This is my first time posting to my wife's great blog about our favorite kid. I'll try and not ramble too much. Today marked our three week anniversary with him and also marked the number of weeks Kasi and I have been parents. I've learned some things as a new "parent", if I can call myself that yet. I don't believe I have earned the title, don't you have to have a "stork" or the "kids network" certify you before you can use that title? I would like to tell you about some little things that I have discovered over these three weeks. Cheetos are awesome little cheesy crunchy delights. They are not chips, they are not healthy but they are great. The Cheetos people should be praised for making such a delicious treat. They should be shamed for how they have designed their treat to remain on the fingers of anyone, say a little person with red hair, who loves to touch everything including his new daddy. So, thank you Cheetos people for making a good treat, but please help all parents and those trying to earn the title by making your treat to not remain on the fingers of the little people. I had "Cheetos orange" all over me, the walls and the cute desk I was putting together for my wonderful wife. Beware of the Cheetos fingers!
Marketers have earned my respect in the last three weeks. I know they advertise and try to get into my head with all types of "buy this" messages, but I didn't realize how clever they were at using the little people to do their "selling" for them. Walk into Toys R Us and what is the first thing you see, very cool and expensive toys. What do the little people see, very cool and expensive toys. What do they want, you're catching on. Now our little person is very well behaved but I know he is tempted, how can he not be. So, I have respect for you marketers out there, but I do not appreciate the toys at the front door, the candy at the cash register, the little trinkets for little fingers on the way out of the store and probably the most disturbing trend right now, Disney Cars on everything a little boy needs and wants. I keep telling my wife, it's like Disney Cars "threw up" on everything that is little boy. Does our little guy even have a choice on whether to like Cars or not? By the way, I love Cars, we didn't have to buy him the movie, it was already in daddy's collection next to Bourne Ultimatum.
I used to have some pretty good goals set out. I like to do a "goal plan" for the year and even a 3 year and 5 year plan. Ask my wonderful wife, she has seen the spreadsheets. After three weeks, I believe my goals will change a little bit. I still plan to achieve my goals (one of them was to get a great kid and call him ours, thank you Lord for making that happen), but I think I will also be very focused, maybe consumed with some short term goals. I'm naming them superman goals, because after I accomplish them, I feel like superman. Some superman experiences I have had in the past week:
1. Cutting hair - yes, I was able to cut his hair Sunday morning before church. He actually let me do it, even after I got hair all over his neck (the towel fell accidentally), his ear and of course all over me. Kasi thought it looked good, so if mommy is happy than it qualifies for superman status.
2. Brushing teeth - some days I have the superman status and other days, well, like last night I didn't get there. What is so hard about this task?
3. Dressing him in less than 10 minutes and having him match. What goes on first, what is next, what type of socks do you want, you have to wear that shirt you picked it out, I'm counting to five and then I'm putting that on you, mommy isn't here to put on your shorts, you can't leave until you have your shirt on......when did I become so consumed with clothing? It's easier to prepare for a quarterly board meeting than to get a littler person dressed, matched and ready to go in ten minutes. I've had only one superman moment on this one, I need more or else I will end wearing a shark shirt like him.
4. Bed time. Seriously, I haven't had any superman moments yet for this one. My wife walks out at 8:00 and tells me he was so sweet, they prayed, he gave her a hug, tells her she is awesome and that he is ready to go to sleep. I try to put him down, and we can't pick out a book, he wants his light on, he wants the turtle to sing him a song, he wants the plane in his room to fly him around, he doesn't want me to read the book, he wants his juice, he wants the NASA space shuttle program to continue on and he of course doesn't want to go to bed. I enjoy "trying" to put him to sleep, but I have a lot to learn. I am enjoying/dreading this learning process. I will get my superman moment, he will be in bed by 8:00 and I will be out of there. I will be the bedtime superman.
5. Making sure he knows we love him. I will never take for granted the opportunities I get to tickle, sneak in a hug or just be silly with him. He needs to know that we are crazy about him. Many superman moments here and many more to come.
Well, there's my first blog. I'll try and do more.
Peace!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Making Connections
I feel like my favorite little guy and I are bonding more everyday. I really have a lot of fun with him! I attribute this in part to the fact that I am learning more about how to make a schedule that is entertaining enough for him and yet still preserves my sanity by allowing for trips to Target and lunches with friends. These are the essentials of a good life.
I think he is a bit confused about how he one day came to live with people he did not know and they just happened to have a room made for him, toys for him to play with and snacks for him to eat. Whether it is a box of goldfish crackers or a t-shirt, he wants to know, "Who bought this for me?" This question is typically followed by the question, "Why?" I cannot blame him. If I was dragged away to another house and instantly had a closet of clothes in my size and lots of shiny new earrings, I would probably ask a few questions, too. On second thought, why look a gift horse in the mouth? I would probably just wear them and keep my mouth shut...but I am not a 3 year old.
