Every other Friday is produce co-op.  Today is the day!  We order on Monday and pick up today.  I always look fwd to if.  I get to visit with friends for a little bit and bring home all this fresh produce at big savings from the grocery store usually. 

My milk cow is coming into her milk.  Yesterday morning I brought in almost 4 gallons out of both cows on top of the 2 gallons I gave the bottle babies outside.   I did laugh an Vallie though.  She held her milk up the night before.  I knew she was doing it.  I just laughed.  I had her baby locked up.  So yesterday morning when I started washing her udder first she started dripping then before I could connect the milker I had a stream squirting out of one teat.   She again held her milk up last night.  I wonder how long before she gets in the groove of sharing?  

Yesterday was the kids therapy.  We go every 2 weeks.  Because of abuse they suffered before we got them they have a lot of stuff they need to process.  We have an awesome Christian therapist that we see.   The kids were really quite today. I was too, just a calm peaceful type quite. I worked on my loom while kids read to me or played in the next room. She couldn't believe how calm they were. She said they are always the calmest kids she sees with or without meds. Now if she had been here a few hours later she might have revised that as they played behind me. LOUD seemed to be the order of the moment!

She told me after she talked to all of them she had to dig to even get a fuss about a sibling. They were even getting along with them and not griping! It is true they are playing much better. None were having bad dreams. None were mad at me over consequences. None were caught up in the materialistic part of the season. I did laugh at that and reminded her we don't "do" Christmas. We did an Angel Tree Gift instead. Which the kids loved shopping for.

MJ seems to have either come out of his slump in hearing abilities or the Brain Builder is helping. I have no clue which. I am just thankful he seems to be understanding and able to follow directions again.

They are all suffering from a consequence. I told therapist about it. She like the consequences. Seems last week before it even got cold MJ decided he was cold so he turned the heater upstairs to 85. It is set at 65. If it is to cold to play upstairs then they bring stuff down to play.  I ask him if he needed more covers. He explained, "No I wasn't in bed." So now the heater is set to OFF. I am not sure how many days it went at this temp. More than one. I don't go upstairs every day. I have a monitor so I know what is going on, but not the heater being up.  The girls knew he did it. They didn't tell. So they get to share in much cooler bedrooms. I offered them more covers. MJ also has to work to pay for the added electric bill. I want him to do some outside stuff but we have had rain. Today we were gone and it was pretty, maybe tomorrow.  I did assure them if I thought the plumbing was going to freeze I would turn it back on.  Therapist just tells me how wonderful they are doing and how "normal" they are. She really makes me feel good!   I wish I could take credit but I know it is God.  He is healing them and taking the abuse of their past and using it to build them into people that will further His Kingdom.    It really won't be that cold upstairs as the heat from downstairs goes up the stairs, but it will be cooler than true comfortable.   Also just the fact they know it is off and that if it is turned on I will take the switch off the wall is frustrating to them.  :)  

Tomorrow is shaping up to be busy.  My brother and sister in law are driving down to have Christmas with the kids.  We don't do Christmas, but they do and they like to spoil the kids.  It is funny!  So they will bring all this neat stuff they bought.  I know part of it since they would call and say what do you think of..... as they shopped.  I just roll my eyes and laugh!  One of the fun things I can't wait for is they got dress up stuff for T.  Including a pair of hot PINK high heels.  She will be in heaven.  She would play dress up 24-7 if I let her.  Think doing dishes in a tutu with heals standing on a stool.   I am being lazy and bought a frozen lasagna to cook.  I am also planning on making cinnamon rolls for the day. 

After they leave we have the company Christmas party.  To day I am un-excited is the understatement of the year.  I ask my dh last night if he thought any of the other spouses were less excited than I am about it.  He didn't think so.  In part it is a drunk fest.  Some seem to want to see how much they can drink that night.  I just set in amazement at how much it is.   Then there is just the whole socializing with people I have nothing in common with.  They don't get milking a cow, or baking bread, or wanting to be home with your kids.  I think all the other spouses work too.  The only upside is that it will be at Outback.  I love their blooming onions :)   I told dh I may just order me another blooming onion to go each time they order a round of drinks.  My older kids would go for that as they want doggy bags from there.  

Between family leaving and 6 I have to manage to milk the cows, feed the bottle babies and be ready to drive 45 minutes to town.  I guess I should get a shower in that time frame too.  After chores!   Does it sound like I am excited?   NOT!  It is only once a year!!!  I am thankful for that. 

It must be cloudy with heavy clouds this morning.  It is now after 7 and still very dark outside.  It doesn't look foggy, which they said we might have this morning.  I guess the sun is just slow in coming up today.   Maybe it knows just how fast I am not moving.  :)   

I hope everyone has a very blessed day.