We've survived the first week

Hello all, sorry been so lax in putting an update up, but getting everthing and everybody washed, laundered, put away, homework done, fed, and everything that children entail I've basically dropped into bed at night. Audrey has been a wonderful help in getting things together and done in a timely manner with all of them. Good news is they're adjusting, bad news is that means that the middle one is more prone to tantrums now, but that is the beauty of them having their own bedroom. Can just put him in there until he decides to stop screaming. I go in every few minutes and ask if he was done yet, and just got screamed at, so said ok and left and repeated it until he decided to stop screaming at me. Took a little while but he did eventually stop screaming. He was decidedly unhappy at that moment. Now I'm told by the courts that I cannot discuss anything about any of the court hearings that will identify the children, or possibly harm the case in anyway shape or form, so if you ask, I am unable to give any answers other than we're working on it basically. Hopefully we get everything to happen the way that we want it to go. Good news is that the older two boys have been granted permission to go on the Polar Express train ride in Williams like they have every year for the past 4 years (I think 4 years...). They're so excited to go, they get to go this weekend. They travel to the North Pole, pick up Santa Clause, and go back. Is pretty cool if you ask me. I'm going to look into how much it costs for us to maybe go next year. The kids say it's pretty cool. I'll have to see.

Things are starting to fall into routine around here, which helps alot with the kids. We had JC here to day also, his mom was feeling really bad, she seems to have caught something that isn't looking very comfortable. So I kept him today after picking him up from school for her to get some rest. At this point, what is one more fairly self sufficient kid? But over all everything seems to be going fairly well. I'm glad that I have loving friends and family that are so supportive through this! I know some people think we're crazy  for doing this, but I think that it's crazy not to. Have to give and love as you would want to receive and be loved. With that note I am off to my show and relaxing. Have a wonderful rest of your week.

Love, The Tucson Fennimore Family (and then some).

Addition

So it has come to my attention through me rereading my blog that I have missed giving credit to someone that it is due. Audrey, my deepest and sincerest appologies. I did miss putting out there all the help that you have given me. She has been an angel with helping with bed times, nap times, snack and dinner times, cleaning up after dinner, helping with the laundry. Things that my overwhelmed brain has recognized, but failed to publically ackenoledged. My brain is currently in Tahiti drinking Mai Tai's so I'm currently missing things straight in front of my face. So Audrey, I'm sorry, and thank you for all that you have done for all of us in this time of need.

All my love and hugs,

Tiffany Fennimore

6 kids and counting and death in the family

So this week has been a little interesting. So my girlfriend left her husband Sunday evening, called police on him since he did something stupid, and she had a long night talking with them and such. Come Monday morning she got arrested also (cause TPD is STUPID), and CPS took her kids.... Tuesday we had CPS meeting with her whole family in town (her mom flew in monday night from ND), and I got placement of all 3 boys in my house. We couldn't be more happy about that outcome. I'd much rather deal with having 6 children in my home under the age of 7 then have the boys split up in foster care! CPS is working on long term placement at the grandmothers house in ND, and eventually back to mom, but it takes 2 months minimum to get all the paperwork and such done. But it's worth it for the babies! Thank god for Kathy, she's the grandmother, and she has been here everyday minus today, helping me not only with those kids, but also my own. She's here to help me in anyway that she can. Her other daughter, the kids aunt, is helping me out by getting me some stuff for the kids that is just theirs and not just stuff here that is my kids. I think it is really important that they have some stuff here that is theirs, not just the basic essentials. The kids entire family is rallying together to get them anything and everything they need to be comforatable and for their basic essentials. I am so touched to see a family rally together like theirs has. I know that I have stunned some people with what they're calling my generosity of taking these kids in. I have to give credit where credit is due. My family is my example. My mom, my aunt and uncle that took care of me growing up, and the others that have been an example in my life show me daily to open my heart to people. If you have a friend in need, give them the shirt off your back to help them. If they're close enough, they're family. The kids mom and I have been friends for going on 14 years. We've been watching each others children grow up. I'm aunt Tigger to her boys. She's an aunt to my kids. I am just touched enough that she trusts me enough to take care of her babies. I have been taken in officially by the rest of her family as a part of her family LOL. The great grandparents of the kids have just been wonderful, they got me things i needed for the boys no questions asked, AND I didn't have to go to the store to get them, even better huh? hehehehehehe. So needless to say, I currently believe I have the worlds best husband. He told me when I left for that CPS meeting "Do what you need to do" and I came home telling him, "Honey we're doubling the size of our family tomorrow." He took a deep breath, looked me in the eye and said "Ok, what do I need to do to help you?" I'm not lying when I say I got teary eyed. It was the best thing in the world when my  heart soared from what he said. It proves the metal of the man that I married, and that I knew his true character inside and out. I love him a little more each day, but that was a lot more after he told me that let me tell you!

Now to top this upheveal in our lives, my Great Grandma in bisbee, more commonly known as Nana Horn had a heart attack last week. Just a minor one and all things seemed to point that she'd be able to go home. Unfortunantly her body gave up. She passed away thursday evening around ten fourtyfive at night. She went peacefully in her sleep and just sighed out and never inhaled again. My great aunt donna her daughter said it was a peaceful passing. My only thing is I feel guilty for not going down there in the last two months. I promised her next time I came I would bring the children with me. In September kids were sick, in october she was sick and at the urgent care when I went to come down, and just didn't seem to be up to me coming down. Now here we are in november, and she's gone. I know that those aren't things I have any control over, and that I shouldn't feel guilty that i robbed her and my children of the last time of them seeing eachother, but as we all know, we can't order our emotions to feel the way our logical thoughts think we should feel. I'll get there eventually but it's still too new. With all of this going on, I'm currently in my box as I put it. The feelings are there, but they're boxed up for now, and there they'll stay until the funeral on tuesday morning. I just have to much here to let that out without freaking out the kids, and that's the last thing the 3 boys need added to their own upheaval. But I seem to be doing ok. Not great, but ok. Thats not me just saying it to pull the wool over anyones eyes, but I'm ok with her being gone. She's not in pain anymore, she's not struggling to be alive anymore. She's at peace. And that knowledge and that knowledge alone is enough for me to make it through. I'm touched that my great Aunt Donna has asked Chris to be a pall bearer in her funeral. She's having Grandma Joyce's urn placed into her casket with her. Grandma Joyce was Aunt Donna's twin sister, and my Father's mother. So Nana was my dad's mother's mother. If that makes sense I hope I explained that right, my brain is pretty dead right now.

Well it is a quarter after ten, I'm going to head to bed. My love to all and if anyone has any suggestions on scheduleing for 6 kids, routines, or large meals for everyone, I am open to suggestions! Will post again as soon as I can get the time to do so.

Love,
Tiffany and family

P.S. I posted the Halloween pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/TiffanyHammar/200910Halloween#