Life has changed once more at our house

As some of you may or may not know the girl's are living with us once more. The adoptive placement did not work out and the foster home they were in was not much better. Well I just could not stay away I had to keep pulling us back into what was going on. People would tell me its not your problem anymore so let it go. Well me being a control freak could just not do it. Plus I just love these girls so much it was breaking my heart to see them all so unhappy.

There is a family in Kentucky that had met the girls and they were planing on adopting them but they were having some trepidations due to the fact that Autumn did not want to go. LOL silly teen girl wanting to stay with your friends?! What's up with that?? Any way the foster home they were in the family really had no idea how to handel the girls and they were running the place it was a mad house and I'm not exaggerating. (not that I ever had...) anyway, there was no bedtime and the girls were staying up every night until 3 and 4 in the morning. It didn't help that the foster parents were on the strange side and did not sleep at night so they were up and thus led the girls to wanting to be up as well. (I wonder if they sparkled in the sun light?). Well the state wanted them out of there asap but they did not want to split them up. so they called and called and then I said ok. Just make certain that it is only temparary. They told me that all they were waiting on with that other family is to have their home studdy compleated and that it would be two months at the longest. so they moved back in with us.

The house is a mess. We have been remodeling the room above our garage and so everything that was in that room is now stacked in all of the bedrooms. I felt no prob two could sleep in our newly created guest room there is a wonderful full size bed in there and the other two could be in the other room. Poor Ben and Josh they would have to bunk up once more. Well the state said no way they all need their own beds. OK...what ever. Well then we put Autumn in the guest bedroom and had the other three sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor until we could buy some bunk beds. How hard could it be to find bunk beds? Well let me tell you its hard. Most places no longer sell them they told me that it was a liability problems. What?? Oh brother people today can't even sleep in a bunk-bed without getting hurt and suing someone.

Ok two weeks latter we realized that we would just buy three frames and mattress sets. Ta-da. everyone is now sleeping in their own little beds.

So now we are once more getting into the mode of having a house full and we were letting that family call the girls anytime they wanted and things were moving forward. Autumn was even getting on board when the unthinkably happened. Will and I began to have the feeling that the girls just needed to stay with us. And so we called and I told the Case worker that if things did not work out with that other family we would keep the girls and adopt them. She said what do you mean. do you want the girls or not. I said yes we want the girls but I don't want to interfere with that other family because they were wanting adopt the girls. The case worker informed me that the other family did not have the bond with the girls we did and if we wanted to adopt then to just say so. And so I said so.

That got some excitement going for about an hour when I was called back and told that we needed to follow protocol and that we would have to be put in with the other family and they would have to meet and decide who would be the best fit for the girls. So here we are we can't tell the girls what we want to do and its so frustrating especially when they say how much they were going to miss us and that they wished they could just stay with us. Autumn even said the other night that once she is 18 she is going to be unadopted and move back to Florida. It made me sad.

I don't know how long we will have to wait and i hope they let us keep the girls. If we do we are planing to come to Utah and have them sealed to us in the Salt Lake Temple; because that is where this family started an it just would not seam right for it to happen any place else.

Here are some pitchers I took recently of them at the splash park.

Life is full and believe it or not I feel so much better having them in our house even when they are being pesty!! LOL

My job.

 As you may or may not know I have a job. I am a Children's targeted case manager. What I do is I help families get services like counseling, occupational therapy, link them to basic needs like food stamps, child care and anything you can imagine. I also help get their children involved in a peer group activity to help them with socializing.

Ok so I have to go to their home and discuss what needs they have, if it a transfer case then I just monitor the situation and get them hooked up to what ever they need.

Today I had a visit with a family it's a mom her partner and her son. When I called to set up my home visit she made a big deal about her being in a same sex relationship, she kept telling me over and over; I was like ok...so. It's not like I don't know people in same sex relationships. She was a little put out I guess that I was not more shocked. LOL

I get there and the house is all dark. It's 9 AM and I'm wondering if perhaps she forgot I was coming and had gone out for the day. Well I knock and after a moment a window next to the door opens and a woman tells me just a moment. I wait and after a bit the door opens and there she is in her pj's, ok no big deal. she then asks me in and the house in completely dark it was like walking into a cave. She can hardly keep here eyes open and the thought that she was hung totally hung over entered my mind. she fumbled in the kitchen trying to get her coffee pot on and then she asks me into the rest of the apartment. (the door I came in opened into the kitchen) So she walks ahead of me into the living room, does not turn on any light...when she gets to the other side of the room she pulls a blanket off of the window letting a little light but the fact that there is a blind behind that blanket and she does not open it keeps the room in almost complete darkness.

