in its place!! Needless to say, I stopped pulling them out! They really aren't that noticeable (yet), but I know they're there. Also, most of the people I went to high school with are just now getting married, or just now having their first kids, and here I am with three kiddos, and been married for going on nine years! Oh well, can't stop time, and I wouldn't want to anyway. Every year brings new life lessons, and so many more great memories and blessings. Watching our family grow and change every year is the best experience ever. And the best part is that God blessed me with the greatest partner to share it all with! Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Congratulations Mason and Tracy!




I was finishing the newsletter and I forgot that I had not posted pics of Mason's new baby. Here are a few of the ones that I have. Anthony James Knutson was born Jan. 21st. Isn't he a cutie?!

Our Favorite Superhero


I've made some changes to the blog as you can see. Hope you like them! Just a quick note to let everyone know that we have an appointment scheduled on Thursday for John David to see the ENT doctor and get his surgery scheduled. Also, we have a an appointment coming up next week with our county DSS, to get the ball rolling on the fostercare. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Two in One Day!

Okay, so I know that this is two in one day, but I just wanted to say that I am missing everyone really bad lately. Andrea was just here, and everytime I look back over the pictures we took while she was here, I start crying. You can tell it's been a few months since we saw everyone. I think with Andrew and Crystal's new baby being born it's even worse! Anyway, I can't wait till we can make it to Tennessee for a visit. Also, while I'm thinking about it, any of you that have myspace pages, we have a myspace page as well (http://www.myspace.com/angelina_knutson). So let me know if you have one. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Foster Care Decision

Good morning to all! Hope you all had a great weekend and enjoyed your St. Patrick's Day. I meant to get a post done this weekend but the time got away from me. The newsletter is done except for an article Jeremy is writing. Everytime I write something, then something new happens and I have to change it! John is feeling some better. I think the antibiotics are finally kicking in. I'm going to call today and make an appointment for him with his ear, nose, and throat dr to schedule his surgery. As I promised there is new info about the adoption/foster care situation. Late last week, we called our county DSS office and discovered that if we wanted to do fostercare through DSS that we could not stay with the private agency that we have been with since early last year. That was not the news we had expected, but after lots of discussion and prayer we have decided that that is best. For our family we need to be able to foster younger children, which we cannot do with the private agency. This does mean that the adoption will happen through a different avenue. Since we are foster parents, when we get a placement and if that child's parental rights are terminated, then we will have first chance to adopt them if we choose. Now this process takes time, like everything else, but we will be able to at least have the child(ren) in our home during the process. Since all our training and our homestudy transfer over to the new agency, we will probably have a placement within the month! When we spoke with our county's DSS, they are in need of couples to take younger children, and we know this is where God has led us, where we can be used for His glory. As I write this I'm fighting tears, because doing foster care has been a dream of mine for years. God has blessed me with such a great husband that I can share this vision with! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Lanning Has Arrived!


I am ecstatic to announce the arrival of our new nephew Lanning James! He arrived this morning weighing 8 lbs. 2 oz., and measuring 19 inches long. As far as I've heard mommy and the baby are doing well. I can't begin to say how excited we are for Andrew and Crystal! And I can't wait to get to see the little man! We took John David to the doctor today, because he started feeling worse again. As we suspected, he's going to need to have the tubes replaced in his ears. This means another surgery, but he did well the first time, so we're hoping it will go smoothly. I will be sure and let everyone know when we get it scheduled. When I get a chance tomorrow I will post some updated info about the foster care/adoption situation, but for now I need to go. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Another Beautiful Day


Good morning everyone! Today is another beautiful day outside. We're supposed to have a high of 73 today! The picture above is one from our trip last week to the park with Andrea. John David lugged around these rocks almost the whole time we were there! John David is feeling quite a bit better today. At one point yesterday, his fever had gotten very close to 104, and we were getting worried. After changing the medicine we were using a bit, his fever has come way down, and he even ate something this morning. He is still running a low grade fever, but for now it is staying around 100. He still isn't playing much, but I'm sure he's achy and weak. Maybe later, I'll try and take him out in the backyard for a little while. I'm sure the fresh air would be good for him. Nothing too exciting going on today. It looks like we're just going to be hanging out at the house. I am very excited about the new little Mckay coming tomorrow! I'll post a pic as soon as I get one. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Missing Out On the Great Weather :(

