The Anderson's Blog

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Faces of Siouxland is an event put on by the Human Rights Commission each year.  There were close to 1,500 people at the event this year.  Once again, I watched over the kids craft area.  It’s a neat to see how many  people I knew stopped out to experience this event.

Yesterday was the annual Missouri River Boat Club Party.  We picked Gritz & Lindsey up about 12:45, dropped Bailey off at the Campbells (thank you very much!), ate a high carb meal at Jimmy Johns, then started drinking about 1:30.  The pre-party was definately fuller this year than in the past.  It was an interesting crowd.  A lot of people I knew and a lot of people we did not know.  Lisa & Nathan joined us around 2:00.  Cohrs & Lawrence soon after that.  I can’t believe it’s the 7th one we have been to?!!?  So, last year I tried to get a job at KSCJ.  This year I broke my heal to my boot and had to walk around without a heal most the night.  But, lasted till 9:30.  Then went to the Kalahers to play Mario Kart and to look at their house plans.  It’s going to be awesome!  Dinner did not settle well at all!  Went to bed curled up like a baby, but woke up feeling awesome.

On Friday night at dinner with my parents, Bailey asked why there were marking on the field of a football field.  I explained that they are at 10 yard increments starting at the end zone.  So, she goes, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60.  I stopped her and said it only goes to 50 from one direction and the 50 from the other direction.  She then said, “So a football field is 100 yeards?”  WOW, she picked adding up quickly.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes.  Wow, I didn’t realize so many people read their Facebook during the day.  I also didn’t realize so many people looked at facebook.  Luckily everyone that looks at facebook doesn’t update what they are working on all the time.  There is no way I could keep up with all of you.

I woke up wanting to stay in bed all day and just have a day to myself.  But, when I realized Jason wouldn’t stay in bed with me, then determined it would be no fun.  So, I got up and faced the day.

Everyone at work didn’t know it was my B-day till Jeana brought me flowers.  Thanks Jeana, it was an awesome thought.  I didn’t tell the contractors…. who knows what they would have done!  They probably would have said it’s a good reason for them to take the day off.  🙂

Picked up grandma on my way home so she could come and have dinner with us.  We hung out at home, got grandma to play some Mario Kart.  Marty stopped by and got his girl scout cookies.  Found out he is going to stay in Sioux City (YAHHH!!!) and that he is coaching Morningside Volleyball next year (Double YAHHH!!!) and he can get us free tickets (Tripple YEAHHHHH!!!!).  For those that don’t know, Marty is Bailey’s volleyball coach.  She dreams of being a volleyball player.  When at the NAIA championships last year, she had tears in her eyes watching the girls because she wanted to be out there so bad.

Was ready to head to bed when I realized I didn’t get something (volunteer) done.  Someone else was suppose to do it by today, but told me yesterday they were not going to get it done.  So, I had to throw something together quickly.  Done by midnight and to bed.  Now, I need to print them and get them to the convention center by noon.  Adios.

Saturday morning we woke up by 8:00 and enjoyed the 70 degree weather by playing in the yard all day.  Jason borrowed a power rake and did the front yard.  We followed up afterwards with the rake.  We also scrubbed the outdoor furniture and toys and swept the patio.  We tried to play frizbie, but Bailey kept getting hurt.  So, we went inside and enjoyed time on Animal Crossing.  Later in the afternoon, Rick & Julie stopped by to say hi.  It’s always good to see them.

Sunday, Bailey and I woke up at  5:00 a.m. and went to watch the 310 Virginia Street Demo.  We stayed there till noon when Laura, Robert and Jackson arrived.  We went up to the house and then took Grandma Charlotte to lunch at Famous Dave’s.  Then back to the house to “hang out”.  I think she felt bad because we didn’t get any of our plans done for the night, but actually, I really enjoyed the opportunity to hang out with family.  I can always do that stuff later.  It was good to get together and talk.  It’s been a while since we’ve had the opportunity to do this.