Today we had a moment. On his first day here, he found this long sleeve hooded shirt in his closet that I had purchased for the fall, not the blazing hot Texas summer. He wanted to wear it that day and has asked about it everyday since, though I learned the wisdom of "out of sight, out of mind" and hid it last week. It rained today, so I let him wear it to dinner (it seemed reasonable in that situation). He began asking who bought that shirt for him. I got teary remembering the day I bought that shirt, having no idea when he would be ours and no real guarantees that he would ever wear it at all. He then asked a new question, "Where was I?" This was a good one. I had to say that I truly didn't know...I guessed daycare. He offered that he was probably at his "other house." I asked him if he liked it there and he replied, "No. I like it here." We then had a little conversation about our house and him staying with us forever. For those of you keeping track, remember I was already a little teary. This didn't help that.
He must be doing a lot of thinking today because as he laid in bed tonight, I heard him talking to...his stuffed monkey(?)on the monitor. He said, "This is my new airplane room, and this is my turtle [nightlight]. I didn't have a turtle at my other house, but I have one at this house...and a Daddy..and..." It got muffled after that. I think I heard something about Neb later on. Neb is our Yorkie, who is a somewhat anxious lap dog that we rescued 5 years ago. I am sure he was thankful to be included in the introductions.
I think we don't give kids enough credit. They need explanations. They need to talk things out, to ask questions, and to share their thoughts and opinions. I have done some of that with him, but I really want to start giving him more of a chance to talk about things. I will let you know how that goes.
I think he is a bit confused about how he one day came to live with people he did not know and they just happened to have a room made for him, toys for him to play with and snacks for him to eat. Whether it is a box of goldfish crackers or a t-shirt, he wants to know, "Who bought this for me?" This question is typically followed by the question, "Why?" I cannot blame him. If I was dragged away to another house and instantly had a closet of clothes in my size and lots of shiny new earrings, I would probably ask a few questions, too. On second thought, why look a gift horse in the mouth? I would probably just wear them and keep my mouth shut...but I am not a 3 year old.
Today we had a moment. On his first day here, he found this long sleeve hooded shirt in his closet that I had purchased for the fall, not the blazing hot Texas summer. He wanted to wear it that day and has asked about it everyday since, though I learned the wisdom of "out of sight, out of mind" and hid it last week. It rained today, so I let him wear it to dinner (it seemed reasonable in that situation). He began asking who bought that shirt for him. I got teary remembering the day I bought that shirt, having no idea when he would be ours and no real guarantees that he would ever wear it at all. He then asked a new question, "Where was I?" This was a good one. I had to say that I truly didn't know...I guessed daycare. He offered that he was probably at his "other house." I asked him if he liked it there and he replied, "No. I like it here." We then had a little conversation about our house and him staying with us forever. For those of you keeping track, remember I was already a little teary. This didn't help that.
He must be doing a lot of thinking today because as he laid in bed tonight, I heard him talking to...his stuffed monkey(?)on the monitor. He said, "This is my new airplane room, and this is my turtle [nightlight]. I didn't have a turtle at my other house, but I have one at this house...and a Daddy..and..." It got muffled after that. I think I heard something about Neb later on. Neb is our Yorkie, who is a somewhat anxious lap dog that we rescued 5 years ago. I am sure he was thankful to be included in the introductions.
I think we don't give kids enough credit. They need explanations. They need to talk things out, to ask questions, and to share their thoughts and opinions. I have done some of that with him, but I really want to start giving him more of a chance to talk about things. I will let you know how that goes.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Role Confusion
If you met our little boy, you would never know that he wasn't ours. He looks like us and he fits in so very well with us. He is friendly, outgoing and well mannered (we are working on saying "Please" and "Thank you"). But I know his past, where he has been, and because of my work, I know the effect that those things can have on a person. So my mind is constantly thinking about how to best meet his needs. Sure, he seems like a "normal" child who wants you to stay with him until he falls asleep at night, but is there more to it? Should I be more responsive when he calls out for me while my husband is putting him down? Or should I view this as just another attempt to avoid bedtime, like every other three year old on the planet?
I see clients everyday who needed just a little more as a child-a little more attention, a little more responsiveness, a little more validation...and they didn't get it, which is why they are in my office. I don't want that to be my child one day. But I also don't want him to get the message that he is broken. I want him to be independent, capable and confident. And no amount of training in the world can tell me exactly how to balance those two!
I see clients everyday who needed just a little more as a child-a little more attention, a little more responsiveness, a little more validation...and they didn't get it, which is why they are in my office. I don't want that to be my child one day. But I also don't want him to get the message that he is broken. I want him to be independent, capable and confident. And no amount of training in the world can tell me exactly how to balance those two!
A New Adventure
I am an analagous learner. I am not entirely certain that that is even a word, but doesn't it sound like the best way to say that I learn best through analogies? So I have spent the last two weeks searching for an analogy to explain the swirl of feelings inside me. I want to put words to my feelings of complete awe and being completey overwhelmed at the same time, a way to understand how I can be so dying for ten minutes to myself and yet miss him while he naps. I want a way to explain how my little red head, my husband and I are all teaching each other about how to be a family. And then it hit me, we are Nicholas Cage in Family Man.
