Just had a wonderful "tech week" rehearsal for Wife Begins At Forty. This is sort of like a British "Sitcom" story, reminds me of "Fawlty Towers" for those who follow John Cleese. This is my first director spot for this great community theater I have been involved with for over a year now. It is up for the M.A.T. Awards (translated that is the Metropolitan Atlanta Theater Awards) so every detail has to be "just so". I have a brilliant or "brill" cast who have been a dream to direct, and the most amazing set designer who just "does" it.

I have been just impressed by friends of cast and cast members, who have turned up consistently to paint and help the designer build the set, which is just a hard job and not the set designers, but mine to do. My lighting guy, has a dad, who is dying of cancer in hospital, and we just didn't get things done today because they were deciding his next and last couple of months in this life. There is this little darling girl or young lady I should say, who is an intern at the theater where we are performing, who is coming in and running the sound effects (of which there are many) for most of each performance. I'm thinking she has a "curfew" of sorts because she disappears at the same time every night. And then, guess whose job it becomes. Not that I object, I am somewhat a perfectionist, and like to know exactly what happens and make sure it happens when it is supposed to.

Tonight, my eldest at home, was having a crisis, because Rog and I felt that something that she REALLY wanted to do, was just too "risky". She is 18 going on 30 but about 13 when it comes to relationships with the opposite sex. So, cutting a long story short, my amazing husband had stepped in a couple of months ago to fulfill the role of the "somewhat demented grandad" and we have been having this wonderful time together going to rehearsals, but tonight we not only went ourselves, but took nine kids with us to the quiet please "dry run" of performance. I can honestly say, I would rather not repeat that. Not that they were awful, in a house of our magnitude there has to be order and discipline, but wearing so many hats has it's disadvantages.

Might I add, that our "three legged" dog is also in the show. She is more needy than the kids. Oh, isn't life amazing and wonderful and full of surprises. It would be good though, if I could get notice on the next taking nine kids to rehearsal surprise.

Have you ever had so much to say you don't know where to begin? I can't believe how busy the last couple of weeks have been. Rog has had two business friends come to stay one leaving, and one coming within a couple days of each other, we "tried" to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, and as well, I felt that because of several circumstances, our twin nine year olds needed to come home to school this year.

Let me tell you just a little about our miraculous 9 year old twins. I first found out about them when they were still in hospital struggling for their life. When they came to us at 9 weeks of age, (they were born at 31 weeks addicted to cocaine and alcohol) they were on fetal heart monitors, and one of them was on oxygen. At nine and a half weeks of age, they weighed 4 whole pounds. They were on "minor" reflux medicine and looked so fragile I didn't know whether they would break when I picked them up.

The first night we had them, the "people" forgot to tell me about the monitors that told me when they stopped breathing. The heart rates and oxygen rates were set too low, so about every ten minutes after we went to bed at oh, around midnight, their monitors went off. Now this is not a little, nice, alarm, it is one of those sounds that brings you upright from a sound sleep of oh, around 10 minutes or so and you jump so violently out of bed because you think the baby or babies have stopped breathing. At three in the morning we found the monitor people and called. Well what do you know, the rates were set too low. So we reset everything, at three in the morning, and went back to sleep for a few minutes before they awoke again.

One, Jada, could not suck so feeding her took around an hour or so. I would feed the other one, Alexis, and she would struggle to suck, swallow and breathe at the same time, and then throw the whole bottle up on the bed. We soon learned not to feed them without copious towels surrounding every area of the bed that we could find. Rog would take Jada, and would I feed Alexis once, then clean up, feed her again (because she had thrown up the whole bottle) then Rog would hand over Jada and I would put my finger on her cheek and my thumb on her jaw and emulate a sucking action so she would get her bottle. I think I averaged about two hours of sleep. I can only say that the Man upstairs was looking not only after them, but me as well.

I could tell you countless stories and miracles that we have been blessed to be part of with these two amazing and incredulous children, but that would take three pages, which I am sure you would not want to read in this blog. You can read that in my book "Is Eight Enough (God Knows and He ain't Telling) available from Amazon. But, in telling those short small things in their journey, I could not let them stay in their very wonderful school with a teacher that just was "not the right fit".

