Tuesday, April 18, 2006


TAG! I'm it!

I've been tagged! :) I'm so excited! I love a good blog-game. Cindy and Lisa have double-tagged me; I must list six random things about myself, and then tag six more people. They have instructed me to "First post your six things, then you go to six other blogs and let them know they are tagged and to find the details on your blog." Not one that likes to disappoint, here goes!

1) I have 24 children.

My husband and I have been foster parents to 21 children over a 12 year period during our marriage. Add that to our 3 birth children--and you have more than a quiver full!

2) I graduated from college just last May. Yes, it's true--with my first attempt at college, I received a MRS--after marrying my college sweetheart! 31 years later, I graduated with honors with a B.S. in Psychology and am currently working towards my Master's Degree.

3) I have been a guest soloist for our State's Republican Convention.

4) I hate, no that's H.A.T.E. housework!

5) I am the oldest of five children. Although, my sister who is only three years younger than me--often reminds me that I am older than God himself! Don't 'cha just love little sisters?!!!!

6) I am addicted--yes, that's A.D.D.I.C.T.E.D to blogging! I have thoroughly enjoyed the process and have been blessed by getting to know so many wonderful people--yes, that's Y.O.U! :)

I am tagging: Berrymom, Julia, Saija, Aggiejenn, Heartsjoy, and Cherry Pie. Come out....and play! I double-dawg dare you! Tag--you're it! ENJOY :)

11 comments:

Lisa said...

Congrats on graduating. And I would LOVE to hear about your fostering... My hubby and I have been really interested in doing that!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad for these tagged posts. I am learning so much about people. That is so awesome that you have fostered all those children. I worked for DHR in AL as a foster care worker and for a private therapeutic foster care agency. You should share some of your experiences on your blog. It is such an important job and a definite calling by the Lord I am sure. That is so neat that you were a soloist for the state Republican convention as well. How did that occur. I also hate housework and have been trying to do better at it lately. Good to read your post. Oh, it is also so great that you went back to school. It shows how you are a very determined and hard working person. Blessings!

Cherrypie said...

Oh!Lordy! I've never been tagged before. It's a bit scary and a bit exciting. I'm at work so don't have the time to devote to it right now but I'll get onto it later today.

I cannot come anywhere near your score on children though x

kpjara said...

Have you already posted about being a "Foster Parent". Sometimes it seems a bit frightening to fall in love with a child for only a very short time!

I hope you do post more about those experiences.

Diane Viere said...

Hi blog-friends!

Isn't this fun! I love getting to know one another better.

Julia...no problem, we'll all just stop by your blog and look for your six random things.

Re: Foster parenting--no, I haven't posted anything yet on our experience as Foster Parents. I have written a research paper (for school) on what happens to Foster children who "age out" of the system (those kids whose parents have terminated parental rights...and now the children are grown-up orphans). In it I referred to many of our thoughts, feelings, experiences--I'll take another look at it and see if I can refine it.....to a manageable word count for a post! Thanks for your interest!

Without hesitation, I can tell you--it was a tremendously worthwhile and important thing to do. Your heart does get "expanded" and a little torn sometimes...but the value of enhancing another's life...is immeasurably more important than a few tears along the way.

Diane

Shalee said...

Wow to your parenting strength.

Woo hoo! on the graduating.

Woah to the solo. (Don't know that I could do it.)

Write On to the housework hate/hate thing!

Whew to not killing your sister for saying that!

And Wonderful words to the 6th. I am so addicted in a good way too. And I love getting the Godly encouragement through my new friends!

Cherrypie said...

Ok. I did it. It wa really hard though. I'm afraid I couldn't come up with anything near as good as yours, not if I didn't want to spend the next 2 years defending libel actions x

Saija said...

just got back from my 2 days in the city ... it was fun to read your list ... now i'll have to think up my own! :o)

Unknown said...

I want to echo the desire to hear more about your foster parenting experience. My friends just became foster parents to two girls from their neighborhood. It would be good to hear how you handled some of the challenges and how your kids dealt with it. Also, my husband and I are set up to be their respite care providers so we are, in a way, journeying alongside them.

Diane Viere said...

Good Morning Blogging-friends!

Little did I know that there would be such an interest in Foster parenting! I'm thrilled! I will post something in the near future sharing our experiences with this much-needed and much-valuable program. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised by the interest--it only represents the caring and compassionate hearts I have met in blog-land!!!!

Don't forget to visit the other blogs I have tagged...Cherry Pie has her list up and Saija will very soon.

Mary--I'm so excited that you will be able to come alongside your friends who are foster parenting those two little girls. God Bless you for volunteering to be respite parents--that's outstanding! If you would like--and think it would be helpful--I could e-mail your friends or they me....and we could begin a dialogue. Hopefully, the roadbumps will be few...and the blessings many. At the start of most fostering--is a honeymoon period--the kids are afraid to act out--they are so grateful for a place to live. OR....it could go the other way==they are so damaged they are ready to give the world the "bird!" (so to speak). Most of our kids entered the honeymoon phase until they felt safe enough to act out.

The short of it is simple: love and treat them as if they were your own (after all, God has placed them with you for this very time)....which means...no matter what they do--love them. There are, of course, safety issues--which every foster parent needs to clearly identify.

Oops....don't want this to become a post! My enthusiasm and gratitude gets a little ahead of common sense! :)

Diane

someone else said...

Congratulations on the graduation and good luck on the next degree!

Your Tag answers are really interesting!