She goes into one of the bedrooms to get her son he comes out in his pajama pants with no top holding a mini box of Pop's cereal; he runs and jumps onto the couch next to me and proceeds to eat it. I get the paper work out of the way first off and then we begin to talk while I'm trying to find out how this little boy is doing on his case plan she is up and down multiple times getting things out of the kitchen at one point she comes back with a Boost drink and drinks it down. After a few moments she lets out a huge belch!!! I'm like... no pardon me or anything, so we continue to visit when all of a sudden she lets loose with a huge FART!!!! Oh MY Goodness!!?? She does not even pause in the conversation the look on her face does not change it was like it never happened but it did!!!! I pretended that I did not hear it and after some final discussion I left.

This woman has never met me before in her life and yet she did things I still feel uncomfortable doing in front of my own husband. When I got into the car I sat for a moment and then I could not help it; but I began to laugh I wonder what she will do once she gets to know me better? *shudder* ROFL

Well that's it until the next time, stay tuned for further adventures with ANNA the CTCM!!!

Graduation Day

We are proud to present Joshua Loren Triplett class of 2010; graduating Magna Cum Laude!

 It was a crazy day for all of us. I had had a dream the night before that I was a hour late for his Graduation and I was devastated. So I was worried all day about getting everything ready so that would not happen.

Will had to work but he was able to get off early so that he would be able to attend, the graduation was taking place in Daytona Beach at a convention center there. So all was going well I knew it was going to be close because I had to drive Josh out there so that he was there at 2:30 it takes 35-40 minutes to get there. (it wasn't starting until 4 but they wanted all the grads there early).

So I drive Josh out, during that time Will got off work  and it taking Autumn, Hannah, Abby and Heidi to a friends house. (they were able to come and visit us for 5 day's) we felt they would be board with the graduation so we shipped them off for a little fun.

I get home and Will, I and Ben all load up into the van and we are off with time to spare!  I'm so happy life is good...yes you guessed it things suddenly changed.

Half way there we realize that we had forgotten the parking pass and tickets to get in. So we have to turn around and go home. Needles to say I was not a happy camper any who knows me can now paint a picture as to how I was looking, behaving and feeling. I'll give you a minute.  Ok got it yup that's what I looked like.

By the time we got there wait for it yes we were a hour late!!!!! Just like in my dream. I had calmed down by the time we got there and beleive it or not it ended up being a good thing, we missed all the talkes!!! BORING and all of the regular seats were filled and so we had to suffer and sit down by the graduating class! We ended up with some of the best seats in the house. LOL

So even when bad things happen there is always a silver lining, sometimes we have to look very hard to find it but its still there just the same.

Congratulation Josh we are so proud of you!!

Utah! What a trip!

I have always loved going on vacation! So when I got the opportunity to go to Utah I did not hesitate. I left Florida on the 14th of April and flew to Utah.

 The flight was fantastic! The clouds were so beautiful.

I loved it when the mountains finally came into view, it has been a long time and to see the snow on them was an added bonus.

The first morning I was there I walked to my parents home. It looked like a dolls  house to me, I was amazed at how small it appeared to be. As a child I always felt it was a huge house. Funny how our perspective changes as we grow older.

When I got there my parents were still in bed. Lazy bones and so I spent a little time taking photos of the flowers in the yard.

  I love springtime in the Rockies! It has been years and years since I've see the glory of springtime. Yes we have spring in Florida but its not that big of a change all of the sudden like it is out West.

The first weekend I was in town I and my sisters Linda, Gail, Nolana and my mom; all went to a condo to have a girls weekend getaway. We worked on all kinds of projects and enjoyed good food and company. One day while Linda and Gail were out walking they came upon a den of fox's there were eight babies.

I got a movie of them playing but as of right now I don't know how to post it so when I figure it out I will post it at a latter date. Sorry.

This is a view just down from our condo I love it when the water is so calm that the mountains reflect in it.

I took this photo of an aspen tree, I have always been fascinated by the fact that it looks like eyes. So its true someone is watching you in the woods. LOL.

After our trip to the condo I was able to spend time with different family members. I went to Gail's home and took photos of the blossoms on the trees in her front yard, as I was taking them the song Popcorn popping on the Apricot Tree kept running through my mind. 

