Eileen, Tell your daughter never to give up hope no matter how difficult the kid. Always offer 2 choices, and never act surprised with foster kids. Especially the ones in group homes. Too many that came to us never were given choices and therefor were never able to make one. Many of these kids will tell you things just to get the reaction. The sad thing is all to often their tales are true. So leave it with an open ended question (by the way they hate the one "and how did that make you feel"). Your daughter sounds like she will do great and if she ever needs a helping hand or a sympathetic ear my Mother or I would be willing to help. By the way I know what she means about about heart wrenching stories. Rachel

My daughter is working as a case worker right now for foster kids. The stories she comes home with are heart breaking. I give so much credit to those families that take in kids that are at risk. Keri can't help herself-she's only 23 but it's as if she sees inside them and can help them. Unfortunately she was only hired to cover a maternity leave and her supervisor has told her she's really not qualified. That's a whole other story.
She's going for an interview next week with an agency to work in a group home with teens. That's the kind of work she really wants to do-she says she wants to help the kids that slip through the cracks in the system. She's planning on going to grad school for her MSW.
I have to agree with Robin. All we can ask is that our children are happy. Our son is married to a great girl. He's the ass't mgr of a shoe store in Danbury, CT. It's an hour each way,so it's very hard for them. He works all kinds of crazy hours. They're saving for a house, but the economy isn't helping.
I am so proud of both my kids. They are really good people and that's all that matters.
Rachel, it sounds like your boys are headed in that direction too. One day, you'll sit back and just know they'll be alright forever.
eileenkny

right now just before Mother's Day, I want to say, Rachel, I think you are a super MOM and now hearing your story so is your MOM so you two have my nomination for Mom of the Year. But then I would nominate a lot of Moms. anybody who gives their time love and attention to kids - their own, the kids in school, foster kids, what ever - deserves a pat on the back and a lot of respect

SO TO ALL THE SPECIAL MOMS OUT THERE

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HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

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TO ALL OF YOU (AND TO MY FRIEND BILLIE HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AND THANKS FOR GIVING US YOUR WONDERFUL SON)

BEST WISHES TO ALL OF YOU

ANN

Thank you very much I think so too. We have our moments but show me a family that doesn't. By the way I am ripping a quilt apart and now understand the purpose of disolvable thread What's more the importance of a few practice stitches before the real deal Yep I sewed this one way too well and the mistake is way too obvious to cover up. Back to the begining Rachel

Rachel

Having a good role model means everything in a childs life,you are an awesome Mom yourself! Thier are too many that don't have them in thier lives or the Love.
Your son is a very bright young man and he is already a great role model himself. Keep showing them your Love. You have a terrific Family.
Kathy

Thank you. The greatest gift you can give a parent is to compliment their their children. I learned long ago never to give up on a child. Never to pass judgement on a child just because their parents were not very worthy of thier children. It is a task that my hubby still struggles with he was born into a home that was very judgemental. My parents being foster parents made it so that I did not have many friends. Girls got pregnant at my house... NO THEY CAME TO MY HOUSE PREGNANT. Or our house is full of those bad kids. Usually the kids were remeved from thier home because thier parents were neglectful or abusive. The kids were good they were just in bad situations all of these kids finished high school and either learned a trade or went to college. Only a handful returned to thier old lifestyle. But all of them are very good parents and homemakers. All because they were shown another way. Only 2or 3 did not keep in contact with my parents. So you see I had very good role models. I also have been called in the middle of the night by a couple of my sons friends because they were either in trouble or something was bothering them and they knew I would listen with out judging. Rachel

Rachel, your children sound wonderful and I hope that how much you had to do with that. They sound like kids anyone would be proud dto have in their family. The greatest gift that our children can give us is to turn into good human beings - kind, empathetic, ethical, loyal, helpful. My husband and I have 4 kids, all between the ages of 29 and 31, and we never cease to marvel at how they have become "good people". We do not care if they have high-powered careers or how much money they make or whether they were all straight-A's in school. We care that they are happy with the lives they lead and with who they are as human beings. We are truly blessed and let them know it all the time.

