Sunday, September 27, 2009

From 4 to 16

Our family grew from four to sixteen last Thursday night. We've been officially named the houseparents of student home Perry. There are twelve senior division girls there which means they range in age from freshman to juniors. We met all the girls at the beginning of the school year in August and were back with them since September 8th. When we took over early this month we were told to run the house as if it was our own but without official placement. Finally last week we got the word that all the work we've been doing for the past three weeks is for our house and not just to hand it over to someone else. There is a lot more peace and stability in knowing we will be in the same place with the same group of students instead of not knowing and being all over the place. Also, we'll soon move into the apartment attached to the home and then we won't be travelling from student home back to our apartment back to a different student home on and on for days on end.
I'm jotting off this post because I know I've been silent for a long time, and right now I am typing in front of my last of six loads of laundry I did yesterday, beside a kitchen with dirty dishes needing attention, and outside my bedroom with paperwork and piles that have needed filing for weeks. However, I couldn't stand looking at that picture of Grumpy the dwarf on my blog and needed to update anyone out there who is keeping up with our lives. I thought we'd have more time, more sleep, less stress, and greater stability when we finally got placed in a permanent home. However, there is now more to do, less sleep, increased stress, and I don't think there is ever stability when you are living with 12 teenage girls!
Mom came for a visit last week and I think she should write something for me to post here because maybe she has a better way of communicating what our family is going through over here than I can articulate. It is really impossible to describe and understand until you see it and maybe even less easy to understand why we have moved ourselves to Pennsylvania once you do see us living this crazy life!
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 5:21 AM 6 comments

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Out of Sorts

When I did a google images search for "out of sorts," this is what popped up. How perfect for how either Paul or I or many times both of us have been for days. There have been many times in our marriage when I feel like he and I are operating in parrallel universes. We're in one of those times right now. We covet your prayers for unity and togetherness. This job can chew you up and spit you out. We haven't had any major situations for about a week, but sometimes those past stresses aren't easily processed. Also, our whole family battled the first illness of the year last week and have lingering effects this week. Thus my silence on the blog. Lots of days I question what we're doing here. Lots of times I wonder if this is really going to work out. Lots of instances I think we're crazy for being here. Lots of times my face may not look like this but my heart sure does.
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 2:03 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

What Was I Thinking





So, for those of you who have found yourself in a similar predicament as those in the video, then you understand what we are going through.
In my "Crash" experiences its the millisecond before impact you have that, "What was I thinking," thought. It is in that millisecond you realize just what a stupid human being you are for willingly putting yourself into this soon to be painful experience. Then the agony, humiliation, regret, and possibly stitches arrives shortly thereafter.
I suppose I do not regret our decision to take this job quite the same but the What was I thinking thought has been creeping in.

Currently I am writing this at 953 pm. Kristin is still at work covering a girls home with another House Father. I took our totally exhausted boys home, who fell asleep in the car before reaching the end of the driveway (No Joke). Tomorrow we will be at another home at 6 am to 830 am then back home to situate our lives then back to the home from 2pm to 10 pm. Sometimes we are in a home a couple days sometimes in different homes the same day. Usually we are in a home where we have never met the adults or the kids. Weekends we work 24 hours a day.
We have had one weekend off in 6 weeks while enduring this rough schedule. It is getting tough to remember what home we are in or what home a certain incident happened in. We see kids on campus who say hi to us but we have know idea what home or where we saw them. We have had to hunt down two or three homes to track down a pair of shoes or lost books. The tough schedule and all the work is not overwhelmingly difficult. Certainly not so hard as to ask ourselves why we are here.
The hard part is not the kids. Even though some of the kids can be quite rude and disrespectful. They might test you every step of the way, then they try to manipulate you into getting what they want. the do their chores half heartedly and get mad when you call them on it They sneak food and cell phones at all costs. Some even try to get parents fired for no good reason other than they love control.
If not the schedule, if not the kids, then what is it that causes us to ask ourselves what we were thinking? Other house parents. So far they represent the toughest part of the job. It is them that have very little standard for the kids in regards to respect, cleanliness, and just plain decency. Many take the easy way out. They let the kids do what they want to as long as it isn't so bad as to get the employee in trouble. They have lost why they are here, or never cared in the first place. So, why is this so hard you ask? Because when we go into a home expecting these kids to do their home work, abide by the rules, and ask for common courtesy we are the bad guys. the common phrase"our house parents don't do that," makes me want to vomit. It is the house parents that make our job really hard. Other good house parents say the same thing about these lax employees. Kids of good house parents see these kids getting to do what they want and become jealous and spiteful because they want easy parents too.
Lately, Kristin has been wondering out loud if WE are the problem because we believe teenagers have the ability to be respectful hard working responsible human beings. We have even spoken with our trainers about our doubts and have been reassured we are doing a great job. Although it is quite hard right now, we really are steadfast in our beliefs.
My thoughts, currently, are if not us doing this job then who?
As I write this I sense a resolve. A resolve to stay here and teach kids how to be adults. I have said about raising my own kids that if parenting were easy we are probably not doing our job. Same as here. We are getting paid to do what we love and that is teach, instruct, mentor, and coach kids about life. We just need to get through this period of time until we get our own house and can run it the way we believe is good and right to honor the parents who have sent their kids here, and God because it is He who has called us and gifted us for this.

