How the Grahams Filled Their Lovin' Cup....

I often, in an attempt to get love and kisses from my boys, will ask them to come over and fill my Lovin' Cup.  If I just want one more hug/kiss, I tell them my cup isn't full yet and I need a refill. The Biscuit often climbs in my lap and wants to hear the story about our Family "Lobin' Tup."  Until this post, I have only shared this with very few people.  Most of them, have asked me to write it out, because they feel it is a good adoption story. So, here it is.  This is our adoption story.

A long, long time ago there was a Mommy and a Daddy.  The Mommy and the Daddy loved each other more that anything in the world.  In fact, they loved each other so much that their lovin' cups were over flowing.  The love from their lovin' cup was over flowing everywhere. It flowed out of their hearts, onto the floor, out the front door and into the street!  Everywhere they went, everyone knew that Mommy and Daddy had a lot of love.

The Mommy and Daddy decided that they needed to share some of their love. They decided to ask God if they could have a baby.  God said, "yes" and put a baby in the Mommy's tummy. That baby was born and the Mommy and Daddy named him Bit.  The Mommy and Daddy loved Bit so much.  He was a sweet, wonderful little boy and had a great big heart. Bit had a big heart like his Mommy and Daddy. Now, the Graham family had a new problem. Instead of having two loving cups that were overflowing- out of their hearts, onto the floor, out the front door and into the street; The Grahams had three loving cups.  There was love spilling EVERYWHERE!!! No one could catch all of the love that was surrounding them.

So this time, Mommy, Daddy and Bit decided to talk to God again and ask Him for another person to love. This time, God said that the baby would not come from the Mommy's tummy and they wouldn't go get him from a hospital. Instead, God would pick a special baby. One that had a great big lovin' cup to fill. The baby that needed it's cup filled the most. God would send that baby to them with one of his angels.  So, the Graham's waited and waited.  They waited for what seemed like forever. Finally, one day they got a telephone call asking if they wanted a baby.  The Mommy knew in her heart that this was the baby that God had planned for their family and soon their lovin' cups would stop spilling over.  So, she said,  "Yes!!" 

That night, God sent his angel to the Graham's  home.  The angel told the family that she was bringing the family the baby to love, but she didn't know how long that the baby would get to stay. The angel said, "More that anything, this baby needs love right now. But, if God decides that another family needs this baby more, I will have to take him there."  The angel brought the baby to their home and nothing else, no clothes, no bottles, no toys- the baby had none of the things that other babies had waiting for them when they came home from the hospital.  That was ok, because the next week when she came to check on the baby she realized that the baby, who the family called Biscuit, had clothes and toys. She also realized that his lovin' cup was very, very full. In fact, she realized that the entire Graham family's lovin' cup was perfectly full. Love had stopped spilling everywhere.  This news made her very happy. Though the Grahams were very scared that Biscuit could be taken away, they continued to love Biscuit as if he were already theirs- which is what God knew that he needed.

A long, long time passed and God finally told the angel that it was time to make official, on Earth, what Heaven already knew. God said, that the angel's job was done, everyone's lovin' cups were perfect, and it was time to talk to the Judge. 

When the day came to talk to the Judge, Bit talked to the Judge. He told the Judge about everyone's lovin' cups over flowing before God sent Biscuit. He explained that now our family's lovin' cups were perfectly filled and he wanted Biscuit to be his little brother forever.  The Judge listened carefully to everything that Bit said and after careful consideration said, "Yes!!" So, the family went home, without worry that they would ever be separated. Their lovin' cups were perfectly filled and everyone got refills any time they needed them. That is how the Graham went from two overflowing  to a family of four perfectly filled lovin' cups. 

The End... or is it just the beginning?? :)

Peanut Butter Playdoh and Biscuit

I haven't posted in a while, but it is because I have been so busy.  The Bit and the Biscuit are growing like weeds and let's face it- they are time consuming.  Lately, Biscuit's sensory seeking has been, well... intense.  Of course, we moved, in June, so we are in the process of getting the house together. With two kids, and a job and a life, that takes some time!  In like the old saying goes," If you can't beat them, join them."  So, I have decided that while I put the house together, I will add little sensory things to help Biscuit... well...not kill himself.

So, I have been painting, scouring the Internet and picking the brain of his therapists to make sure that he lives in a home that allows him to be safe while getting that craving that he very much has.  Part of that craving is that he LOVES to be in the kitchen. There are so many cool sensory things in a kitchen.  Water, heat and lots of cool smells. Not to mention the input a person can get from cutting things and kneading dough. 

So, with that, I bring to you- Peanut Butter Playdoh :)

Disclaimer-  Please don't try this at home if your child is allergic to peanut butter, milk or under a year old. Also, I am not a therapist, doctor or anything else that has the authority to tell you that this is safe for your child. I am just telling you what works for my child.

Peanut butter playdoh recipe:

1/3 cup of honey
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1/2 - 1 cup of powdered milk

Mix these items together adding powdered milk until the texture is no longer sticky and resembles playdoh.  This is edible and pretty fun to play with :)

As you can see the Biscuit had a lot of fun. He likes to sprinkle and likes to add ingredients.  I gave him a little powered milk. Eventually, he conned me out of  some uncooked grits and cheese.  Which gave things a different texture and well he enjoyed it.  All in all, I would call this a success!  He ate a little bit of the playdoh and I cooked an entire meal without having fight him off of the stove or out of the sink.