It was so beautiful, I wont bore you with all the pics I took.

 the next day or so I was spending time with Linda and she was working in her yard pulling dead flowers and catching snails before they could devourer her flowers.

Yes even this little beauty was thrust into an old milk bottle to never ever eat again! I took this picture of the dripping water, I love how cameras can stop things in mid motion.

On one of my day trips I went my the mom and dad driving up to see Bridal Vail falls. It looks so small in the photos until you look closely and see that there are people standing to the left bottom of the pic, and once you see them you can truly appreciate how tall the falls truly are.

there was a park just over from the falls call Nunn's park and I asked what it was, my parents said that there had once been a nunnery there. That interested me and so we went over to see, there was a beautiful place to go camping, but we could not see any trace of a building. As we were leaving I noticed  plaque so we went over and read it. I took a photos of it.

 
If you can't read this is says that this is the site of the very first hydro electric power plan in all of America. It was built by a man by the name of...wait for it yup you guessed it Nunn. LOL so there was never any nuns living there, it was just people mistaking the name of the place and making up a story. and that story became fact.

 This is all that is left of the power plant. I think it is so cool to be in a place where something like this was built.

Here is a pic of Mt. Timpanogos. Wow I never thought that was how to spell it, but I looked it up and that is right. who ever came up with that was silly I think it should spell it Timpanogus. Oh well such is life.

Once we got up to Midway we stopped by the home where my Grandfather Durtschi was born the little white building was part of the original house his parents lived in. My dad's cousin showed me around and he showed me the foot print of where the original home stood. I stood there for a moment and tried to visualize what it must have looked like all of those years ago.

After that we went to the Homestead. My mom worked there as a teen. There is a huge hot pot outside of the hotel there, it produces hot spring water for the pools. When I was little we would climb up there all of the time and throw rocks down the hole at the top. It was all fenced off so no one could fall in but it was exciting to try and get the rocks through the chicken wire and hear it hit the water way below.

They have now cut into the side of the hill so that you can swim in it. I would have loved to jump right in. But I was only able to take pitures. but next time I'm there I'm going swimming!

This is the entrance.

This is the pool. It is much bigger then I thought it would be, the air was so warm I had to take off my glasses because if fogged up the lenses.

This is looking up towards the hole in the top where we would toss down anything we could get our hands on. I wonder how much junk they had to remove from here before they could use it. LOL Darn kids!!

Towards the end of my stay I went to Thanks Giving point with my sisters for the Tulip festival. It was so beautiful!!

Here are my sisters trying for that perfect shot!

 LOL. We were all on the ground at one point or another, but I feel that we got some fantastic photos.

One thing that we saw that was a huge surprise was a Mother Owl on her nest. You can just make out the backside of her baby in front of her as it is spreading its featherless wings. Poor thing it pretty naked at this point in its life.

 One night I went out to dinner with my parents and I encountered some strange things. It was a place called Crazy Buffet. and by was it crazy. This is a photos of one of the strange things I ate.

If you can't tell that strange shaped thing on the top left is a baby octopus. Yes you read that right octopus, I almost did not try it but I thought to myself why not? Life is full of opportunities and we must take advantage of them when they come or we may miss out of something wonderful or exciting. I had always been told that it is chewy so imagine my surprise when it was not. In fact it was good! I'm glad that I did not let my fear of the strange and unknown prevent me from this experience.

I was able to spend a little time with Will's family. I was blessed in the fact that I was able to attend the Baptism of my Nephew Tate and also Blessing of his little brother Gideon! It was so nice to see the Triplett's we do not get to very much.

During the Bar-B-Q I had the opportunity to sit in my new car!!! How do you like it?

Now that is one hot Mama in one hot ride don't you think? This car belongs to Murry, Will's younger brother. Will claims that it's his but we all know the truth as to who it belongs...ME!

Well that is the short version of what I did during my trip to Utah. I had so much fun and I'm looking forward to going back again but the next time I will take the rest of the family with me. It's just not fair that I get to have all of the fun and they stay home and do...what ever men do when the mom is not home.

Here is the sun setting over Memphis TN. that is where I had a layover. It was the perfect ending to a perfect vacation.

My four little girls

As most of you know, Autumn, Hannah, Abby and Heidi all went to their pre-adoptive placement one week ago today. It was a tremendously heart wrenching decision to not adopt them. They have been with us for four years. I held each of them in my arms and rocked them to sleep at night when they were afraid or just needed a little extra loven.

