What is a Lifebook?

I have been reading everything about adoption I can. I recently went through the books the library has and picked random titles. The one I am reading now is “Lifebooks Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child.” I have only read about half of it but it got me thinking. This would be a nice thing to make for our adopted children… including Gavin. He is at the age now where he is asking lots more questions and they get tougher and tougher. I almost always feel like I haven’t explained in a way he can understand or that I have said something I shouldn’t have. I think we all need something consistent to refer back to (especially because I am so scattered brained). The funny thing with Gav is that he knew he was adopted by Joe and he never seemed to care… then all of a sudden one day it was like he finally heard what we were saying and had a million questions. (That caught us off guard!) So maybe all this time he just didn’t understand what we were saying?! Anyway I am brainstorming ways to make this Lifebook thing work for him too. But it's already difficult. I have to deal with my feelings of guilt or insecurities in order to make this work... no one likes doing that. I want to put in child friendly facts and pictures… but when do you tell/add the not so pleasant details? Sometimes it feels like there isn’t another family in the world quite like ours or maybe I just need to get out more ;) Has anyone here made a Lifebook?

Did someone say Christmas?

A few days ago the Fam and I were in Kroger. While walking past the Halloween diabetes isle ;) we were shocked to see… a CHRISTMAS TREE! Wow! Already?! I am not happy with the manager who has decided to torment me. Fall/Winter weather does not come fast enough for me! I started humming Christmas songs about a week ago… that’s earlier than normal. Usually I don’t start until Halloween. So to celebrate the “season” (thanks to Kroger’s  Christmas tree) I baked chocolate chip cookies and the kids and I watched Elf! Yeah, we’re that cool… or not. It’s stinking hot still. I miss Alaska.

*Update* I wrote that two days ago and did not publish it. Yesterday was a LOVELY Fall day so we took a day trip to Land Between the Lakes and hiked a 2 mile trail. IT WAS WONDERFUL! Today's weather is even better. What are your kids going to be for halloween? 

Little Love Testing

I have been sewing like crazy! I can't wait to get our fund raising up and running. The Little Loves are in their final stages of testing as shown here... we are also working on designing shirts to have printed or print ourselves... anyone else print their own shirts? How difficult is it? Anyone know someone who can print them for a good price? :) Enjoy the pictures... I know Arwen enjoyed testing the hair bows... for about 30 minutes actually!

Attempt 1 to rip off petals

2nd attempt

Maybe if I slams them together?

This one took a beating!

HULK SMASH!

Looks like they will hold guys! (mean face)

It's a slow morning. Let's make butter!

So I do not sleep well ever but lately I have been suffering from insomnia... self diagnosis! So the other morning I woke up terribly irritable and just plain tired.  I needed the kids to entertain themselves while I made tea to wake up... not likely to happen... so I gave them baby food jars with a little heavy cream in them and we MADE BUTTER! I added garlic powder to one, nothing to another, and cinnamon and vanilla to the other... don't add vanilla it won't turn to butter... then you will find a kid with cream all over her lips because if you can't have butter you might as well drink the cream! HAHAHA! They were greatly entertained for at least an hour... I had plenty of time to wake up and prepare myself for another day in the Waarvik household!

Macy breaks to check the progress

Shake it baby!

'SEE Ma?!'

Can you see the lump of butter?

Can you guess who drank the cream instead?

Arwen sharing her cup while the other kids jump and shake and dance

Have you got it?

So I am addicted to learning more about adoption and have read just about everything our library has to offer... that's not saying much. They hardly had a thing on adoption and even less on international adoption. And most of the stuff I did read wasn't worth it (some writers are just so darn negative). ANYWAY I was hoping some of my blog readers could help... I bet some of you have great books or magazines on Adoption (specifically International adoption but domestic is great too as we have one son that has already started asking questions I have great difficulty answering) that you would be willing to let me borrow ;) Please let me know if you do!
Alice


February 2011 update: I found a good book about Lifebooks and am now making one for Gavin. I am now reading Attaching in Adoption and LOVE it! And while Fields of the Fatherless isn't quite what I was talking about it is a great book!

Praise God

Sallee and her family got their referral! Praise God! Another child will be home with his forever family soon. We are filled with so much joy for them! Congrats Couch family!


Our adoption journey has hit a huge speed bump... sooo we may be moving back to the Alaskan Bush next school year if things plan out... and if that is really where God wants us. At least for a few years anyway... then I hope to head back to the road system but who knows! God works in mysterious ways ay?!

More pictures

I added some of the babes... gotta add some of the big kids too! These kids crack me up!

Yes. This is Hitler.

Molly and Lilly @ Katie's b-day party!

Chocolate pudding makes kids crazy

it took her like 20 minutes to eat this half!

Arwen Pictures

Arwen is getting so big! She's crawling, standing, and has 2 teeth (with 2 more coming in). She has the greatest funny faces and is hungry ALL the time! I haven't shared any pictures in quite some time so here are a few of our big girl...

HEY Papa!

She LOVES to eat our food!

Arwen licking her toes... a favorite pass time

so sweet

My Mean Girl

this is what happens when you have a crazy kid and a distracted momma!

and again in the same day!

Where's Arwen?! Who? Me?!