Room Sharing - 3 boys

I have to say the number one hardest thing we have encountered adopting 4 kids in the last few years was trying to figure out bedrooms, clothing storage and sleeping arrangements.

When we were preparing to bring Cav and Fei home - we made her room up in the darling mermaid sea life - and Cav was in the room with Brahm

For that year Cav rotated between the room with Brahm and our bedroom (Cav roamed the halls at night and would either wake everyone up or steal us blind.)

When we were in process for Tao, we put a tiny toddler bed in with Fei and it again was so cute!!

Because of the continued problems with Cav and no one sleeping we tried Fei in with Brahm (he had a bunkbed and a trundle), and Cav by himself in his own room and Tao in our bedroom.

Then the biggest mistake of our lives we put Cav and Fei in a room together (she snores rather loudly and was keeping Brahm and Tao up ugh .  .  .  .  Cav basically spent the entire time brainwashing her to steal for him, and that no one in the family loved her.  I am sad to say it took us about 6 mos to catch on and another almost 18 mos to get her back.  (I hesitate mentioning this but unfortunately his teacher has witnessed him doing the same to some of the children at school who are more needy in spirit.)

SO…..

We emptied my hubby's loft study (upstairs) put up curtains and made it into a darling room just for her.  It has made a huge difference and I believe we finally have our girl back.

The little boys room had the pottery barn bunks we had found on craigslist.

When Dawson came home we just put him on the unused top bunk.  Although he is small, he weighs a ton, and every time he would turn it would wake Brahm up and eventually Tao - grrr seriously people.

Since Dawson is older and well, used to kids from orphanages we tried him in Cav's room.

Yeah - today we found that Cav stole all of Dawson's Christmas presents and either ate or broke them.

So as I was talking to my hubby about what to do, it dawned on me the bunks were originally made to be separated!!

I had my big kids help me and with a few rearrangements this is what we came up with.  I LOVE it!  and I think - HOPE, PRAY this will be the final arrangement for a bit LOL!

Luckily, our rooms in the house are large, unfortunately the closets are small and the number of bedrooms are few - BUT I have resigned myself that Cav MUST have a room to himself for the mental safety of our other kids.   Luckily, we finally have an appt with someone to help us with him in just about 2 weeks.

Light during the holidays

I think our bio kids are tired - it has been 3 Christmas interrupted with adoption stuff.

They remember the Christmas's we used to have, hoards of presents - every new item imaginable.  Not because we were wealthy but because we spent all year saving up and shopping sales.  We always also adopted a family we gave to - it was our excuse to feel better about our blessings.

Then we traveled over 2 holidays and last year was just a disaster.

So I sat here trying to make it up to them, buying, buying, volunteering, spending.

And then it hit me the other night as we drove through town, sipping our starbucks treat and looking at the lights.  It's the little things, the wonder, the experience, the proof there is still hope in this world.

So we cherished each gasp from our 4 year old as the lights flashed and twinkled.  We paired that with explanations of how it worked for our newly home 12 year old.  Children all through the car shouting look, look here.

Seven children and 16 years of parenting have softened me to a degree.

This old controlling mom would never have caved and not only made gingerbread play dough from scratch BUT ran all over town so they had play dough rollers and tools so they could finally play with it at home!  Our double 12 year olds playing along side the baby - playing and creating, running to show me their newest project.

It's our 16 year old helping at the preschool party - making his own gingerbread cookie.  The gifts may be different but I have to believe that these are the things that he will carry with him as he enters the world.

Going anywhere during the holidays can be crazy but the world seems to slow just a tiny bit as we walk past, people stop to smile at our deeply dimpled joy, our tiny princess and the rest of the clan.  We pray that as they see our children they remember that God uses the broken to do his work.  That He reaches into the farthest corners of the world and brings hope.