Jada has been "ticking" with a blink and a jerk of her head for some time but it had increased to not ever stopping, and Alexis, was very changed, grumpy, tearful and even rude at times which just is not these precious little girls. Then there was the "straw that broke the camels back" and Rog and I decided they would come home to be schooled. This is not the first we have done this with our children, but in every case that we have made this decision, it has worked beyond what we ever thought could happen.

So, along with the 30th, and the guests, and the school troubles, we have survived yet again. My schedule has changed, but I can honestly say my little wonders, are laughing, learning and such a joy in my life. (Oh, and Jada's tick is greatly diminished! And, Alexis is back to her happy, smiling little self.)

Well, here I am sitting here, at oh 11.00p.m. and the house is quiet. There is a reason for that. We are celebrating thirty years of marriage tonight and we sent all of the younger children to the older children. It was our actual anniversary last Monday, 28th September, but, well you know how that goes. Or maybe you don't.

Last Monday, our anniversary, we had planned to be in Scotland, digging up our ancestry and looking up distant cousins etc. But, there was a little fly in the ointment, oh and then another. We knew we could not leave Isaiah at this time, but on top of that, one of Rogers' long time friends, and business associate, was in town and stayed with us for a few days. So, on actual anniversary, I cooked, smiled, cleaned and looked on as Rog and his friend, talked all sorts of business things through, and waited, hoped and planned there would be a tonight.

We had the most wonderful, if somewhat expensive dinner, and talked or tried to talk about anything other than the kids. Well, we did talk about the play, just a little bit, but when you have ten kids, with needs that are all unusual, it inevitably comes back to "the kids". But, there was that moment when one of the older kids called, needing something, and hoping he wasn't interrupting anything, then, we get home, open a nice bottle of wine, and end up chatting on face book to a couple of the others. We must be demented or brainwashed or both.

I must say I love life. I am so looking forward to the comedy I am directing. Just worked out the curtain calls, sitcom style and laughing out loud as I picture it in my mind. Have been sitting here with Rog, as he chats and I chat online to our kids, having a glass of wine, appreciating the love, the laughter, the sad times and all that the last thirty years have brought us. I wouldn't change anything. I am so blessed.

It's one of those nights where I have a million things running through my brain, and so many great things happening, I sometimes wonder where to start, let alone finish. Today, was "drama" day and I started directing my little theater company I started at my kids school. "The Lighthouse Theater Company" presents!!! We have had auditions, and the read through, and today we got up on that stage and started "Bah Humbug" the musical.

I have not worked with a lot of kids in pretend drama, mostly kids in real dramas! I decided I would definitely get myself a microphone so I could be heard above the excited, visiting voices of thirty odd kids ranging from 6 to 16. So we blocked half of the first song in an hour, and I have decided that we need a little more time to achieve what we have planned. Of course, it will get boring for them at some time, not all of them have lines and in theater you do sit around waiting a lot of the time, unless you have a small cast.

At the same time I am directing a British comedy which has four rehearsals before tech week. That's the week where everything comes together in the theater and you add all the props, the lighting, the set, the sound effects and hope it all works! Today, before drama rehearsal, I had a production meeting in the morning and set out with my friend and leading lady to hunt for some "stuff" for our set. We bought the most AWFUL couch, which when I saw it I just knew we had to have it. It cost the whole of $38.93. I then found the worst looking curtains you could possible imagine to go with this loud red, blue, orange and green big flowered pattern couch. The play talks a lot about how dreadful the curtains are.

I have certainly tested my abilities in this play, I have sculpted a "roman girl carrying a bowl" and painted a canvas that can be likened to the couch. I have also written a "theme" song similar to those found accompanying British sitcoms. It has been so much fun and a definite break from the general hustle and bustle of raising ten kids at home and four on the perimeter with the grandchildren popping in as well here and there. Now, I will say, my artistic work has to be seen to be believed, but I think it will be popular at the auction to raise money for our company, as the best white elephants there! Or at least the "joke" items.

