too cute to pass up!

My Aunt Cindi had this photo posted on her face book. I had to steal it and post it here. Her children Paul, Joy (my favorite babysitter ever!) and David along with Dominique. I think Dominique was about 4 years old in the picture.

bonding over basket ball

Dominique and Lij played a rousing game of b-ball. Lij loves his big brother!!!

wanna share my lolly-pop?

Dominique had a lolly-pop until the Burrito saw...then they had to share...

Thanks giving 2008

bummer...had to call the plumber...

So we had to call the plumber. He is on his way out and PROMISED I would have full use of the kitchen in time to save Thanksgiving...

As if I needed one more thing!

picture this....7pm Tuesday nght.
you go down to the laundry room in the basement and find...
A smell
A horrible smell, like burning hair or something equally awful.
what in the world could it be? no smoke...good! no fire...good.
where is it coming from...
turn off the furnace....just in case...cuz blowing up the house on the eve of the eve of thanksgiving is not on my list of things I'd like to do...
what ever possessed me to open the basement bathroom door is beyonde me. but I did. what I found was horrible. gross. discusting. and whew! not poop. thank goodness for THAT! (the no poop part)
Did I say...
Sludge, black, slimmy, sticky, smelly, nasty sludge. everywhere.
where did it come from? is there more, cuz if so, I am out of here!
Investigation ensues. clean up to follow.
Note! read instructions completely before using professional drain cleaner. it is never good to use it first and then as an after thought read. "cover drain with a screen after adding cleaner as explosion may occur in the drain." WHAT!!!!?????
Talk about Duck and cover.
whew! thank goodness said explosion never happened. But let me tell you I was SCARED!!! Who wants that nasty sludge dripping off their head? NOT ME!
2 hours later....
smells more like an indoor pool. Thank the good Lord for the person who invented bleach!
Now for the test...
run upstairs turn on the dishwasher.
STOP!!!!!!! bubbles arising. EEEWWWWW
bail out the gunk-dump it in the toilet-flush
test two. run upstairs turn on the garbage disposal and water.
STOP!!!!!! more bubbles more rising. more bailing, dumping and flushing. EEEWWW!
test 3. other side of sink. same result.
GREAT. can't use the kitchen. Call Philip....yay! he is coming home for Thanksgiving and will look at it as soon as he gets into town.
shower...cuz that was just discusting!
fast forward to the morning....
wash dishes from last night and today in the bathtub...not fun!
3:15 Philip arrives and I begin to fervently pray the God in Heaven will direct his genius and help him fix my plumbing so I can make thanksgiving dinner....he is down stairs as I type working working working! While I sit up here. PRAYING!

thanks...GIVING

I love this time of year. First, fall is my MOST favorite time of year. The leaves and their brilliance floating gracefully towards the ground. The smell of burning leaves and fire places wafting through the air. The air turning crisp so it cools your insides when you take a deep breath. Wearing big soft sweatshirts and cozy slippers. I Love it, LOVE IT!
Also this is the time of year we begin the great giving project. My kids go through all their clothing and toys. Anything we don't/can't wear, anything we no longer use. We clean up real nice, pack it up and drive it to the local homeless shelters. There are so many out there who need...ALOT!
Also, at church we spend the month of Novemeber collecting food for families who need. Yesterday after morning church we stayed and sorted and bagged up all the food. The Royal Rangers are in charge of the food project. Howard has quite the system going, complete with mathematical equations to ensure each family gets the perfect portion for size...I love it! The kids take a family and bags and begin filling the bags. Soon the entire floor is covered with over flowing bags of groceries for families who NEED. We always include a card of love and greeting and encouragement. Cover all the bags with prayer. This week those bags will be lovingly delivered to families. Families for whatever reason....need someone to God's hand extended. The kids all had a blast working together. Wish my camera was not broken, I would have taken pictures.
There are so many things I am thankful for. One of them is the giving spirit growing inside the hearts of each of my little monsters. Cuz somedays, they are a bit more angelic than monster-like.

ugh! I am not a shopper!

