Destroying his old bed!


In other words, they were fine with another brother or sister, but how exactly would it effect them?

So, over the last year we have been trying to figure out the best and fairest way to assign bedrooms. The only one of our kids that actually use there bedroom, other than for sleeping, is Samantha (12). She likes to go up to her room and escape her three brothers who think it is there job in life to gang up and torture her on a regular basis. She can often be found upstairs, curled up on her bed, relaxing with a good book. She obviously needs a place to escape at times, the other kids, not so much.

Right now Zach (16) has the downstairs bedroom, Tyler (15) and Garrett (10) share one upstairs room, Paige (5) has her own room as well as Samantha. We have five bedrooms (counting mine and hubbies) and five children, with hopefully two more joining us soon.

I really wanted a play room so we could have all the toys in one place for the younger kids which really keeps there rooms much neater and organized. I threw the idea out to Zach of making his downstairs bedroom into the play room and, naturally, he wasn't to keen on the idea. This kid is NEVER in his room so I wasn't giving up.
Mom, quit taking my picture while I destroy my old bed!

When he was looking for his first car last month he had a pretty strict budget. We had been looking for almost three months and couldn't find anything in his price range that he wanted, or we felt was actually worth the money. We then found this truck that had been used by a dealer to run errands, etc. that had 117,000 miles on it but was only four years old and had been serviced regularly. He fell in love and really wanted it. The bummer was the lowest negotiated price we could get the car for was $800.00 more than he had to spend. That's when we had the idea of trading that $800.00 for his room. He jumped at the chance. He got his truck, I got my playroom. We were all happy.

Now, don't get me wrong. If need be I would have TOLD him he was moving upstairs with his brothers because that was what was best for the family. However, I don't want our new children to come home to siblings who are feeling resentment towards them because they have turned there current lives upside down.

I started emptying Zach's room almost immediately after he got his truck and he has not complained once. He doesn't have a bed upstairs yet and has been sleeping on the couch in the family room. He told me the other day that the couch is really comfy and I didn't even have to buy him a bed. That was sweet, but I already ordered him one. It should be here in a few days.

I totally cleaned out Garrett and Tyler's room and they were thrilled to have everything so organized and sparkling clean. Zach even seems a little excited to be moving upstairs with them and they spent one day last weekend hanging up some of his baseball pictures on his side of the room and he helped Garrett hang some things over his bed to. I will post some pictures of how I organized there room when I get his bed next week.

I am going to order a bunk bed for Paige's room with the double on the bottom and single on the top. We are requesting children 4 or under (our agency won't let us go out of birth order) so we thought if the kids were old enough they might feel more secure sleeping together on the bottom bunk for a little while after they arrive. There is also room for a crib if it turns out we need one. So, Paige will share with two siblings and the three boys will share and that leaves Samantha still with her own room.

Mom, I am getting really annoyed with you!!!


I think she was feeling a little guilty about this fact because she told me a few days ago that she wouldn't mind having someone sleep with her in her room (she has a double bed) she just didn't want them to make a mess. Samantha is my child who likes everything neat and tidy and it would not work for her to be with a messy Marvin type kiddo. My heart was warmed by this offer but I told her I thought we were fine for right now but I might need to take her up on it in a few months. We will see.

So, we are busy moving furniture and cleaning out closets. I had to call for a special pick up this week as I had 15 giant bags full of extra trash. Zachary had fun demolishing his old bed (it was falling apart) and putting it out for the trash man. He and Tyler decided to take a hammer to it and give it a proper burial. Those are the pictures you have been looking at.

On another note; I called our home study agency, again, about the forms we are missing and they told me they sent them out on August 28th. We never received them. I mailed them more money and an overnight air bill to send the forms in. Hopefully I will have them in my hot little hands by Tuesday which will make our dossier FINALLY complete and on its way to Ethiopia. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Praise God!