We had record floods last week, and needless to say I am glad that all is back to normal including the muddy pool, which is blue once more. The weather is turning cool, which I love, but with it comes dealing with how the change of season affects my children with bi-polar. The spring and the fall, always bring challenges as the light begins to change and moods begin to swing. During all the rain that fell, and mud that slid, my one really challenged child had the worst time I have seen her have in a long time. For a couple of days, it really looked like she would have to go to inpatient treatment, but thank God, we have avoided that and reverted to alternate plan B, which is Mr. Risperdal. (a common drug used for bi-polar and other similar disorders). I am often speechless when well meaning people come up and say, "Oh she'll get over it."

Isaiah is doing better with school work, but struggling in other areas. He is responding to a routine and structure along with boundaries, which he sometimes pushes to see whether he will get a "beating" or not. It brings back memories of our fostering days, when kids come into care from neglected and abusive situations, and try to re-create the very circumstances they came from. Harmony and peace do not come easily to ones who have lived with fighting, and uncertainty. What's that song? "It Takes Time". Yes it does, but when I look back to the end of July and where he was then, he has travelled a long way and I know he has not been saved from certain death in Africa, for no purpose.

Ok, well what a week or two. The first week I got some dreaded lurgy (Australian for bug, flu, cold, whatever) but not the swine flu, thank God and then before I really got better, Rog gets a loverly email from his work saying that, 'Oh gee, you need to be "somewhere" in a couple of days'. Well I am usually well and truly able to step up to the plate and said "you go honey" knowing that I cope, I am the anchor here, no worries, we'll manage". But, I did not expect what the second week had to bring. Rain, torrential rain, floods, roofs leaking, pools, full of mud, kids crying, scared about just driving home from school. And one, the special one, not coping at all, and doctor in charge saying "hospital" maybe residential hospital. Just a little much for one not quite better.

Of course, Rog just "knew" and never left the airport after the skyping and phone calls. Our new roof leaked about 3 gallons of water in a twelve hour period, the pond over the road from our house, spring fed just like ours, was overflowing torrents of water. Not that that in itself was frightening, but a couple of months ago, in another storm, a very big old tree came down dislodging a root and causing a slow trickle from the side of the dam wall that holds that particular pond. The drains were clogged, too much debris coming down, and between the children, the dogs, the horses and the water that was in waterfalls down the stairs beside our house, and the water gushing over the pond over the road and down the road, the river in the front yard, as well as our child possibly off to hospital, and having to look after the other nine, it was a little overwhelming for just one little me. I thought hospital looked good for me!

On top of that, Isaiah was having a big problem, which was a danger to him and to the others, so I was having to watch him like a hawk, and be the big "momma bear" as well. That, has turned out better than expected, but after sitting and talking and counseling and tearing my hair out, there was a lot revealed and a lot resolved. But, am I somewhere between mad and disillusioned with a system that I have always thought worked in at least our county? Through this "revelation" I am now wondering just what some parts of the Department of Children's services actually does work. Now, I have no complaints where we live, I have found the system of Department of Family and Children's Services to be very responsive and supportive. But, where he comes from previously, small county in Tennessee, I am not so sure any more.

He has revealed, as suspected by us, that his former "adoptive mother" has been inappropriate with him. If this was a father here, there would be cries of protest of abuse, but how far does this have to go before some one says "enough". We have discovered not only he, but his older sister, and all the others have been beaten with a rubber hose, that animals are treated cruelly, they are not schooled, they beat each other up when there are disagreements, and there is no respect, no manners, no knowledge of behavior that is socially accepted. And they are so called "christians". Not in my church. No wonder people think christians are strange.

After two months, he still eats like there is no food tomorrow and hopes his shirts are getting tighter because he is getting taller. We are working out how to let him down gently. I am sorry to say, that his protein intake for the most of his life in Africa, and certainly all of his previous life in the USA, is sadly lacking. That is because his previous adoptive family, have a "new way of eating". It's sad that this has resulted in all of their birth children being born with bad teeth from lack of nutrition in-utro. This family still sells videos of "how to eat nutritiously" on the internet and within their circles of influence. When, and how, does that stop. It's like hackers on the internet, that conn innocent people, looking for a miracle.

