Where's Grandma?

Little Man likes to "talk" on the phone to my Mom (who lives out of state) at least a few times per week. Mr. I. likes to call Grandma too, so between the two of them she says "oh, really?" a lot since they are hard to understand-lol! Anyway, she mailed all 3 of the kids a "Twas the Night Before Christmas" recordable book. She recorded her voice reading the story and at the end it says "Merry Christmas! Love you, Grandma!" The first time Little Man heard the book it was hilarious!!! At first he just froze trying to figure it out. Then he knew it was Grandma's voice so he ran to the phone. He kept running back and forth between the book and the phone trying to figure it all out! :) So cute and smart!!

Jump aboard the crazy train!

Oye! Mom has been able to contact workers through the leasing office and she is throughly torn on what to do. She wants to now separate herself (through legal means) from Dad. Will she do it??? I don't know!!!! I know they received an eviction notice yesterday to be out in 3 days. Please pray that she finally makes some sound and smart decisions for her own safety and sanity!! I really pray she finds a safe place to stay where she can work on her own issues apart from this man.

No visit this week

I guess Little Man is not going to have a visit again this week. At least we didn't go through the hassle of getting him and his things ready, driving there, and waiting only to find out she isn't coming. She never confirmed her visit and apparently couldn't find a way to get to the visit so it got cancelled yesterday morning. She has no phone now (it got disconnected) so I guess we wait and see if she contacts anyone and if there will be a visit next week.

It's so hard to see someone be so eager to get her child back, doing all that she needs to do only to place a man (and toxic relationship) ahead of her son. She seems to have totally given up all of the sudden and it's so sad! Now don't get me wrong....I am thankful that he gets to remain here in a safe environment where he won't be exposed to things a child never should! I guess only time will tell what will happen long term, but we are praying that December 22nd is a big day in his life and ours!

More drama...

Never did I think that this case could be even MORE screwed up! Oh my...Mom and Dad are both alive and at their apt. Lots of UGLY details came out of yesterday's visit by the case worker/GAL and things are looking bleak. If only Mom could separate herself from this toxic relationship she might have a real chance of living with her son again. As things are right now....it looks like there will be lots of drama in court again in a few weeks. Thank God Little Man is too little to have a clue what's going on...he's playing near my feet happily saying "Thomas...see it mama?!" He loves Thomas the Tank Engine these days :)

Disappointed

Nothing was accomplished in court today :( The parents did not show and nothing that was told to be completed was ready to present. The judge was in a VERY bad mood today and I felt very sorry for our case manager :( Mom has suddenly dropped off the face of the earth (Dad too)and it's very rare to not hear from her anywhere from 2-4 times a day, so the judge ordered the CM to find them and drug screen them immediately and be ready with the results on the 22nd which is when we will continue the fun! :-(

Preparing for tomorrow

I think there are a lot of valuable lessons for me in my kid's favorite Bible story...David and Goliath!

"Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." I Samuel 17:32
We currently are fighting a pretty big giant here, but as this verse says, we must not lose heart. We have no control, it looks like the parents are doing what they need to be doing, we may not get to keep Little Man here with us forever, BUT we must not lose heart!

" I cannot go in these,' he said to Saul, 'because I am not used to them.' So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine." I Samuel 17:38b-40
We cannot use someone else's faith to fight our giant!

"David said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty'." I Samuel 17:45

"All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's..." I Samuel 17:47 (emphasis mine)
The following is from my study Bible and totally summed it up for me :)

"Many of us have obstacles looming in the distance. We can approach them with the same confidence as David: When we pray in the Lord's name, remember what God has done and confidently place the results in God's hands." (emphasis mine)

One year ago today!

I can hardly even believe that it was ONE year ago today that Little Man was brought to our home and joined our family!!!!!!!!! Back then he was a 5 1/2 month old BIG boy who actually assimilated pretty well. I remember the initial item that stopped him from crying was a red bulb on the Christmas tree that he could see himself in :) The first month he was with us are almost a blur as we adjusted to having an infant in the house and especially because he was SO SICK with asthma problems. We had so many Dr. visits that month it was crazy! Of course things settled down and he became part of our family. He has changed so much and is developing into quite the little character! He's not a baby anymore and he is looking more and more like a big boy!

Never in my foster care fantasies did I imagine that our first foster care placement would be this long. I'm not really sure what I expected, but I think I was expecting more of what my friend has had her first year...12 kids! Obviously God has us each on the path that He has planned for our separate families but we certainly have had different experiences for sure!

I have learned so much in the past year...there have been very hard times...there have been fun/easy times...there have been moments where I want to scream at the system...there have been moments when I have tried to encourage workers with tangible efforts to "keep going" when their job was "too much." There have been times when I have cried at the very thought of having to say goodbye...there have been times where I dreamed of the day I could announce that Little Man would be a permanent member of our family! I never imagined the emotional rollercoaster that foster care has turned out to be, but I know that this rollercoaster is from God and we are along for the ride to do as He wants us to!!



We have no idea how much longer Little Man will be here with us (hopefully we'll have a bit more of an idea after Friday) but we will cherish each and every day we have with him and even if he does return to his parents someday we will never regret having the blessing of him in our lives for however long God had him here!!