Thanks
Posted on: July 30, 2009
I just want to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.
Also, I want to thank a few people who have encouraged me – M&M, B.G., Joe, and my kids.
If you are a new reader it is recommended that you start with my first post and work your way back to the most current.
Poll
Posted on: June 23, 2010
What do you think of midlife crisis’? Are they real? Have you had one? Give me the scoop!
31 Hanging in day by day
Posted on: June 22, 2010
So, the days passed. And I hadn’t miscarried yet. We were starting to believe that this pregnancy was going to last. Can you believe it? We just adopted 4 kids and NOW we were having a successful pregnancy!?! What are the odds? Well, if you tell people they always seem to say “Isn’t that always the way?” Statistically it is more uncommon. But let people believe what they will.
Day after day. Day after day. Yes, this pregnancy was lasting. We had ultrasounds. Things were progressing nicely. But let’s really think about this. I couldn’t handle 4 kids. What was I doing? The thought of giving birth to my own biological child was so thrilling it didn’t even matter. But every day with the other 4 children was such a struggle.
30 Sharing the news
Posted on: December 3, 2009
So that night there was a party over at Jo and Vincent’s for Matthew and Mary’s birthday’s. We went over not knowing if we should share our news or not. I have never been really patient. Joe and I decided to leave at one point to run to the store for something. While we were there we bought 5 carnations – one blue, 3 pink, and 1 white. We went back to the party, walked in and handed the flowers to my mom. My dad figured it out first. I looked at his face and tears were starting to well up in his eyes. When it finally registered with my mom I think she went into shock. My grandma and grandpa were there too. My grandma couldn’t believe it.
But would I miscarry again?
29 What the H***!?!
Posted on: December 2, 2009
So, Jo is pregnant. But, am I? Joe and I buy a pregnancy test that very night. The next morning I run downstairs to the bathroom. We’ll leave out a few details here. I wait the wait. I have waited this wait way too many times. And every time I do this I come out of the bathroom depressed. Not this time! This time I look at the test and see the positive. I start shaking uncontrollably. I walked upstairs where Joe was still slumbering. I wake him with what must have been the biggest grin I have ever grinned. Tears run down his face. It has finally happened! Joe and I are expecting our very own baby.
But wait – this has happened before. Yes, twice before. This time felt different. This time there was no clomid, no injections, no pressure. We already had 4 kids.
OMIGOD – I was pregnant. What the H***!?!
We were out at my mom’s celebrating her birthday. It was November. We had officially been parents for 2 months. Vincent and Jo and their 3 kids were out there also. That is when Jo and Vincent told us the news…they were expecting child number 4. WHAT????????? I know I now had 4 kids of my own but it just wasn’t fair that she was pregnant again! I wanted to be pregnant! And it was that time that my mouth opened and out came the words – I hope you get a Michael. (At this point Michael was known as a very very hyper child.) I still apologize to Jo for saying that to her. I wasn’t trying to be malicious. I was just jealous. The worst part of it was that I was sitting there wondering if I too was pregnant. I was late and even though I had four I was still hoping.
27 More supporting cast
Posted on: November 30, 2009
You have already met Tony and Gigi and their kids. Now you must meet the Mud Cousins (watch the blog for an explanation on that name).
I have a brother and sister-in-law with 4 kids. My brother’s name is Vincent. His wife’s name is Josephine (Jo for short). Their oldest child is Matthew – he is now 15 (same as Ann). Then there is Emma – 13 (same as Alex). Next is Mary – 11 (she falls right between Jean and Michael). And finally, Jacob – 5.
They live about 3 blocks from us. They carpool to school. They hang out. It’s unbelievable how close they all are.
So one day I was scrubbing my kitchen floors (I think that was the last time I attempted that). The phone – the phone was ringing. It was the kids’ foster mom. I sat down to chat with her and the kids took over what I was doing. Before you know it there was water running all over. All I needed was a lamp post and an umbrella and was suddenly Gene Autry. I was singing in the rain. Although the rain wasn’t coming from above it was just flowing all over below. How was I ever going to get this mess cleaned up? Did I actually have enough towels to sop up a whole kitchen and hallway? It was probably at this point that I decided I was better off doing the work myself. Although I will say now before God and everyone that I am a control freak. But if I let them do it their way it was going to create much more work for me. It’s easier to house break a dog than it is to house break these kids. UGH!
25 Learning about bedtime
Posted on: October 1, 2009
So, I start my life with 4 kids. We start getting into a daily routine. The trips to all the fun places are over – thus the honeymoon has ended. What the hell do I know about raising kids? About the same as any other new parent – maybe a little less. But when you bring a baby home from the hospital they don’t have the ability to move around like 4-8 year olds do. When you put them to bed they stay there. They may scream but they stay in bed. Now i’ve got all these kids I have to bathe and get to bed. I soon learn that bedtime sucks. At the time Joe was working second shift and I was working first shift. That meant getting these 4 kids to bed was all my responsibility. How do you get kids to stay in bed? How do you get them to be quiet. Will they ever go to sleep? I just wanted a bit of quiet time before heading off to work the next day.
At the time we lived in a cape cod home. The kids slept on the main level and Joe and I had a room upstairs. So the kids would sneak out of their rooms and watch the TV that I was watching. They would get up and pester me about all kinds of things. I was losing my patience – and fast!
24 Meet some more of the cast
Posted on: September 27, 2009
I think this is a wonderful time to take a moment to introduce some people in our lives that play an important role in everything.
First, you should meet our friends Gigi and Tony. They are our very best friends and they have been there to help us through all of this. I have known Gigi my entire life but we didn’t become close friends until about 10 years ago. Gigi married Tony. Joe and Tony are both Italian and have many family similarities. Gigi and Tony have 2 children – McKenzie (she is 10) and Dominic (he is 7). Gigi and Tony threw us a wonderful adoption shower. Then they made us an awesome video from the shower. They supported us through the 2 miscarriages. They encouraged us every step of the way through the adoption.
23 The first week or two
Posted on: September 25, 2009
It was September of 2003. At the beginning of that year I never imagined that I would be the mother of 4 children by the end of the year. But here I was.
Joe and I took some time off work to spend with the kids the first week or two. We spent a lovely day at Great Wolf Lodge (an indoor waterpark). We spent the weekend camping where we got to do our first trick or treat camping. We also spent a day at the zoo. And somewhere in there we had a party so everyone could meet our new kids.
A funny story about the party – my mom purchased cute little dresses for Ann, Alex, and Jean. She bought them matching dresses. We have a picture that completely expresses how Alex feels about matching clothes. She looks absolutely PISSED!
Anyhow, they were spoiled and showered with gifts. I guess when babies get all kinds of presents it is okay because they don’t realize all the “stuff” they are getting. When you spoil the older kids it just sets them up for disappoint in the future when the all the gifts and spoiling are over.
Never Ask Why - Life With 6 Kids 
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