Since Zion's arrival as a newborn in 2013, this blog has been quite quiet. First I wanted to give Zion the same time and resources that my other babies had. Then just as we started to get back on our feet, the flood of adding four kids to our home, including three under three (plus Zion who was 10 months at the time) took up most of our lives. As soon as things settled down, we had a difficult spring last year, and then got my foursome's youngest brother, and then spent our fall dealing with legal matters as the children were finally freed for adoption.
The update is that my sibling group of five should be adopted in mid-March. We are tentatively planning on March 14 for adoption day (Pi day adoptions!) It has been a long, hard road for the last almost-3 years, but things are more settled now and everyone is doing extremely well. So I should have time to write. Of course, I've said that before. And we're hoping to move this spring or summer. But I'm trying.
You've known my kids by initials for the last 3 years. I can't post pictures until the adoption is finalized, but I can at least begin using their names (note, the initials I use do not always correspond with people's names for reasons of privacy.)
So just to give everyone a scorecard, since everyone finds it confusing, our ten kids are as follows. (For the record, Isaiah and Asher want to be formerly known as something too, but we haven't figured out what the should be ;-))
Eli, 16 (born 2000) M
Simon, 14 (born 2001) M
Deniece, 13 (born 2002, arrived 2013, adopted 2016) - the moppet formerly known as "D" F
Isaiah, 12 (born 2003) M
Asher, 10 (born 2005) M
Rimonah, 6 (born 2009, arrived 2013, adopted 2016) - the moppet formerly known as "R" F
Judah, 6 (born 2009, arrived 2013, adopted 2016) - the moppet formerly known as "K" M
Malkiah ("Miss Bean" "Malkie"), 4 (born 2012, arrived 2013, adopted 2016) - the moppet formerly known as "Q" F
Zion, 3 (born 2012, arrived 2012, adopted 2014) - the moppet formerly known as "Z" M
Hezekiah ("Kai"), 2 (born 2013, arrived 2015, adopted 2016. - The moppet formerly known as "C" M
Ok, is that confusing enough?
(Note, edited at request to include gender ;-))
Also edited to add that yes, Rimonah and Judah are actual twins. Malkiah, Zion and Kai are artificial triplets (although Kai and Malkiah are siblings) with just about a year between the three of them. Simon and Deniece are artificial twins, with 7 months between them. (They enjoy telling people they are identical twins to watch their expressions. Given that Simon is White and 5'10 and Deniece is Black and 5'1 this is very amusing to them.) Some web source calls artificial twins "twiblings" so I have deemed that artificial triplets are called "twipwets" because that's just funny to say. Most people who adopt advise against intentionally artificially twinning. We didn't do it on purpose, but it has been fine. BTW, the two children in my house who are most constantly assumed to be twins are Isaiah and Asher, who have two years between them but look quite alike and are identical in size. No one thinks the actual twins are twins.
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Thanks for the update, Sharon, and congratulations!
I've enjoyed your occasional posts, but I've been wondering how things were going with your family and selling the farm. I did the sustainable farming course with you awhile back, so I have a particular interest in your potential shift from rural to urban farming, and especially in farming with your large family: how much is possible? Is it possible? How are the kids organizing themselves or being organized in their interests as they relate to farming/gardening?
It sounds like you have lots to do, so obviously I know you'll post what and when you can - but I couldn't resist feeding you some potential topics :)
"Twiblings" is a fantastic word! I'll have to tell my mom, who is two weeks younger than my (step) uncle. They'll get a kick out of that.
Congratulations to all!
Congratulations! Have you found the new place yet, or are you still looking?
Thanks for the update. I still have a question though. Did all your fostered kids come with the names they now have? Or did you (re)name any of them?
Kate, I am not going to answer that question - no offense intended, because in order to answer that I'd be giving identifying information about their birth families and birth names. I'm not allowed to do that legally.
Okay, no problem. I just noticed that they mostly have Biblical- (Torahical-?) sounding names. And I wondered if that were strange coincidence, or if they were bestowed by you. But I get it. Privacy is important.