Friday on the Farm

August 02, 2013

August. Are you serious? Every summer I say this isn't going to happen and it does. Summer flies by. School will be starting in a few weeks. Eldest will be heading back to college. I will be embarking on my 12th+ year of homeschool with a senior, junior, freshman, 7th grader and 2 preschoolers this year (fosters are still with us) I am scared in more ways than one. I realize that in 5 short years our homeschool adventure may be done. With the possible option of adopting again, I wonder if I can do this for...16 more years!!! My son reminded me that God will make that possible, and I am learning to live day to day and not in "What if land".

Our garden seems to be in stand-still mode, as we went from 100 degree days that were unbearable to 60 and 70 degrees during the day and 40's at night! We are picking beans and cukes and that is about it. I am still hopeful though. There are hundreds of green tomatoes on the vines and summer isn't done yet. I haven't canned anything yet, because we just aren't getting any big quantity of anything. I spent most of the first 6 weeks of summer with back issues that kept me down more than I ever care to be. I am finally feeling human again and my canner is ready, so bring it on!

There are a lot of fun pictures to share with you this week. Although you will only see the back of the littles (or their stinky feet;), Michigan has a rule about not putting photos of foster kids on line at all) they are still here and thriving. I am amazed at our 2 year old foster son. He came here 6 months ago, literally a blank canvas. He has grown and blossomed in amazing ways and now is a masterpiece. Foster daughter is doing well also, although being a bit older and smart as whip, she gets caught up into the "stuff" more. It sickens me to see how much "junk" we adults will allow into our lives even to the point of losing our children. The system is so broken (like everything else in this world) and re-unification with the parents is always first and foremost the goal. The parents have few consequences to their actions and as long as they are following the rules for the time being, they can see their kids and eventually get them back. Not always a good fit, but everyone is happy and no one has over stepped their boundaries....yea right. My personal opinion is this; if you have gotten to the point where the broken system has had to step in, you don't deserve to have them back. Sorry folks, I have been doing this long enough to know, most of the time selfish people don't change. And, if your children have to come to a strangers home to find love and safety because no responsible relative can be found, then there is a generational issue going on that goes much deeper.

Off my soapbox and on to better things today!