Kathy I do have to admit that they are awesome. Although they do have their moments. I do praise and reward them often. According to my family too often and too extravagantly. All I say is that they deserve what they get. My Alex is 15, he doesn't do drugs, smoke, drink or run around town all hours of the night. He is a clean dressed well manered boy. I am told by the cafeteria staff and the crossing guard that he always says please and thank you. So far this year he has had 2 girls break up with him because he is unwilling to go further then they want to. I am very proud of him. So we bought him a very nice electric guitar and lessons. He deserved them for making the right decissions. By the way I was told by him that these girls and he decided that thier friendship was better then dating. I was informed by others why they broke up. When I asked Alex he just said I didn't feel that that was something you should be saying about a lady, but if she is going to tell everyone and ruin her own reputation then she has bigger issues then I thought. Like I said I am very proud of him I must have done something right. Granted my hubby helped Then there is Elijah who will bend over backwards to help me no matter what. He comes up and lays down next to me when I have my headaches and will say I am just going to watch TV here so you aren't alone ok. He is 10 and he tries to be tough but if he doesn't cuddle with me at some point during the day he ends up "sleepwalking" into my room because he is "cold" or had a "nightmare" . I know he just needs some mommy time. He is so sweet and wonderful I am very blessed. Hopefully in June I will be able to buy him a bass guitar and get him lessons. I spoil them and they spoil me right back Rachel

Rachel
"After she cleans them really well she tapes down a dryer sheet on each fan blade. She says it not only scents the room lightly but the sheet repells dirt." THATS AGREAT IDEA,Thank Mom!
I also have one of those types of vacum cleaners, Though I'm not getting any reaction here like you have!!! LOL! You keep giving them good praise like you always have been because you have a very nice family there at your side,thier very supportive.
Happy Quilting!
Hugzzz,Kathy

Kat, I have had the vaccum for 6 years now and he is still amazed everytime he uses it. I still act shocked everytime he shows me (lol) the dirt. What can I say he gets amused easily. By the way I don't know if this really works or if my Mom is just crazy but, she puts dryer sheets up on her fans. After she cleans them really well she tapes down a dryer sheet on each fan blade. She says it not only scents the room lightly but the sheet repells dirt. I think the dirt isn't there because it is on the sheet. I don't know. I just thought I would pass it on. Oh and she goes over the fan really well with pledge or enddust first. She is a wealth of info. I have come home after she has babysat for me to find a number of things fixed that I thought would never be right again. Between her and my hubby I know I have it made. I am a clutz and yet they love me because they know I will always make them feel useful Rachel

Rachel
Now thats great team work,now if you can just keep them at it long term this would be really nice. Ya got great help!

Frances
The dust did get to me today! I did every thing but the ceiling fans. "I'll just try not to look up at them for awhile". Can't keep them clean. I love the smell of pinesaw but it sure opened up a can of worms today,sinus trouble,sniff sniff. I can't even use bottled bleach.

Yeah, I get to sew Tommorrow

For me the best way to get the house clean is top buy neat gadgets. For example I bought a bagless vaccum, my hubby thinks it is the neatess thing since sliced bread. He vaccums all the time only to show me how much it works (wonderful ) . Then I bought those dusters that trap the dust and won't let it go. Yep again " can you believe how much dust a house can accumulate in 1 week". Then I bought those windex wipes. My little Elijah loves those. He does windows quite often. . My Alex likes the idea that toilet bowl cleaner gets rid of rust and soap scum. Not only does he clean my bathroom but my sister's and my mother's (it's cool to see all that crud come off he says) I just agree. Since the car accident I can't do stairs and the washer is in the basement. Check off one more chore that dear hubby can do. Elijah likes to play in the sink so it may take him an hour to do them but he usually volunteers to do the dishes. Don't get me wrong there is still plenty around this house that I do. No one cleans completely. I still scrub the floors on my hands and knees. I hate mops. I am not totally lazy but I do enjoy the fact that I am not allowed to do laundry any more. I might mess up the system :shock: or so I am told. Now if I coluld just get them to clean their room they would be perfect Rachel

My house cleaning is usually done when the dust starts getting to me. If it's bothering me, it's driving my husband nuts. This is usually when my allergies start getting really bad from the dust. The best way to keep your house clean is to try to sell it. Then you have to keep it clean all the time because you don't know when someone will want to see it.
Frances in Austin where it is drizzling off and on all day.