Hope you all are enjoying your Wednesday. The weather is absolutely gorgeous here: sunny and in the 60's! As much as I would like to get to the park and enjoy the beautiful weather, we are quarantined at home. John David is sick and has been since Monday night. He has a stomach bug of some kind I think, and has all the glorious sypmtoms that come along with such an illness. He hasn't thrown up since yesterday, though his fever has been over 103 since last night. Since his fever is staying manageable with medicine, I decided to give him till tomorrow to start improving. If not I'll take him in to see the dr. He has started coughing some, but I've been adding extra meds to his breathing treatments and that seems to help. If it goes to his chest that won't be good, but we'll get through it like we always do. We had such a good year last year, as far as the kids' health goes, that I've forgotten how taxing this all can be. Please pray for some good sleep tonight. We haven't gotten any in a couple days. Jeremy is working night shifts this week, and John hasn't been sleeping well of course. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Goodbyes, Foster Care, and the Dentist

Hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was bittersweet. I dropped Andrea off at the airport Saturday afternoon. I did manage not to cry this time till I drove away! Though getting home was an adventure for her (lost baggage, redirected flights, etc.), she is now home safely. Last week seemed to fly by, and I couldn't believe it was time to send her home so soon! We all will miss her something terrible, especially me! Growing up, I was always so much closer to Andrew. I think, because of our ages. Now that we're both older, I've truly begun to realize what a blessing it is to have a sister, and the bond that exists there. Andrea, I hope you know how proud I am of you! Also, after much thought and discussion, Jeremy and I have officially opened our doors for foster care placements. Because of the type of training we have received we are considered specialized therapeutic foster parents. This limits the children we can be referred, and we probably will end up contacting DSS and getting involved in regular foster care. I will be sure and keep you updated. I have not gotten the newsletter printed and copied to mail out. I am planning on getting that done this week, now that things are slowing down a bit. Surprisingly, I didn't find the time to do that while Andrea was here! :) The kids all had cleanings this morning at the dentist. No cavities! It looks like Caitlyn will have to get another tooth pulled soon. I'm praying that it will fall out on its own, but it's not looking like it will. Today was John's first encounter with the dentist, but he did pretty well, after he stopped screaming! Well, Jeremy's off work today so I'm going to go enjoy some time with my husband. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Friday, March 9, 2007

In the City:Girls Only!






Paradise For Mommies

I am currently sitting at a table with Andrea, watching the kids play at the local Playroom. This is the closest thing to paradise for mommies that I have discovered. For $18 dollars we can stay and play for the entire day. It's this huge playroom, for lack of a better word. There are inflatables that the kids jump in and slide down (the kind I remember seeing on American Gladiators when I was a kid), kind of like inflatable obstacle courses. Then they have playground equipment and dress up stuff, a craft room and tons of toys. The kids play all day and wear themselves out just in time for dinner, bath, and bedtime! They have laptops that the moms can use, and there is a seperate lounging are that includes of all things a massage chair! The whole time you can watch the kids from a distance, or get up close and personal for some one on one mommy playtime. It gives me a chance to get a breather, and the kids to get some playtime outside of the house. We don't come too often, but we try to once a month. Yesterday we spent the day, just us girls, in DC. We had a great time! The girls and I tried unsuccessfully to get Aunt Andrea to hold this huge walking stick insect at the Natural History Museum. I held it, but that still didn't convince her to do it. I'll try to remember to post a picture later tonight when I get home. We got some really good ones yesterday. My favorite parts were riding the Metro (subway), icecream, dinner at Johnny Rocket's, "pretend shopping" in Union Station, and all us girls giggling and having fun together. Actually, that was pretty much everything, so I guess it was a pretty great day! Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Dad's Doodle

As you may have guessed this time Daddy (Jeremy) is writing. Though I am not near as eloquent as Angie (she is a great writer and teacher by the way) I would like to share some about the family too.
Wild Fire--Is the only way to describe Kylie, and though tough to tame she has a heart of gold and wild ambitions.
Cati-bug-- Caityln ,She loves to read like mommy , talks like mommy, smiles like mommy, has the grace of mommy:), is kind like mommy, likes people like mommy , and most importantly loves Jesus and Daddy like mommy...that's why I love her like mommy.
John - That's right I call him John, not J.D. , John David, Johnny, Jonathan.....Just John. Thank YOU Angie for John. He's all boy. Basically boy on the inside coverd up with more boy on the outside. I love that he loves swords and guns.
Angie said it best today when she said that we do everything together and that's what makes our family ours. We love being around eachother , and although short breaks are nice there is nothing more comforting than being with the people who love you the most in the whole world.
Dad

