In the middle of the night

Did any of you read that "In the middle of the night" phrase up there in the subject heading and think of the book Madeline? Okay, maybe it was just me, then. [And for any of you who are puzzled, there's a part of the Madeline book that goes "In the middle of the night, Miss Clavel turned on the light and said, 'Something is not right'..." (or something like that) and just as soon as I typed that, I had the little singsong way we read that book going on in my brain.]

How's that for the most random beginning to a post EVER?

It is, in fact, the middle of the night. Which is why this post is titled as such. I was just up with our foster baby for her first feeding of the night. It's 2:01. And of course, now I am wide awake. Mark is snoring beside me. Even though we were just talking less than one minute ago. That man can fall asleep in one millisecond while I lay here for hours, awake, but trying, to sleep. But I've already mentioned that.

So you get random in-the-middle-of-the-night thoughts from me. I can't promise clarity or any sense of cohesion whatsoever, but I'm up and couldn't find my journal (because it's out in the living room and I don't want to get up to get it), and so here I am.

*I told Mark yesterday that our phone has rung more in the past three weeks than it has rung in the previous YEAR around here. I am hardly joking. 99% of those calls are from a social worker. Not just one social worker, mind you, but dozens of them, calling me for one thing or another because I have a foster child. Every day. Several times a day. There's Bonnie and Bobbie and Gayle and Tracy and Susan and Laura and Linda and Mary and Shelly and Leslie and those are just the ones I can name off the top of my head. (Because those are the ones I've spoken with the most. I've seen all of them, too. Because when they come to pick up our foster baby for her birthmom visits there's a new one at my door every time.) And I've got to say, they are the most disorganized group of women I've ever had the privilege of working with. It is really something. I would like to get my hands on the whole system in general and do a little cleaning up and fine-tuning. But somehow I don't think that's my calling, so I hope someone else will.

*We got to see Addie again yesterday. We packed up the whole family, foster baby included, of course, and drove the few hours it took for us to get to where she is. The kids aren't allowed to go in to see her, so Mark and I took turns in the waiting room. We get one hour. I let Mark go first, out of the kindness of my heart. Which I later regretted because of the fact that during the first half-hour, she was awake! Eyes open, looking around. And as Mark and I traded positions he told me he got to feed her her bottle. (So now you see what I mean about me regretting my kindness in letting him go first?) But when I got in to see her she still needed to finish 30 cc's of formula (Don't ask. The whole cc's thing? I'm confused. Someone enlighten me. That's maybe 2 oz? I could google that and find out for sure for you but I'm lazy. Lazy, just not sleepy.) Anyway, that last bit is the hard part, mind you, when she is zonked out and needing lots of encouragement to eat-- and I did it!!! She ate it all up, but took nearly our entire half-hour doing it. (She's doing a better job with the eating, too, by the way, they told us, so that's an answer to prayer!)

*Mark and I have said several times, but especially on the drive home last night: "We could do what they're doing." Not to undermine their care for her right now because I know they're doing a great job, but I wish they would just discharge her to us already so that we can do what they're doing and be bonding with her in the meantime. But I'm not in charge of that decision. Our prayer, though, is that she would continue to improve and that they will let her come home within the next couple of weeks.

*By the way, thank you all for your sweet comments on the "Introducing..." post. You are so kind. I really do feel like you are all friends. I just haven't had the pleasure of seeing most of you. I wish I could have you all over. Really. Every one of you. I'm just trying to imagine what that would be like and at the moment, all I can think about it what a state my house is in. What with the phone ringing every five seconds and the laundry (I'd forgotten how much more laundry you do when there's a baby in the house. Yikes!) all over the place, I'd have to do a major overhaul if you actually were all coming over. But I would feed you well, I promise, and amidst all the toys and clutter and my kids, we could chat, face to face. Now wouldn't that be fun? But the thing is, I'd want you to bring all of *your* kids, too, so I could meet them, and really there's not that much room in my house so I've got to come up with an alternate meeting place. I love you, and appreciate your comments, and I thank you for your friendship.

*Mark was off this past weekend and encouraged me to take each of our kids on a date. Great idea, and very needed, especially from this one right here:

::on our way out the door, isaac zipping up his jacket::


::mark snapped this photo as we were walking away from the house::


*I keep forgetting to mention this, but for weeks now, we've had crocuses blooming in our front flower beds. BLOOMING! That means SPRING! And our tulips are coming up alongside our front sidewalk. Mark got out for a bit in the garden last week and turned it over to ready it for planting, and I am WAY behind in ordering seeds. I keep meaning to sit down with Mark and the seed catalog (thank you, Rebeca. You recommended this seed catalog and I love it) and map out our garden and then figure out what we want to order and then start some stuff indoors (which I've never done), but that whole idea just hasn't come to fruition, yet. Maybe if my phone would stop ringing. Have I mentioned that my phone rings incessantly?

*What else? I know I had about 50 random thoughts flitting through my brain mere moments ago and now where did they all go? Oh, here's one: Just as soon as I can gather together the ingredients, I am so making this salad. That looks positively scrumptious to me right about now. Except for the fresh ginger part. Usually when I see "fresh ginger" on a recipe I cheat and sprinkle in the ground ginger. I just don't ever BUY fresh ginger. Do you? Am I missing out?

*If you haven't seen this blog, head on over there. It makes me weepy, in a good way. (Thank you, Amy, for steering me to that blog. I love it.)

*Beverly, welcome back from vacation!

*Cindy: have a WONDERFUL vacation!

*Mrs. M, I am praying for you.

Okay, I think that's it. And now that I've unloaded my brain, maybe I'll be able to sleep?

Just as soon as I give Mark a kick. Seriously. The snoring? Ugh. But I love that man, I do. He's the best. He'll even be up for the next nighttime feeding. That's how great he is. I am so blessed.