Resolve to be a better parent in 2010

Matthew and his new train set

Yes, it sounds a little funny for me to resolve to do that – I’m not exactly a parent yet.

But as things keep progressing along in our foster care process (we had our home study yesterday – WOOT WOOT!) I’m definitely paying closer attention to foster/adoption/parenting issues and ideas.

Lifehack.org has offered up a great list of 10 things children want from their parents.

You see, every Mother’s Day I would ask my students to give me advice on being a mother. They were to think about things their mother or guardian did for or with them that made them feel happy or loved… Year after year, in every country I taught, and in every type of demographic, the students were saying the same things and had the same message: It’s the small things that their mothers did that meant the most and that they remembered.

Here’s the list:

  • Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
  • Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
  • Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.
  • Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
  • At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
  • At night talk to me about about anything; love, school, family etc.
  • Let me play outside a lot.
  • Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
  • Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
  • Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

I think my sisters and I would both say that one of the most memorable things our dad did while growing up was rocking us to sleep singing various hymns. And mom was always great at writing us little notes – especially on holidays and birthdays in our lunches or with breakfast. She always had a way of making little holidays special.

So what advice do you have for a “soon to be parent”? What little things do you remember your parents doing that made a big impact on you?

The Christmas fun begins

This weekend we got a head start on our Christmas festivities (besides the 3 or 4 office parties/lunches I’ve already been to) with two family parties.

Saturday night was the annual Turner-Medlin Christmas party – which I think has now become the Turner-Medlin-Blundell-Lattanzi party.

This was my third year to take part in the annual party and its always one of the highlights of the season.

Along with the Christmas festivities, we also use the occasion to celebrate our nephew Jake’s birthday – which is Dec. 21.

Jake blows out the Birthday candles
Continue reading The Christmas fun begins

One step closer

Texas Baptist Home bell

Laurie met with our foster care advocate from the Texas Baptist Home this morning.

She came for a pre-service visit of our house to be sure we have everything inline for our official home study. Laurie called and said everything checked out OK.

All we needed before our official visit from CPS is to purchase a pack-n-play and car seat to be prepared in case we get a call in the middle of the night saying there’s a child or two waiting for us to bring to our house.

So Laurie’s out doing some shopping and we’re crossing our fingers that CPS will come the week directly after Christmas for their visit. If everything works out we could be certified as foster parents by the first of the year.

In addition, Laurie’s just finished stripping, sanding and re-painting a dresser for the nursery. It’s a dresser that she had as a child and her mom did as well. That makes two dressers she’s redone for the room.

Lauries been hard at work

So we’re that much closer! Thanks for all your support and prayers!

How would you respond?

Laurie and I are getting excited as our expectancy grows, just counting down the days till we hope to have our foster-parent certification, followed by more waiting till we get the call that we have a foster child waiting for us.

Over the Thanksgiving break we did a little shopping and purchased a brand new crib/toddler bed for our expected little one.


Continue reading How would you respond?

Buy our house video podcast (episode 2)

Well, I’m not sure our first episode of “Buy our house” should be considered a “success.”

We had 18 views on YouTube and 22 views on Vimeo (plus however many viewed it on Facebook).

Either way, we bring you episode 2 (with some odd audio sync problems)! We show off the new dining room table look as well as our painted garage and now emptier master closet. And I don’t want to leave out the great job Laurie did cleaning the oven!


Continue reading Buy our house video podcast (episode 2)