My brother gave me a gift card for my birthday with strict instructions to spend it on myself NOT the Monsters. He knows me well!
I HATE shopping, most especially for clothing for me. Don't get me wrong, given the money, I would shop all day long for gifts for others. But necessity shopping like groceries, clothing or the dreaded undergarment....forget it! I'd just as soon wear rags than endure that!
BUT, since my brother was so thoughtful and so specific about what to spend it on. I fought the urge to buy Madison undergarments, and Dom jeans, socks and boxers, and Lij jeans and...and...and...took a deep breath sucked it up and entered the womens department.
Searching searching searching. Oh yes, I found a multitude of lovely articles tossing each one over my arm lugging them around. trying to remember what color of pants I already have that are not too terribly worn and tattered so I can purchase tops to match. After what seemed like an eternity I dragged my weary self into the dressing room. (here is where having a girlfriend or cousin along would have been handy and possibly even fun, did I say fun and shopping in the same story??) SICK!
Lets just say, gravity age and um 7 children have done this old body NO favors. I am seriously thinking extreme body shaping classes may have to be in my future, but in reality who has time for THAT?. Who knew you could have rolls of chub in such odd places? EEEWWWWW. I hated everything. I have decided something else too...I am renewing my quest for a preventive medicine double mastectomy. By the time I finished the whole 'trying on and tossing' process. I felt like I was swimming...no, drowning in the refuse of misfits and illfitting clothing. Do designers live on a different planet than me? Or am I all alone in the battle of extra fluff?
Bonus I did find a pair of cords and a pair of jeans that have a slimming effect. (no, really it says that on the tag). It must be true cuz I wore the cords to church and a couple people asked if I had lost weight....maybe I should go back and buy one of each color. The only thing I am afraid of is all my chub squeezing up and out over the top of the sliming pants. I mean where does it go when it is 'slimmed' anyway? then I would have a new problem, how to control the overflow?
I FINALLY found 3 outits I thought were not half bad. Paid and RAN for my dear life!
Thanks Philip for the gift. I do appreciate it, I just don't appreciate the process. :0)

pizza followed by some peace and quiet...

AAAHHHHHAAAAHHHH
That could be all I have to say right at the moment. But then you all would be scratching your heads saying what in the world is she talking about??? So I will begin there...AAAAHHHHAAAAHHHHH
Now I will explain. When the monsters got home from school, I had them use the bathroom wash hands and load up the van. We went into town to CICI's pizza for some dinner. If you have never heard of them, they have just about any kind of pizza you could imagine, salad and some pastas. It is buffet style, now usually I am NOT a fan of Buffet style eating, but this is the exception. It is the ONE time I get the kind of pizza I like. Everyone gets what they like and everyone is happy. NICE!
After haveing filled all our bellies with as much pizza as possible we were off to do a quick run through HYVEE to pick up a few odd ball things I forgot to pick up earlier in the week.
THEN....against our better judgement we dropped Maditude off at church to attend a girls only activity. I say against our better judgement not because of WHAT she is doing but because of all the issues we have been dealing with here lately... BUT, if I had any question in my mind about the rationalality of the decision it all made sense within 2 blocks from church....peace...beautiful peace filled the van...even though there were still 5 monsters riding along it was quiet, peaceful, and well....NICE. We could hear eachother speak and understand what everyone was saying, we could even hear the songs playing on the radio. Madison LOVES chaos. She lives it, breathes it, and thrives in the midst of it. The rest of us? Not so much!!
We will pick her up from the church in the morning. When we will all be rested and ready for a new storm of chaos to ensue. Until then, aaaaahhhhhhh peace and quiet will be enjoyed by all who dwell here!
PS....just in case you were wondering....YES I DO LOVE MADISON!!! So please do not go there! ;0)

drops in their buckets

We are but drops in the buckets of our children and youth. My heart has been heavy for the children for some time now. I find myself pondering the plight of the children of today more and more often. I pray for MY generation and those who came before, I pray we find ways to take responsibility for the mistakes we have collectively and individually made at the expense of future generations. The depths of pain living in the youth of today is far deeper than any one person can heal.
Its the little things said and done that will make the difference. You may think, I am only one person what difference can I make....HUGE! We are individually but a drop in the bucket; when something is given or done that seems so small to the giver fills the need of someone else the difference is huge. One drop added to anothers one drop added to another....pretty soon the bucket will be full and overflowing. We can change the course of the future and all generations. We can let the children know how much they are TREASURED and LOVED.
I want to hear their voice....I want to rejoice with them over their achievements...I want to cheer them on to victory...I want to show them the love they deserve to feel and touch and live....I will be a drop in their buckets!
Matthew 25:40 (New Living Translation)
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[a] you were doing it to me!’

what is there left to say?

