Well, we just realized that our little Jack Russell (wire haired) who was "left" inside our top gate is probably deaf. She is very white, but has some black markings even if they are little. God must think we can cope with all kinds of special needs. I guess I need to do some reading on this one. We only started to wonder because she is very quiet for a Jack Russell, hardly ever barks, and seemed to not attend to us all when we called. She had been very well cared for, not at all hungry or thirsty when we found her a couple of weeks ago sitting quietly inside our top gate.

Upon taking her to the vet, we found she was about 4 or 5 months of age, and already spayed, which means she has had shots etc. We have put signs up and looked for signs but somehow we knew that she wasn't a stray or a lost dog. Perhaps, as our vet put it, our farm was closer than North Georgia! I think we stopped wondering when this evening, when all the dogs were barking within a couple of feet of her, she was totally oblivious while jumping up on our grandson Hunter. They had heard something and were more than usually distressed because we have just oiled our back deck and they couldn't get out the doggie door.

So, I guess she joins the family. Our twin boys have already looked up hand signs for dogs and have begun work. They all love her, she is very sweet. That officially makes me a "sucker" with a big S on my forehead!

We have been oiling our back deck in the last couple of days, we have Brazillian hardwood, 50 by 15 foot of it. So it has been literally "all hands on deck". On top of that, I have been cast in an amazing British play and started rehearsals. Only 50 odd pages to learn in two weeks. On top of that I am teaching drama next week at our church in the mornings at Theater/Arts Camp. Tonight, I had my songwriting meeting for the NSAI and leave with my amazing hubbie in the morning for 24 hours to attend the CMT awards in Nashville.

Life is busy on the suburban farm, with goats to milk (thank you Laura for tomorrow night) kids to cook for, chickens to chase, and horses who always look for treats! And there is always a song to write, or a hook to save, a fish to catch, washing out of my ears to do, kids (goats) to feed bottles to three times a day! Life is what you make it, I personally prefer it "over full" because then my cup runneth over.

OK This has been a difficult year to say the least. I thought adding 1 or 2 did not alter much, but, I was wrong. I have had a successful personal year, but dealing with the couple of extra kids from the African busted adoption? Not easy. The biggest challenge I have had is the fact that when normal kids go to school at kindergarten or pre-school, they are beginning a work ethic. Yes, I said a work ethic. They are given tasks to do and complete and hand in. In a nut shell that is a work ethic. By the time they graduate either high school or college, they have held down jobs and understand that they are REQUIRED to complete tasks in a reasonable time frame.

When you live in Africa, on the poverty minus scale, or in an adoption that does not give you formal schooling in any way, home schooled or other, then you do not learn a work ethic. It took me many months for GOD to reveal this to my poor overwhelmed brain. I was so nickled and dimed that I couldn't see the wood for the trees. I kept forgiving and HOPING!!!! The hope method by the way does not work. But, I am a person who loves a challenge and the good Lord knows that. So, for me, this was not give up but fight forward.

We tried therapy, especially with Isaiah, but he fooled or charmed the therapist. Well, we've been there done that, and quickly realized that there had to be another course. School, which he was so blessed to be given the opportunity to attend a Welcome Center, also called me in and said "What's with this kid?" In the end, it came down to no work ethic. No family understanding. What is that anyway if you have just survived all of your life? While I had sympathy for this, it was not working in our family on a daily basis for him or for us. I might say here, that Isaiah is still in our family. (Just so you keep reading)

CeCe, the older sister, wanted to live a lifestyle not appropriate for family life and moved out. Communication was sparse and difficult at first but thank God, is being restored as she realizes that life outside the family, making your own decisions, paying for yourself, is not what it is cracked up to be. I am still befuddled about Isaiah and CeCe's bonded relationship. I have come to realize that the whole war, poverty, lack of infrastructure of a torn country, and family that cannot support their children to the extent of leaving them in orphanages, has had it's toll. It's not attachment disorder but something similar. I call it survival disorder.

On a positive note, my other eight have coped with the next two amazingly. My older children have been nothing but a support and encouragement when I have felt how do I break through the barriers and defenses these children have put up. I do not blame or fault them for all of these coping mechanisms, but, in family life, I can tell you it is a challenge you cannot cope with on a human level. Only by the grace and goodness of God can this end up where HE ordained. I hope, no know, that the plan will come to pass, if only I can have the patience and understanding to get there.

By the way, we now have 2 horses, 7 dogs (one dumped on our little farm a couple of weeks ago) 2 Nigerian dwarf yearlings, which I milk morning and night, and 4 baby Nigerian goats who are bottle fed three times a day. Here is a link to the "kids feeding the kids".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtUIdYgmads

It's the start of something??????????