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Bailey has been busy collecting Hy-Vee receipts and box tops for her school this past year in hopes of raising $5,000 for new playground equipment at the school.  If the school reached their goal, Mr. Erickson, Assnt Principal of Lincoln School and a friend of ours, offered to eat a worm.  What’s awesome about Chris, is he has a way of engaging kids in everything he does.  You have got to watch this video.

The kids said the worm got stuck in his throat as it went down.  Eventually, it wiggled down his throat.  GROSS!

Thanks mom for noticing that we haven’t blogged recently.  It got very busy with the last weeks of foster class and then I came down with the worse sinus cold ever!  I got sick on a Wednesday and missed most of the day of work on Thursday and Friday, still flat on the couch on Saturday and got up long enough on Sunday to do some laundry.  I’m finally back at like 80%, and classes are done, so here I am giving you a quick update.

Bailey said something cute today…. she was tying one shoe while I was tying her other one.  She said, you’re so much better because you have been doing this for like a hundred years.  I informed her I wasn’t a 100 years old yet.

One exciting update on the Anderson home, we got new gutters!  Bring on the rain.  We’re ready for you now.

Tonight was Bailey’s music performance.  Earlier in the week she was sad to not be chosen for a speaking role.  But, one of the kids was sick from school today, and she was selected to fill his role.  That made her much happier.  But, I think she was so nervous about her speaking role, she forgot to smile the entire time.

But, the ABC songs were very cute.

The number of children in foster care has decreased gradually over the past 10 years, but there are still 510,000 children — of every age, race, ethnicity and culture — currently living in foster care across the U.S. Foster care provides an important safety net for children and youth who experience neglect or abuse. These vulnerable young people need stable, loving care until they can safely reunite with their families or establish another lifelong relationship.

The National Foster Care Coalition (NFCC), through its broad-based membership of dedicated organizations, caring professionals and others, is an important resource for information and research on the nation’s foster care system and the children, youth and families who are most impacted by it.

• Length of Stay: Foster care is intended to be a temporary solution, but on average children remained in the foster care system for more than two years (28.6 months) in 2006, the most recent year for which information is available. During that time, children experienced an average of three different placements, moves that often meant disrupting routines, changing schools, and moving away from brothers and sisters, extended family and everything that is familiar.

• Age: Foster care affects children and youth of all ages. In 2006, 32 percent of children in foster care were under the age of five; 28 percent were ages six to 12; and 40 percent were between 13 and 21 years of age.

• Race and Ethnicity: Although child neglect and abuse occur at about the same rate in all racial/ethnic groups, the percentage of children of color in foster care is higher than that of the general U.S. population. Research indicates that children of color are also likely to stay in foster care for longer periods of time and are less likely to return home or be adopted.

• Race and Ethnicity:  Although child neglResearch indicates that children of color are also likely to stay in foster care for longer priods of time and are less likely to return home or be adopted.

• Permanence: In 2006, about half (49 percent) of all children in foster care were waiting to be reunited with their birth families; 127,000 children (25 percent) were eligible to be adopted. However, these children and youth waited, on average, more than three years (39.4 months) to join permanent adoptive families.

• Aging Out: Despite the overall reduction in the number of children in foster care, the number of youth “aging out” of the system because their age made them ineligible for services increased to an all-time high of over 26,000 in 2006. Many of these young people, ill-prepared for adulthood and lacking a safety net to fall back on in times of need, struggled with housing, food and education.

• Education: Education is a significant factor in determining the success of youth as they exit the foster care system and beyond. However, a 2005 study by Casey Family Programs found that 23 percent of youth who aged out of foster care did not have a high school diploma or GED, and only 1.8 percent completed college, compared to 22.5 percent in the general population.

• Prevention: Many children could have the safety and permanence they need if there were an array of supports available to help keep families safely together and reduce the need for foster care. Yet, the majority of dedicated federal funding for child welfare is currently reserved for placing and maintaining children in foster care and cannot be used for prevention or reunification services or supports.

Provided by the National Foster Care Coalition.