Well, we have successfully made it through our first "Mommy is so sick she can't do anything but sleep" experience. Yes, I had the worst ear infection I have ever experienced in my life (before you start calling me a wimp - the ENT said the same thing! :) ). So Patrick had to play Super Dad for a good part of the last week. I am finally able to hear out of right ear (the one that was infected). It was so swollen that the entire side of my face and neck were visibly swollen too! Anyways, I won't go into detail about the fun stuff draining the whole time and will just leave it at this: that was AWFUL!
But in their usual way, everyone stepped up to the plate to make sure we (Patrick and I and the boys) were well taken care of. I continue to be thankful every day for the support we have surrounding us. God has taken such good care of us and despite the ear infection I never thought I would live through (I am NOT being dramatic!) He shows us that He is going to continue to take care of us!
As far as news about the boys are concerned, your guess is as good as mine. The boys have a new case worker and our case worker is still out on maternity leave. We haven't had an update about the boys' families' home studies since the middle of January. We keep asking for an update, but it seems to be on the bottom of the list. So we keep praying for some positive results for these boys and keep moving forward on blind faith. We have had these little guys for 2 1/2 months and we are certainly in love! We couldn't wish for anything but the best for them. On another note, the youngest turns 1 year old on Saturday! We are excited to help him celebrate this milestone! He also moved up to the 1 year old room at day care now....he is eating all table food and no more formula. You can see how he is growing and developing every day. He seems like such a smart baby.
The oldest is going to have to go in for some dental work this next month. Because of his age and likelihood to not cooperate any other way, he will have to be sedated while the dentist puts some caps on his teeth and does some other cleaning. This is a little scary for us just because he will be sedated and that is always a big deal. But we have every confidence God will continue to keep his hands on these children and protect them throughout. The only other thing that kinda stinks is Medicaid won't pay for the white caps - only the stainless steal ones - and the teeth that need to be capped are on his front FOUR top teeth. Poor little guy! I told Patrick we will just tell him its his bling for his grill and hopefully that will make it better! :) Ok, not really, but I do hate that he can't have the better caps. At least these are just for his baby teeth and not permanent teeth.
We continue to have lots of visitors to our home - 1 almost every week. Between attorneys, CASA volunteers (whom we love! Their CASA worker is WONDERFUL!) and case workers, its almost like we have a revolving door on the front of our house. But such is the life of foster parents. We have attended our first Foster Parent Association meeting and it was very interesting to meet other foster parents. We also have to make sure we keep our education hours up to date so these meetings give us credit for those hours. It works out pretty well!
Otherwise, we are settling in to our routine pretty nicely and hoping for every minute we can get with these little guys. God Bless!
The Pringle Jr's
Photo Credit: Jeanna Cater
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Our First Road Trip
Well, we took our first official road trip with kids this last weekend! I was looking forward to this weekend because we were going to Austin to see my Daddy and Diane, but also so they could meet these adorable boys we have had with us for the last almost two months. But the other reason I was looking forward to this weekend was being able to have our own "family road trip" stories to share. With my grandparents in various places around TX while I was growing up, we always had fun stories about road trips, songs we sang (I wish I could remember them all!) and those ever so numerous stories about "he's touching me" and "I have to go to the bathroom" a million different times over and over again! :)
So we got on the road about 4:30. I thought I had everything we could possibly need for the trip down and back. We had toys, movies, the cool DVD player Fern and Meg got us, all kinds of treats and juice and pillows and blankets. We were going to be well taken care of. Except, I forgot the little things, like a trash bag and I packed WAY too much food and too many toys - go figure! :) We stopped for dinner in Hillsboro and had some wonderfully healthy McDonalds (listen, you do what you can!). With both boys fed, we proceeded to the car to continue our journey southward. That's when we realized our first major "oops" of the trip was not making a bottle for the youngest one instead of making a sippee cup. So 30 minutes later we pulled in to the Czech Stop in West and bought some water and milk to make a bottle - the screaming was instantly ceased! Amazing! :) Then about an hour later, we had to stop for gas - and diaper changes - and don't even think I was about to take those boys into those restrooms for diaper changes - nope, we did it in the car right there at the pump! I am a diaper ninja!
About 9:30, we pulled in to Daddy and Diane's driveway! Whew! We made it! We came in for a few minutes of introductions and some unavoidable playing and getting riled up before bed. Patrick magically figured out how to put the pack and play together for the youngest and we put the boys to bed by 11:00 - a bit later than usual...but that usually means they sleep longer the next morning. We all retired to bed for a restful nights sleep....well, everyone else did. I was up all night with a stomach bug. A stomach bug that still hasn't gone all the way away. So it turns out I was pretty much useless all weekend long. Patrick played Super Daddy all weekend chasing the boys and keeping them entertained with Daddy and Diane and family. (I still haven't figured out how to pay him back for all he did this weekend - he was simply wonderful!) But the boys seemed to have a really good time.