Some days we just need reminded. Thanks to my Aunt for the email reminder...I needed it today!

Living Life On A Tilt-A-Whirl

Life in the Albers household has taken on the semblence lately of living on a Tilt-a-whirl. It seems there is never just one thing going on at once, not one person speaking and seeking attention alone, no peace, no quiet. Constant motion, constant, fast, hurry HURRY, I need it NOW....
At any given moment you could walk into the house and the scene lying before you would likely consist of Madison demanding everyone's full attention and stomping about irrationally when not promptly given it...Samuel and Amaris fighting over goodness knows what, she looked at me is usually what you find at the bottom of the pile of wound up fury between the two. Lij goes a bit stir crazy when pent up in doors, his inate need to breathe the fresh air and experience all life has to offer his curious little mind in the great outdors is never quite satisfied especially when mother nature has other plans. Poor guy attempted to ride his bike the other day in the wind....fierce wind...blowing him the opposite direction of which he was desperately trying to pedal. Isaiah....well...as long as he is left ALONE to live breathe and create in HIS world, he is fine. BUT he has siblings and living ALONE is just not an option at this stage of life. So he gets creative in his ways to prevent them from invading his space...he builds baracades against the door so NO ONE can get through...the other day he sprayed cologne all over the door knobs leading to his room so when Madison tried to get in she smelled like a guy all day...mad??? you could say that! she was still mad 3 days later....and of course our little Burrito...well, lets just say he deserves a blogspot all his own! ;0)
Some days I can just go with the flow...loving every minute of the large rambunxious family I believe has been gifted to me...other days??? I want to stop the ride and find refuge in some peaceful meadow some where...SANS the kids and their tilt-a-whirl ways. I could be in for a long winter, and since my little monsters do not hibernate....I need to find ways to bring peace and maybe a merry-go-round into our lives!

Adoption Day November 15, 2008

What a wonderful experience we had. The courthouse was filled to the top with balloons and beanie babies. Cakes, cookies, fruit, and many other refreshments were to be enjoyed by all. There was a proffessional photographer set up in one court room taking free family photos, each family gets one free photo and we can order more on line if we choose later. Good thing cuz my camera died in the middle of the proclamation ceremony, so the only pix we have are the ones other people took. The one I have on here is from his Dedication at church on Sunday night.
They had a nice ceremony and the reading of a proclamation declaring the day Adoption day in the fifth district court of Polk county. Then it was off to our hearing. The Burrito stole the show, of course....he showed off his many talents both good and bad. The judge allowed the kids to take as many beanie babies as they could carry. The local news was in the court room and taped our ceremony, showing clips on the evening news. My mother, Uncle Garry Anut Cindi, one of our Pastors, Pastor Bill and our CASA Paula were all there to share in our day.
IF I could have, I would have shared that moment with the world!
He is officially....
ZEPHAN DANIEL ALBERS
now that sounds good!

Friday November 14, 2008

Friday brought my good friend Trudy back into town. After much too long away she and her family have moved back to become our children's pastors again....We are all so very excited to have them return.
Friday evening I went with my friend Michelle to dinner and then to see the Gymnastics exhibition at WellsFargo Arena. Michelle's husband died unexpectedly a couple months ago and they were supposed to go to this together. We had a nice evening and I hope she was not too lonely sitting next to me instead.
I had forgotten to buy the Burrito shoes so after leaving Michelle at her house off to WalMart I went to find shoes. I had no luck but did find black socks and new hair bows for Amaris. Also ran into my cousin Chenoa, her daughter Bailey, and my aunt. It was fun to catch up a little in the aisles of WalMart. Off and running to home to finish getting ready for Adoption Day!

Adoption Day!

Tomorrow morning I will get up, dress all my little monsters in there adoption day clothes and we will make the treck down to the County court house. Where, before some friends and family our judge will make it official. I will be The Burrito's forever mommy. This time around we will participate in National Adoption Day. The court house will be open for only adoptions all day. What a celebration it will be!
I have been all over town looking for the perfect outfit for him to wear. I never did find the perfect one, but finally found one I liked today at Sears. WHY WHY WHY are there so many adorable things out there for little girls, racks and racks that seem to never end. Then you arrive in the boys department and there sits before you 2 maybe 3 pitiful racks of clothes. CARZY! Of course I forgot the shoes! SO tonight I had to run to Wal Mart, could not find shoes so I settled for black socks, he is a baby after all so he doesn't have to wear shoes.
Check back later for the pictures of the big day!

