Another One

Another date, that is...and that makes three :) I guess I can no longer keep my title as the "one date wonder"! I dropped the girls off at their mom's place at 10:45 so I was able to meet him for lunch. Of course, he picked a place that is crazy busy at brunch/lunch, but it was fine (he didn't know how crazy it would be!) I got to have quiche which is one of my favorite things (and hash browns...yum!) We met there at 12:30 and left around 2:00, so I'd say that was a nice amount of conversation. He is perfectly ok listening to the saga of being a foster mom and he shared stories of his nephew and about work (he's a high school athletic trainer and teacher in case I haven't mentioned that). It was nice to have a date without a news crew and the family, but I was a little nervous. The fact that I got a new hair cut last week and my bangs were not cooperating with me didn't help! However, the fact that I've lost somewhere between 7 and 9 pounds in the time the girls have been with me DID help me feel pretty cute in the outfit I wore ;) I wore the new sweater the teen picked out for me and he complimented me on it, so I need to remember to tell her (it has sparkles!)

I had a ton of things I wanted to get done while the girls were gone and did manage to get a couple of them done. I went and talked to the agency worker since I needed some background check forms (both in case I continue dating and for a couple of people who have agreed to help me with the girls, but need to have background checks done first) and more monthly report forms (since I don't have any ink in my printer right now). We talked about the kids and their mom and she is okay with them staying with me for as long as they can. I shared that I agree with her idea to send the little one back first because if she and the teen go back together, the little one will just want the teen to do everything because that's where the bond is. When she is here, she lets me put her to bed, give her bath, discipline, etc., but when she is upset, she usually cries for her sister (or me), rather than her mom. That type of transition will be hard on everyone, but I believe it is the best idea to really make sure she is ready to have them back...when this transition will begin, I do not know. So, I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, loving them as best I can while they are here.

Here are a few pictures from Christmas. Hopefully the ones of the little one from Christmas morning are "ok"...they are close to not being "ok", but I'm just going to go with them since it's Christmas :) The first picture is what it looked like as we watched Santa on NORAD come to where we live. The teen and I had fun with that (Santa added a couple of things after the teen went to bed, but she didn't even notice...ha!). I decided to wake them up at 6:20 AM before I had to leave for work at 6:40 AM. It was an early morning for them, and a little selfish of me, but I decided I didn't just want to see pictures from Christmas morning, I wanted to be there too. I'm glad I was too, because she said some pretty funny things! She got a Belle Polly Pocket type thing for her birthday, but naked Belle got lost in the grocery store maybe 6 weeks ago (she still has her clothes, just the doll was missing when we got to the car). So, Santa brought her a replacement Belle which she thought was "awesome" ;) I actually got a "blogable" picture of the teen from when we went to my parents' house after I got off work on Christmas. She rested her head on the table and said she looked like a drunk passed out on the bar, so I had to take a picture! I just love her :) The last picture is my dad and the little one playing with her new Dora book/magnets. I thought it was super cute and had to take a picture :)

We had a great Christmas and I'm enjoying Christmas vacation, even though I do have to work some of it (and the teen is kind of a hermit with her Twilight books, but it is still nice knowing she is here :) ) I have tomorrow off and then it's back to work for three days.

Good night!