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Good News/Bad News


Today has been an interesting day. Emotionally it has been a little wearing. As you can see by the picture above, Kylie got her ears pierced yesterday. I think they are sooooo cute!!!! It makes her look a bit older, though. She did really well, but she was scared. Caitlyn had a follow up pulmonary function test today with her allergist, and she did great! So well, in fact, that the allergist said we could try and wean her off of her steroids. This is a huge blessing for us. Not only because the steroids are expensive, but because we've come so far in being able to control her asthma. Caitlyn can run and play just like any other kid now! That's such an answer to prayer! We heard from Lori in Oregon today, and Jeremy and I decided not to pursue that placement. There are several things that don't feel right about the situation, and some personality and behavior issues that we think would be more than a challenge to blend into our family. We don't like having to turn them down, but at the same time we know that God has a special child or children picked out just for us, and He'll let us know when we've found them. Jeremy and I have been thinking about opening our home to foster care, since we are already licensed for it. We can still look for an adoptive placement while we have a foster placement. We started this whole process to help a child, and we have yet to be able to do that. If we do foster care in the meantime, while looking for an adoptive placement, we'll be helping. We're going to call our agency tomorrow and discuss this with them. Just keep praying that God will continually lead us. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Day Three of Project Aunt Andrea


Andrea and I took the kids to Maymont Park yesterday. The weather was decent, a little windy though. We saw animals and had lunch in the Japanese garden by the coi fish pond, and even took a side trip to feed the geese at Byrd Park. The kids were lucky enough to get to see two newborn sets of goats, and a hawk up close and personal, thanks to some park employees. I think John's favorite part was feeding the goats! We had a great time, and it was such a blessing to watch Andrea and the kids together. Today we are planning to take Kylie to get her ears pierced! She's been holding onto her birthday money, so she could do it when Aunt Andrea was here. We're hoping to finally hear from Lori in Oregon today or tomorrow. Please keep praying! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Rea's here at last!!

Need I say more?

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Update on the Adoption


I'm loving the weather today! It is in the 60's and not a cloud in the sky! I promised I would post today about the new developments with the adoption. things are complicated as always, but it definitely looks like we are moving in the right direction. On Thursday the 22nd, we got call from our adoption worker, Katie, saying that she had received a call back from a worker in Oregon, Lori, about a boy named Trenton. this was big news for us, because we always seem to be doing the calling. And the only time we usually get a call back is when they tell us that they've picked another family. Lori was wondering if we were still interested in Trenton and Katie immediately told her, "YES!" Trenton is 8 or 9, and when we inquired about him several months back when we first were approved for our Foster Care/Adoption license, I remember that he had flaming red hair! Well, Lori wanted to talk with Jeremy and I herself, so Katie gave her our contact info. Katie saidLori would probably be calling us on Friday, but possibly Monday. All last week passed and we never heard from Lori. This past Thursday Katie called her to see why she hadn't called and was told that Lori was on vacation till March 6th! While that explained why she hadn't called, it still didn't fix the anxiousness I've been feeling, eager to talk to her. In the meantime, we received a call from our agency, asking us if we could take a respite placement. Respite is when you take care of a foster child for a short period of time to give their foster parents a break. Pretty much like babysitting. Jeremy and I had already said that we were open to respite placements, so we agreed. The respite placement is a 6 yr old boy, and we would only have him one Saturday a month for starters. This may pose a problem if we end up getting Trenton, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, we're trying to wait patiently till we hear from Lori, and not get our hopes up too much. Well, I'm off to pick up Andrea from the airport soon!! Yippee! I'm so excited, and I can't wait! Can you tell? We love you all! Thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these.

Friday, March 2, 2007

The New Knutson Update Online

I did it! I figured this whole blogging thing out! I'm excited because I think this will be a great way to continue to keep everyone up-to-date on the happenings at the Knutson household. Today, I am getting a breather in between visiting family. My sister, Andrea flies in tomorrow for a week of fun! Jeremy's mom and his sister just left yesterday after a week long visit. It was nice to spend that time with them, since it is scarce. The kids had a blast while Grandma Knutson was here, especially during our day showing Grandma, Aunt Sasha, and her boyfriend Jake around Washington DC. We did have one mishap in the city. While the kids and I were waiting for Jeremy to finish a very cool Simulator Ride at the Air & Space Museum, John managed to pull a wobbly wooden podium down on his head. At first I thought it just scared him, but soon realized that the blood dripping on my shirt was coming from his head! It wasn't bad enough to warrant stitches, and once we got it cleaned up he was ready to get back to our DC adventure. We did get to see the basement nurse's station at the Air & Space Museum. They had cool charts of the human body that the girls thought were pretty neat. :) Tomorrow, I'll post about the new happenings with the adoption. I love you and miss you all! As one of my favorite authors, Karen Kingsbury, always says, "and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed me with these".