A Village

Remember when it was the 'thing' to say that 'it takes a village to raise a child?' Stop for a moment and think about that concept. How true it really is. It does take a village. One of the many questions I have lately is where have all the villages gone? Once upon a time there was a village watching over and loving on the children. Where did they go? Are we as this generation so incredibly self absorbed that we have forgotten we are PART of the village and just assume another member of the village will step up to the plate and take on our part? I am speaking on many levels....my own children...how I had always hoped there would be a large village surrounding my children, loving, watching, nurturing, correcting, guiding every step along side me throughout their lives. My philosophy has always been the more people who love my children the better off they will be....
It is not just my children who lack a village....the generation coming up and including even my eldest. Is a hurting generation, they are lonely and crying out for a village to step up and do the right thing by them.
We need to quit pointing fingers at others and placing blame when things go wrong, when crisis hits and tragedy consumes us we need to unite, come together. gather them up in our collective arms and hold them. Whispering prayers of love and protection over them. Carrying them to the loving God who created them. It is all of our responsibility to care for the children, to hold them when they are hurting, too cheer for them when they triumph. If we pull together we will be stronger than any negative forces out there. Parents, family, teachers, educators, religious community members, doctors, friends.....if banned together we are large in number, if united for our children we a force not to be reckoned with. We can triumph, we can raise up a generation of youth who can and will change our world in amazing ways. If we don't step up and be counted on behalf of our children the results will be devestating beyond all belief....
Please, stand up, be counted, be the one who binds the village together around our children. Stop blaming and stand up!!!!!

Aspiration debut

Elijah and I went to Peoples Court last evening and watched Dominique and his friends preform live for the first time. I don't know which part was more fun. Watching Dominique play his drums on stage and have a blast doing it....or, watching Elijah have a blast being there. Tough call. Lij was so funny, there were merchandise tables set up all along one entire wall. He had to browse through all of it to see if Dom had a shirt for sale. (no merch yet lol). Lij wanted to actually stand right up at the front of the stage, I had to explain to him that 'kids' would be 'dancing' (moshing) in crazy ways and he would likely get hurt if we stood up front. He finally settled for a booth and the rail up on the side. He laughed and laughed at the mosh pit. on our way out Lij said "did you hear that crazy kid? he said he got hit in the face and it was COOL! Thats just nuts!" what a funny boy! After their part of the show Elijah helped them carry all the epuipment out to their van. He is now their official 'roadie'. I was so very proud of Dom and his friends. And I must say it was not as loud as I had anticipated, although I could not understand a word Mykel sang/screamed. I actually enjoyed the music! Am I too old to say....they rocked my socks! of course I may be a little prejudice since he is MY DRUMMER BOY!!!
I am proud of you son!!! Next time I am so wearing a shirt that says..."DOM'S MOM"!

update of sorts...

An update of sorts. I will try very hard to stay possitive with this post. By Friday Lij had successfully given me the crud he had all week. I was sick all weekend and still am fighting to feel 100%, took the burrito to the doc to get his flu shot and he had double ear infection and a 'sore throat'. MAN! Friday seems so far away...I ma not even sure I remember what we did Friday. Saturday we went downtown Des Moines and took the kids walking through the skywalks. There is a fun new toy store down there. We had lunch in the skywalk. I had a cheese frenchie, a favorite sandwich of my childhood. Still as good now as I remember. NICE! Went to the mall to buy Isaiah a new winter coat, since the high for Saturday was like 35 degrees....
My friend Jen had a home party of which I have never been before. It was fun and made me want to rip the remaining wall paper off the walls and repaint the whole house just so I can buy more of those wall things...we'll see. That takes engery and that is somehting I am a bit short on lately.
Madison has been struggling which in turn is causing the rest of us to struggle as well. I am at a total loss right now as to which way to turn. How do I help...I am going crazy!
Sunday was church and Dominique came home for Sunday dinner and brought laundry home with him (which he did himself!) He brought his good friend Scott with him, I surprised Dom with Oreo Pie, his favorite dessert!
I had to run an errand and thought while driving wonder what would happen if I just keep on driving and driving, how long would it take before someone noticed I did not come back....then I thought, well, since I get 2 million and 3 calls every time I leve the house sans kids.....I would not make it 1 mile down the road.
We tried to have a game night however Madison had another major melt down...
I will post pix and the story of the 'show' tomorrow. I am so glad I took Lij with me....funny kid! He LOVED it!!
thats all for now.

