Clean sheets

Not too much stresses me out.  I think it’s fairly obvious that I have nerves of steel, but y’all I’m seriously stressed out right now.  I was trolling Facebook yesterday and saw a comment about a husband and wife disagreeing on how often the sheets should be changed on the bed.  Well, apparently the whole world changes their sheets once a week.  Seriously?  Who knew!?!  This stresses me out more than I can even explain.  As you probably know, laundry is the thorn in my side, the fly in my soup, the… well, you get the picture.  I have SO stinkin’ much laundry every week that it depresses me to even talk about it.  I want to shut off the back part of the house so I don’t have to even look at it.  Now I find out that I’m supposed to be changing everybody’s sheets every week??? Somebody just go ahead and shoot me. 

I change Yuri and Gigi’s several times a week, sometimes every day, but that’s because they pee in the bed.  Yes, I know I should cut off their drink supply but I can’t stand it if I think they’re thirsty so I let them drink all they want.  And I change sheets as necessary.  But, the rest of us hardly ever wet the bed (kidding…) so it just never occurred to me that the sheets needed to be changed EVERY week.  I have six beds.  SIX.  Do you know how long it’s going to take to wash sheets for six beds? 

Oh well.  I will not be the nastiest family around so I will suck it up and wash my sheets like a nice little June Cleaver.  My heart is not in it, but I’ll get it done.  I ran upstairs and stripped our bed as soon as I realized these people REALLY were serious.  I told Karlie to pick a day for her sheets to be washed EVERY week.  She picked Monday but looked at me like I’d lost my mind.  (I know, sweetie…but I don’t handle peer pressure well). 

Willard thought it was hysterical.  When we got ready for bed and I said, “oh wait, I’ve got to get our sheets out of the dryer”, he busted out laughing.  “Is this because of FACEBOOK?”.  I knew he wouldn’t believe me if I claimed it was coincidental, so I ‘fessed up.  When we get into bed, he inhales and goes “mmm.  Clean sheets DO sleep better”.  Well, get used to it, honey. 

Baby A

If you know me at all, you know we have a new foster baby.  She was born on October 18, and came home from the hospital straight to the Garnett home on October 20.  We aren't allowed to post pictures or talk much about her on the internet, so that's why you may not remember hearing too much about her.  As much as I post about the other kids, I was beginning to feel guilty that "Baby A" doesn't get her share of the spotlight, so I'm dedicating today's blog to the sweetest baby girl in the world. 

At age 3 1/2 months, she's only 11 pounds.  That might seem like a normal weight to you, but since Hunter weighed in at 10 pounds AT BIRTH, she seems tiny to me.  She holds her head up and watches everything around her like she's much older than 3 months.  Oh, and she's rotten.  She gets held and played with all the time, so she's come to expect it.  Her new trick this week is that it's not enough to just HOLD her, you have to hold her STANDING UP.  Believe me, she knows the difference.

She's got the bluest eyes I've ever seen.  Karlie swears she can look into the baby's eyes and see her brain.  ha.  She's been sleeping all night for weeks, which is awesome.  Now, if Gigi would just do the same, we'd be all set!  

I really, really, really want to post pictures, but I don't want to get in trouble.  You'll just have to use your imagination or see her in person.  Trust me when I say she's adorable.  Apparently that's a rule - you have to be cute to live here... just sayin'! 

Last night Willard came in telling me that he's thinking about getting a lab puppy.  I started fussing about it and in a few minutes, Haley Rae tweeted this:

My dad threatening to get a lab puppy and then my mom threatening to adopt more children.  LORD HELP ME. 

Haha.  And then I get a random text from someone this morning that says, "Your house is the only one I know where adopting more kids is a valid threat". 

As with all foster placements, you really never know how long you'll have a child or what the future holds. In the world of DHR, judges, lawyers, and laws, it's a rollercoaster ride. I learned a lot with our experiences with Yuri and Gigi. I will not sit around and worry about what's going to happen with this baby. God is in control and he knows where she's going to spend her life. It may be back with her mom, or in foster care, or even adopted. I'm just going to hold her and rock her and smother her little face with kisses every day as long as I can - whether it's one more day or forever.

5 going on 15...

I have a little girl who is 5 years old, going on 15.  I don't know what to do with her.  If you've been to a Danville basketball game this year, you've no doubt seen her dance moves.  She's going to feel really guilty when her daddy's death certificate says "cause of death: heart failure due to 5-year-old's inappropriate dance moves".  She's definitely got the moves.  I've already suggested "Brown Sugar" as a her stripper name.



She has had a crush on boy who fished with her last summer.  Anytime she talks about him, she refers to him as "my big boyfriend".  He was at Haley's basketball game last week and Yuri was convinced he came to see her. 

YURI:  Mom, I need your number.
ME:      What number?
YURI:  (huffy breath) Your CELL PHONE number.
ME:      Why?
YURI:  I need to give it to Zack so he can text me next time he's coming to a game. 

Did I mention that Zack is 18 years old???

And it annoys me that she calls me "Mom".  My older kids were at least 10 or 12 years old before I became Mom.  If I correct her, she rolls her eyes and goes, "okayyyy, MOM!".  I know she really wants to add in "Chill...!" but she is afraid that I will freak out and my head will spin around on my shoulders. 

Yesterday afternoon when I picked her up at pre-school, I told her that Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease was going around and she needed to absolutely NOT kiss Bryce (her "little boyfriend").  She gets this really wide-eyed, guilty look on her face and goes, "um, ok".  I said "have you kissed him???"  She says "um, yeah"  She starts counting out loud and says "like 29 times".  (Instead of freaking out because my 5-year-old is really kissing boys, in my warped, NASCAR-crazed mind, I'm hoping that because she says "29", it means Kevin Harvick is going to win the Daytona 500)  #badmomaward #butgo29!

I'm going to blame the teenage sisters for all these drama moments that we're having about 10 years early.  I swear some of the things that come out of Yuri's mouth sound EXACTLY like something Haley Rae or Karlie would tweet.  After Yuri got in trouble for smarting off (I know, hard to imagine, right?!?), she pouted for a while and then says, "My day has been HORRIBLE.  My whole life is just HORRIBLE".  Seriously??  I'm surprised she didn't ask for a cool cloth for her forehead. 

Look at that sweet face.  Can you tell she's so stubborn that she spend 20 minutes sitting on her bed in time-out last week because she wouldn't say "Yes ma'am". 

Lord have mercy.  I have a feeling the worst is yet to come, and quite honestly, I'm not sure I'm ready for it.  Do boarding schools take 5-year-olds?