A little birdie flew into our lives

Our sweet Little Bird has been with us for 14 days. In that time we have learned a thing or two. I'm not saying we know everything - but we kinda do.

We have compiled a summary of astute observations that we noticed as we've "mastered" parenting.

1. You go through a large quantity of paper towels
2. You can justify lying "We don't have anymore cookies. You ate them all." (there are 10 more in the pantry.)
3. Your brain forgets everything in the home is now childproof and you do a lot of pulling and yelling at the cabinet doors.
4. Cheerios are like Gremlins. Every night they multiply and there are more of them in random places 
5. The level of hygiene decreases dramatically
6. Chuck E Cheese is the socioeconomic crossroads of America
7. You secretly hope the child wakes up so you can play 
8. You feel like a stand-up comedian trying out your new material in hopes of getting a laugh or two
9. Your lower back hurts - all the time
10. Belly buttons are hilarious
11. Baby finger nails are razor sharp (and especially painful in belly buttons and nostrils)
12. My husband does a killer Elmo impression
13. You will compromise safety and adjust your car rear-view mirror to get the perfect view of the child in your back seat
14. Food will end up on your clothes everyday... often without your knowledge
15. You will drink expired milk for two weeks because you are too exhausted to check the expiration date - even though you know it tastes funny. (Don't worry, the baby did not drink this spoiled milk. Just the adults)
16. Every morning, as you open your eyes, you question whether you've been drugged the night before
17. The washer will overheat any day now due to the significant increase of use
18. People are eager to help a child in need. It's been humbling.
19. I love my husband even more 
20. I adore every inch of this little 22lb human

Go time!

2 days later - just got the call. Should be here in an hour.
Please start praying for this child and her family. Pray healing. Pray for us.
More later...

Open for business

After 9 months of trainings, meetings, background checks and interviews, we are finally on the "open list" for accepting children from Child Protective Services.  That means we could get a phone call at anytime to place children in our home.

Quick Summary:

• We are officially licensed to care for two children between the ages of newborn - 5 years old. 
• In general, after we get the call confirming children are going to be placed with us, they will arrive in our home 2-5 hours later.
• It could be a few days or a few weeks before we get THE CALL.

After we get the placements, we'll update the blog so stay tuned.
Please pray. Pray hard. We believe God knows the names, faces and stories of the children that will be placed with us. We need lots of grace as we head into this.

Thank you for supporting us and the children who need our help.

Humbly,
Jak & Nick

Weekend fun

In an effort to get as prepared as we can, without knowing any gender or ages of the kids, we decided to grab a few items at the store. Most of our time was spent asking each other, "Will we need this?"

Exploring the isles of Babies R Us

Where are the non-Caucasian dolls located? Serious, what isle?

Our loot from our first shopping trip. Weak, I know.

And this is what $250 will get you. Wipes, hangers, a thermometer, car seat protector, sheets, laundry detergent, and sippy cups.

The Cheerful, Yellow Dresser

We needed a dresser that fit in the littles' room. As you know, we are going to be licensed for two children between the ages of newborn - 5 years. That could be a combo of a baby and a toddler, or two toddlers or a toddler and a kindergartner. And the kids will share a room. Optimizing space is key.

The dresser needs to work as storage for clothes and double as a changing table if some little babies are placed with us.

My sister battled it out at a Goodwill auction for us. She developed a bidding strategy and psyched out the other bidders to win this lovely dresser. As you can see from the photo, it has fantastic mid-century, tapered legs with brass feet.

Goodwill dresser

Sister, with the help of brother, delivered the dresser to our garage. Then we enlisted the family to help us refinish it. First they sanded the finish to rough it up a bit and take off the top layer of paint. Then they wiped it down with a wet cloth and painted the primmer on. (We did a couple coats of primer)

Once the primer was dry mom and sister painted the yellow.  Once the yellow was dry I wanted to add a shiny, lacquer like finished. My first attempt was with a clear spray lacquer. That turned out to be a complete waste of time because is was spotty and there was spray residue that I kept having to sand off.  I marched myself back up to the hardware store and bought a can of clear lacquer paint. I did a couple coats of that on the drawer faces and dresser. It turned out great.
Lesson learned - spray lacquer is no one's friend.

Mom painting those drawers

Sister working on the perfect sheen.

old legs, new legs

After researching the perfect height for a changing table according to Consumer Reports (between 36-44 inches), I decided we needed to boost the dresser up a few inches. With some internet stalking, I found this leg manufacturer and I purchased some taller legs and painted them the coordinating yellow. Then attached them to the finished dresser.

The old knobs had to go and so I found amazing white & black knobs that would tie into the room perfectly.  However, the screws were too long and the screws were attached to the knob. I couldn't go purchase new screws - so I had to bust out the Dremel. I donned the appropriate protective wear, attached the metal-cutting disks to the Dremel and went to town.

I mean business.

Sparks are flying.

You're toast, long screws.

Then we moved the dresser to the littles' room. Nick added a few nails to stabilize the dresser a bit.

Look at those babies!

TA DA!  Here's the final product in the kids' room. It's currently empty awaiting little clothes, socks and whatnot. I'm considering lining the drawers with a fun pattern. Any liner recommendations?

Here's the breakdown:

• Dresser: Goodwill
• Rotary sander: 80 grit and 200 grit disks
• Oil-based primer: oil based Zinsser Cover Stain
• Used both bristle brushes and small foam rollers for primer/paint. The roller was my favorite.
• Paint: Sherwin Williams color Cheerful
• Legs: Waddell Manufacturing
• Top coat: good ol' polyurethane 
• Dremel: #426 disks
• Knobs: Black and White Striped Knob, Anthropology (shout out to E who got me the hook up.)

Gift Card Shower

If you are reading this and you know some people getting ready to become foster parents (heck, even if they are already foster parents) throw them a Gift Card Shower.  It's a great idea and practical way to help them. Foster parents are in a unique position. They don't exactly know what the ages of the children that will be placed with them or the gender. It's hard to prepare for new kids when you don't know what to buy. You can't create a traditional registry because a car seat or high chair for one age is a totally different size for another age child. In addition, often times foster parents will send the child back home with all their new clothes and favorite toys -depleting the foster home's toy and clothes supply.

Solution? Gift Cards!!!

Community group ladies

Enter our church community group. Nick and I have "done life" with these couples for the last 6 years. We've been through pre-marital equipping classes, weddings, home purchases, babies and now fostering with these dear friends. They have prayed over and for us and are ready to battle along side us as we enter the fostering ministry. If you don't have a community group, stop right now and call your local church and ask them to put you in one. It will change your life and your view of the Christian community.

Remember this? They threw us a grew gift card shower and we were so humbled and blessed by the group of friends who turned out to support us.  Here are some pics of the swanky event.

People signed a framed mat with their wishes and prayers for the kids to hang in the littles' room.

Delicious cake. Cream cheese icing makes me weak in the knees.

Community group guys 

Unicorns

We have our stack of gift cards ready to be used when we get our first phone call for placements.
Our friends are the best!