Psalm 57:1 “Be merciful to me, O
God, be merciful to me, for in you
my soul takes refuge; in the shadow
of your wings I will take refuge, until
the destroying storms pass by.”

Storms are all around me right now....I am holding tight to this. Praying when the storm passes by the damage wont be too much...

Look what the Burrito Did!

Poor little guy...he was playing so nicely and listening to some music. I turned around to chek on him and he had gotten his blankie and sat in his special chair and fell right off to sleep!

CASA

Last night was the last night of classes for training to become a CASA. A judge from our county juvenile court taught the last part of training, then she performed our "Swearing In Ceremony". She stayed after and talked with all who chose to stay. What an honor! I am very excited and looking forward to this new adventure!

for my firstborn...first...others to follow soon enough

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings."

Henry Ward Beecher

fever, bubble bath, and a Christmas movie

So Lij is still sick...still has a fever, and now his throat is 'clogged' whatever that means! Of course we had to go through the whole you have to stay home from school, I don't want to, if you do you can....routine. What we came up with was a bubble bath, a craft, and a Christmas movie.
As soon as I ushered the non-toxic kids onto the school bus, Lij got his bubble bath. Then he watched a little TV. Then he played with his wrestlers. Now he is enjoying a slioce of left over pizza and his Christmas movie. I can tell he is not himself....because it is a most beautiful day outdoors and he has not asked one time to ride his bike...he must be sick!

what a weekend...posted monday the 3rd

It has been such a crazy~long weekend I am not sure I even remember what we did Friday...OH! I remember! We (scott, the kids and I) spent the evening at church decorating the gym for our missions banquet, the children always have a banquet during the same time as the adults. Anyway...the kids had a blast decorating...
Saturday, Scott and Lij went for haircuts, then I ran to Wal Mart, got gas in the van for $1.95 can you believe that price???
Then I was off to pick Dominique up for lunch.
I have been having a difficult time lately with worrying about him. We enjoyed a nice long lunch now we are working on a plan...for the first time in a long time I have peace in my heart...I can't tell you the details now because the doors are just now beginning to open...please pray for all the details to come together. This opportunity is going to be life changing for my boy! As soon as it is all worked out, I will update, in the mean time....pray!
Saturday evening we had the Missions Banquet at church. As with all events we came across a few gliches, but over all it went well. We had some Missionaries from Belgium speak to our kids....she is an amazing vantriliquist, they had all the kids totally captivated!
Pastor Bill has been amazing in supporting us and making sure we had EVERYTHING we needed!
Sunday....I have no idea what happened but for Scott's alarm did not go off so we were late...well, not actually late, see, we get to church most Sundays around 7:20 church begins at 8 but we like to make sure we are prepared to minister to the children so we arrive early....yesterday? 7:50!!!! I don't think that has ever happened. I felt so rushed and unprepared all day. It is amazing how stepping out of your routine can mess up an entire day!
When we got home, Lij got sick...so we did not make it back to church last night. I went to take his temperature to see if he had a fever...he started to cry. here is our brief conversation:
Me: Lij come here I want to take your temperature.
Lij: (crying) I don't want you to take my temperature!
Me: Why not?
Lij: Are you gonna do it like you do when Zephan is sick?
Me: (hiding my amusement) you mean in your bottom?
Lij: crying harder now....I don't want you to do that!
Me: I'm not gonna, see? It goes in your mouth under your tongue like this...(demostration) my ear one broke I had to get out the 'old' kind.
Lij: I don't want to have a fever, I want to go to school tomorrow.
Me: If you are sick you have to stay home.
Lij: Don't take it, then you wont know I am sick and I can go to school, OK????
Me: sorry Buddy, it does not work like that, I already know you re sick, and you don't want to make your friends sick do you?
Lij: no...if I am sick then can I just have a bubble bath and some hot chocolate?
Me: sure.
Lij: and a hug?
Me: yup!
Lij: ok.
Needless to say he did and he is home today...ah the beginning of more toxic germs entering my home...please pass the Lysol!