Other People's Kids

Merry Christmas

We had many good things to eat and many people over for the holiday. We're now down to Auntie J and husband, and we're still without "Jenny", who will supposedly be rejoining us tomorrow. I have tomorrow off from work, so I'll likely be sleeping in, and then going back to the basement to hit it again.

While Mom & Dad were here, we got the CO/smoke detector officially wired and set in the new basement bedroom, so we're officially ready with another room for the kids. It's had several temporary occupants so far, and it's gotten good reviews. Hope the kids find it as nice.

Through some more elbow grease and one late night of work, Dad and I also got the plumbing for the new bathroom set into the floor. I'll be getting some sackrete and filling in over the dirt and smoothing it probably sometime this week.

I should point out at this point that since we moved in, I estimate we've probably saved ourselves at least $10,000 doing the labor on these projects ourselves, since all we really have to buy is the materials (which are murderously expensive as it is...the deck alone cost us close to $2,000 in treated lumber and assorted other things). If we hadn't done it this way, even cashing in my old retirement account, we probably wouldn't have touched the basement yet. But we couldn't wait. These kids need a house with space for them, and we need these kids to fulfill our lives.

Thus it is that I'm actually becoming competent at things I never thought I'd be able to do, and I'm living in a house that is rapidly becoming the type of house I never thought I'd be able to own.

I also mentioned earlier that I was in six fantasy football leagues this year...the results are now in, with this being the championship week for the season. I won first place out of twelve, first out of ten, first out of ten, first out of ten, fifth out of ten and sixth out of ten respectively. It was a good year for The Naughty Dogs...yes indeed.

All in all, a very successful holiday season and year overall. I have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to.

Tomorrow we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the day we greeted "Josie" at our door. It kicked off a tumultuous, maddening, exciting year that we can only hope will be repeated again and again in the next few decades.

Here's to the next kids that stumble in the door without decent clothes, a good family or a safe place to stay. They will find newly reinvigorated foster parents who have rededicated themselves to watching out for those who can't quite watch out for themselves yet. I think we're definitely up to the task...and if not, I guess we'll just keep doing the best we can. It's better than nothing, right?

posted by Dan @ 5:06 PM