I am convinced he really has been somewhat brainwashed, and we are dealing with a "cult" mentality. Only youth is suckered into this thought process, because of their need to be accepted, recognized, praised and least of all, but most importantly, Loved. Their view of love, is distorted and performance orientated. I pray that I have the ability, and guidance from God to cope with this.

I am sitting here with the rain pouring down outside and even at 9.00a.m. it is still a little dark. I can't believe the kids are all still asleep. I can hear a footstep or two but no little faces have popped their heads around the corner yet. We should be off to church, but there is so much water outside, I think we would have to swim to the car! So I guess we are playing hooky this morning.

They will all appear soon, as they will wake up to the lovely smell of home made french toast casserole in the oven. On Sundays I try to prepare a little ahead of time, because getting ten kids out the door to church all dressed and presentable is no small effort.

Well tonight I have been extremely creative for the British comedy I am directing in October. In this hilarious play, Linda the wife, starts taking classes after kicking her husband out the door. Now the props call for "a sculpture of a roman girl with a bowl" and a novice painting. After looking around the antique mall and the thrift store, I decided that if such a sculpture and painting were to be authentic, then perhaps I should take up sculpting and remember art class from my youth.

The funny thing about the sculpture is, it is used as an ashtray, so it's not so good. We had the most riotous time in the kitchen tonight making a bake in the oven sculpture. It is definitely a "roman" girl because of the nose we gave her. The bowl is perhaps a tad large but who cares, we do have to use it for an ashtray and a deposit for some rather gross sandwiches. I can say I named the painting "passion" by Linda, the wife, and I don't think I will sign the sculpture. Perhaps I should, then it could become memorabilia of the most famous British play that won all the awards in 2009. Of course it would have to be signed by "Linda" to be authentic. I must add, it really is ugly.

We have had such an adventurous week I can't remember much of it! Isaiah is trying very hard at school and is doing very well. He so wants to be the very best he can, and does his homework, unless he can't understand it. Mostly that is math, he is learning his spelling quickly, and really practicing his writing skills of which there was not many. He tries so hard to please, which I understand, as he is the middle child the same as myself. His struggles just to be noticed and complimented are sad sometimes. I wonder how a child can get to 13 years of age, and be so uneducated in so many ways. But, God is good, and His mercy endures for ever, and His mercy is surely reigning down on Isaiah.

Just a short week ago, he decided to challenge or try out our methods of discipline. It was labor day weekend and Ce Ce our 18 year old (and his older sister) had friends drive over from North Carolina. She had known one of them from the orphanage in Liberia, where both of them came from, and his friend, who she had met briefly when she was living in N.C. She was very excited to see familiar faces as she has not made very many friends here her own age. Well our Isaiah, felt a little left out. It was like one of those episodes on TV where the central character realizes his name has not been mentioned or he has not been interviewed for a little time. He sat in the corner literally, and had a very pouty look. Upon reminding him these friends were his older sisters, and much older than him, he got even more pouty. As the day wore on into the next one, he realized that we were not going to tolerate his behavior. He, over a period of 12 hours, lost his beloved camera ( a gift from Dustin, one of our older twins), and all his technical rights (TV and computer).

Before this, when he had been punished he had been beaten, or if something was taken from him, he never saw it again. In fact, I know that when he was sent back to Africa, he had bought a camera with his own money and it was taken from him before he left. He considers himself a photographer so taking this particular item hits hard. Anyway, he thought very hard about his behavior and within 48 hours decided that he would change it.

What was the saddest thing was, when I gave him back his camera and his privileges for changing, he looked at the camera, looked back at me, looked again at his camera, and then with almost tears in his eyes said, "I never thought you would give this back". Needless to say, since then, I have had a child who is listening and trying to behave just as we need him too.