I have learned their little quarks and passions. Dealt with their anger and sorrows, held their heads while they were sick. I've baked their favorite cookies and prepared their favorite meals. I have rolled my eyes over their obnoxious habitues and ignored the hate filled words they flung at me out of frustration. We have celebrated their achievements and cried over their failures.

All in all they were our children and to let them go just like that has been hard. My mind wonders how they are doing if they are sad if they are being loved and appreciated. I know they will not get the upbringing I would have given them but that is ok, they will experience opportunities I could have never given them. My life has been blessed by their being with us and I hope that their lives have also been blessed by us knowing them.

I want a friendship with their new family, as it stands now that will not happen. The mother will not reply to my e-mails, phone calls, or text's. It hurts so much.

I got some heart wrenching text's from Autumn the other day, she was so unhappy and wanted to come home. I tried the best I could to reassure her that everything was going to be ok. It's so hard to do that with only texting, that is all that she is allowed to do she is not allowed to call me. I could hear her frustration and sadness in what she was typing, my heart hurt so bad for her I wanted to rush right out and save her. She is over 2 hours away so that was not a possibility. I asked if she would like me to talk to the mom and she said yes, so I called and the mom would not pick up the phone. I left a voice message stating that Autumn was having a hard time and did not feel comfortable talking to her yet and wanted me to talk to her and between us two mom's we could make this transition easier. She told Autumn it was bedtime and that she would call me back in the morning. She never did...

I'm hurt. I don't understand why anyone would not want to help their child through a rough time in their lives. I have been told that perhaps she is intimidated by me. I can't see why she would be. I want the girls to be with her I want this to work out I want them all to be happy. If I did not want this all I would have had to do was say. We are keeping the girls and she would never ever had gotten them. I feel that she does not want my advice or interference in what she is doing with her now family. I will have to respect that and just try and enjoy the little contact I'm allowed. The only problem is Autumn can only text me and the mom reads all of her text's. Abby, Hannah do not have phones to text me. Heidi is too small to text me even if she did have a phone. so it like I have contact with only 1/4th of my girls. And that contact is not open because of the monitoring.

I cry for the loss but deep in my heart I know they were not meant to be our forever children, I just wish that I had a relationship with the mom and the girls. free of any fear of what ever it is that Anne is afraid of.

Sorry about the sad post.

Having Family Visit

We were pleased as punch to have Russ and Melissa Triplett come and stay with us for a few days.  For anyone who may not know Russ is Will's youngest brother, he was only 3 when we got married.  It's strange now to see him with his wife Melissa and know that they are expecting a bouncing baby boy in July!

Unfortunately the weather was not as nice as we had hoped; in fact they had to get another blanket out of the cupboard that first night because they were so cold.  One would think that if you were going to Florida the weather would be wonderful, after all it is the Sunshine state right?? Well surprise Florida gets cold and at times if even freezes.

One thing we did was we took them to see Blue Springs, it is a beautiful natural spring that you can swim, canoe on, fish and even scuba dive in.

One thing that is really cool about Blue springs is that during the winter when the water gets cold the Manatee come here to keep warm. The water remains a constant 71 degrees and that is wonderful when the weather is freezing. This winter has been especially cold there were a number of Manatee rescues that had to be done because the water outside of the springs got so cold the animals were dieing.  If you look closely at the photo above you can see a number of Manatee's along the far ban

This one swam right below where we were standing on the dock. they are huge!

Here is a mother and two babies! I have never seen this before. A forth Manatee is swimming towards them from above.

Here is a close up of mom and the kids!

I was taking a photo of Russ and Melissa and at that moment Russ got a phone call asking him to fly to California for a job interview!! How cool is that?

Here is Heidi being a tree hugger! All the rest of the kids were in school at the time so she got to hang out with all of us. She loved it.
 We also got to show Russ and Melissa more of Florida's wild life.

Now do you really want to swim in that water??? Makes you pause and think doesn't it. lol

Any one for some Tilapia ?? There were all over the spring, digging pits to lay eggs in. It was so neat. They were right there all I had to do was reach down and grab one. I love eating Tilapia but I thought it was better that I left them where they were, that way they can make more yummy's to eat. WHahahahaha.

Here they are at the end of the trail, it was such a nice day they went without their coats, but I of course still had mine on, with long pants and long sleeved shirt. I wont truly be warm until the temp is 80 for at lest a month!

So who's next to visit this wonderland of sun (sometimes) and fun?

Please call for reservations at least 24 hours before arrival this way we will be able to accommodate you.