Deeda (that's the grandparent name my Daddy chose) and Diane kept those boys busy with all kinds of "country" entertainment - watering the garden, running around the yard, playing basketball and skating in the garage to feeding the cows and watching the birds eat out of the birdhouse. Of course they also got to watch whatever they wanted to and had plenty of pancakes, hotdogs, mac and cheese (homemade - not the boxed kind) hamburgers, strawberry shortcake and milk and juice! After two days of all this goodness, I am surprised they will even consider eating my cooking - or the food i get already prepared I mean. :)
We made sure to wear these little ones out as much as possible all weekend long and got on the road to come back home about 11:30. The youngest had a family visit that night and we needed to be back home in time for CPS to pick him up. So we said some tearful goodbyes to Deeda and Diane and head out northward. We expected a similar trip home to the one we had coming down. But God was truly with us because both boys slept all the way through to Waco (mommy did too!). We stopped in Waco for some lunch and were home by 3:30! The trip back home was MUCH better!
So we learned a few good lessons about road tripping with kids and we get to start our own list of road trip stories where I am sure there will be many more to come! :)
Many blessings to you all as you have been to us!
So we got on the road about 4:30. I thought I had everything we could possibly need for the trip down and back. We had toys, movies, the cool DVD player Fern and Meg got us, all kinds of treats and juice and pillows and blankets. We were going to be well taken care of. Except, I forgot the little things, like a trash bag and I packed WAY too much food and too many toys - go figure! :) We stopped for dinner in Hillsboro and had some wonderfully healthy McDonalds (listen, you do what you can!). With both boys fed, we proceeded to the car to continue our journey southward. That's when we realized our first major "oops" of the trip was not making a bottle for the youngest one instead of making a sippee cup. So 30 minutes later we pulled in to the Czech Stop in West and bought some water and milk to make a bottle - the screaming was instantly ceased! Amazing! :) Then about an hour later, we had to stop for gas - and diaper changes - and don't even think I was about to take those boys into those restrooms for diaper changes - nope, we did it in the car right there at the pump! I am a diaper ninja!
About 9:30, we pulled in to Daddy and Diane's driveway! Whew! We made it! We came in for a few minutes of introductions and some unavoidable playing and getting riled up before bed. Patrick magically figured out how to put the pack and play together for the youngest and we put the boys to bed by 11:00 - a bit later than usual...but that usually means they sleep longer the next morning. We all retired to bed for a restful nights sleep....well, everyone else did. I was up all night with a stomach bug. A stomach bug that still hasn't gone all the way away. So it turns out I was pretty much useless all weekend long. Patrick played Super Daddy all weekend chasing the boys and keeping them entertained with Daddy and Diane and family. (I still haven't figured out how to pay him back for all he did this weekend - he was simply wonderful!) But the boys seemed to have a really good time.
Deeda (that's the grandparent name my Daddy chose) and Diane kept those boys busy with all kinds of "country" entertainment - watering the garden, running around the yard, playing basketball and skating in the garage to feeding the cows and watching the birds eat out of the birdhouse. Of course they also got to watch whatever they wanted to and had plenty of pancakes, hotdogs, mac and cheese (homemade - not the boxed kind) hamburgers, strawberry shortcake and milk and juice! After two days of all this goodness, I am surprised they will even consider eating my cooking - or the food i get already prepared I mean. :)
We made sure to wear these little ones out as much as possible all weekend long and got on the road to come back home about 11:30. The youngest had a family visit that night and we needed to be back home in time for CPS to pick him up. So we said some tearful goodbyes to Deeda and Diane and head out northward. We expected a similar trip home to the one we had coming down. But God was truly with us because both boys slept all the way through to Waco (mommy did too!). We stopped in Waco for some lunch and were home by 3:30! The trip back home was MUCH better!
So we learned a few good lessons about road tripping with kids and we get to start our own list of road trip stories where I am sure there will be many more to come! :)
Many blessings to you all as you have been to us!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Still Kickin'
Hey all! I haven't posted in a while mostly because there hasn't been anything too exciting to post about. Right now we continue to get better and better at our routine as these boys are growing and changing every day. And of course they are teaching us and helping us to grow every day as well! :)
We continue to take things one day at a time as far as where things stand with CPS. We are going to attend our first Tarrant County Foster Parent Association meeting on Valentine's Day. This is a great way for us to get to know other foster parents in our area as well as learn more about being a foster parent. It is also a good way for us to earn continuing education credits as we make sure we are able to renew our license at the end of the year. We are hoping this will be a positive experience for us and ensure we won't have to spend too much time in the PRIDE training again! :)
On another very positive note, our friend Elizabeth got a placement tonight - the first since this last October 2008! She was placed with a little 8 month old girl this evening! We are very excited for her and this little one and will be sure to keep them both in our prayers.
Till we hear any more news, we thank you again for your prayers and support. :)
We continue to take things one day at a time as far as where things stand with CPS. We are going to attend our first Tarrant County Foster Parent Association meeting on Valentine's Day. This is a great way for us to get to know other foster parents in our area as well as learn more about being a foster parent. It is also a good way for us to earn continuing education credits as we make sure we are able to renew our license at the end of the year. We are hoping this will be a positive experience for us and ensure we won't have to spend too much time in the PRIDE training again! :)
On another very positive note, our friend Elizabeth got a placement tonight - the first since this last October 2008! She was placed with a little 8 month old girl this evening! We are very excited for her and this little one and will be sure to keep them both in our prayers.
Till we hear any more news, we thank you again for your prayers and support. :)
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