Its just not easy right now.

Kristin and I have wanted to work together to be closer in proximity and in heart. Well, what better than a little fire to melt clay together. God it seems often makes a calling sure by bringing trials. It is in the trial that character is revealed. I believe our vision and personal beliefs are being worked over.
It is in riding and falling and riding and falling that a person learns to ride a bike successfully. Please pray our character and sense of purpose remain as strong as ever as we continue to get back on our bike and ride.
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 6:39 PM 3 comments

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Owl Banding






Yesterday I had another one of those moments when I say, "I love my job." We were up close and personal with a family of barn owls, I was there with my kids and we were there for "work!"
The student home we were shadowing met up with a man from the Department of Wildlife to band a family of owlets. Four young were spotted but only three were present in the box when we got there. It took a while for the DOW man to show up but the teenagers we were with entertained the boys until his arrival. Then they raised a lift up to the box you see on the silo and scooped the owls out into bags. They brought them down and the kids got to see the three young, female owls be banded. Then they all got to "pet" the last owl. It was so interesting and fun to watch.
We were at a girl's home last night. The houseparents are an amazing couple so I am trying to soak up everything they do in their home so I remember once we get our placement. Eli was following this beautiful girl around! She played cars with him and he was in love sticking close to her side much of our time there! Here's a slide show for some more photos.
Owl Banding
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 9:20 AM 1 comments

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

More MHS in the news

I just got a few more links to news stories about the community service day on Sunday. I was at the girl in the first video's house yesterday. Great kid! 
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 10:37 AM 2 comments

Ahh... a real dollar store!

In our quest to help the boys learn the value of money and my desire to find some cheap school supplies for homeschooling, we researched the dollar store scene in our area. There is one called Dollar General on the way to Walmart so we stopped in there last weekend. JT picked out a seven dollar toy at the so-called dollar store. Argh! I hate those stores! Scam artists! Today before heading out on some errands I found the same dollar store that we enjoyed in Springfield, the Dollar Tree. I was sort of confused by their website and uncertain if everything really was a dollar, but we decided to risk it anyway. Sure enough it is a real dollar store. I almost hugged the cashier at the check-out, and, of course, just like my daddy, I had to talk to the woman. "I went a little out of control, " I told her. " I just moved here, and I'm so excited to have found your store. I can't believe everything really is a dollar. I feel like I'm home!" I could have gone on and on but stopped myself. I would have included pictures of the boys with their purchases, but my batteries in my camera are dead. Bummer- I should have bought some at the dollar store!
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 10:21 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 17, 2009

100th Year


We're very excited to have been hired at this time in Milton Hershey's history. This school year is the 100th year of operation for Milton Hershey School. This weekend kicked off the first of many centennial celebrations planned this year. I don't have a ton of time to write so I'll send you to a link to a newspaper article about the events and significance for the school.
Posted by Kristin Thompson at 10:31 AM 1 comments
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