I am not someone who has always dreamed of being a mother. I don't even want to have my own biological children. Kids are great, but I was pretty satisfied just being an aunt and dreaming of one day running an orphanage in another country. So, suddenly having a nearly 4 year old in my house makes me feel like a bit of an imposter. I really don't know what I am doing! I love him, and am loving every moment I get to spend with him. For some people, that means that they love being a mom, which is undoubtedly a calling in it's own right. However, for me, I think I would say that I love being with my precious son and knowing that I will get to watch him grow into the man he will become, whom I believe will be an incredible person and a world changer! And somehow in the midst of that, I have the distinct honor of being the person that he throws his arm around, smiles and calls "Mommy..."
And I am thankful that it is not "just a glimpse...."
I am not someone who has always dreamed of being a mother. I don't even want to have my own biological children. Kids are great, but I was pretty satisfied just being an aunt and dreaming of one day running an orphanage in another country. So, suddenly having a nearly 4 year old in my house makes me feel like a bit of an imposter. I really don't know what I am doing! I love him, and am loving every moment I get to spend with him. For some people, that means that they love being a mom, which is undoubtedly a calling in it's own right. However, for me, I think I would say that I love being with my precious son and knowing that I will get to watch him grow into the man he will become, whom I believe will be an incredible person and a world changer! And somehow in the midst of that, I have the distinct honor of being the person that he throws his arm around, smiles and calls "Mommy..."
And I am thankful that it is not "just a glimpse...."
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Things I have Learned In My First Week as a Mommy
1. He really never will wear the "right" shorts with the "right" shorts. And there is no way on earth I can get him to wear the shoes that match... And I suppose that's okay.
2. There is a reason why they say "There's no use crying over spilled milk." Kids spill A LOT of milk!
3. When a 3 year old is involved, one can never guarantee they will be anywhere at any certain time (See #4).
4. Just because he wanted to brush his teeth yesterday does not mean he will do it today without a fight. Same goes for getting dressed, going to the park, swimming, eating and any other activity you can think of.
5. Kids are not concerned with efficiency. Sure I could push him in the stroller and get to the park in 10 minutes, but he thinks it better to walk it in 30 and pick up sticks along the way. I could put him in the car and have him buckled in less than 3 minutes, but why do that when he could climb in, wait for the seat to be the "right" temperature, and buckle himself in 10 minutes. Time is irrelevant to preschoolers.
6. It doesn't matter how many books he has, he will read the same two every night anyways. Same goes for clothes. He has worn the same 2 shirts 6 of the 10 days we have had him.
7. Chick Fil A and their wonderful playland is a gift from above. I now prefer it to all of the wonderful restaurants Will and I once went...
8. Don't like his mood? Wait 3 minutes..it will probably change.
9. Random hugs and "I love you"'s make all of the above perfectly acceptable.
2. There is a reason why they say "There's no use crying over spilled milk." Kids spill A LOT of milk!
3. When a 3 year old is involved, one can never guarantee they will be anywhere at any certain time (See #4).
4. Just because he wanted to brush his teeth yesterday does not mean he will do it today without a fight. Same goes for getting dressed, going to the park, swimming, eating and any other activity you can think of.
5. Kids are not concerned with efficiency. Sure I could push him in the stroller and get to the park in 10 minutes, but he thinks it better to walk it in 30 and pick up sticks along the way. I could put him in the car and have him buckled in less than 3 minutes, but why do that when he could climb in, wait for the seat to be the "right" temperature, and buckle himself in 10 minutes. Time is irrelevant to preschoolers.
6. It doesn't matter how many books he has, he will read the same two every night anyways. Same goes for clothes. He has worn the same 2 shirts 6 of the 10 days we have had him.
7. Chick Fil A and their wonderful playland is a gift from above. I now prefer it to all of the wonderful restaurants Will and I once went...
8. Don't like his mood? Wait 3 minutes..it will probably change.
9. Random hugs and "I love you"'s make all of the above perfectly acceptable.
After One Week....
I cannot believe it's only been ten days since this amazing little boy came to live with us! I have seen so much progress and so many changes in him in this short amount of time that I am in constant awe of how God has moved in this situation.
The first few nights he vehemently avoided pajamas or anything sleep related, even wanting to wear his clothes and shoes to bed. In addition being in a new environment, we also attribute this to his night terrors, which probably make him avoid sleep. However, after about five days, he put on his pajamas one night, crawled into bed, asked for a story and then went to sleep with no fight! This has been great for him, as well as his daddy and I! He still cries out a lot during the night, but it doesn't seem to wake him up. Sadly, he doesn't have words for his dreams yet, so we cannot process them with him.
After three days, Will got the first spontaneous "I love you." I got mine the next day. After five days, he began calling us "Mommy" and "Daddy." Prior to that, he would call us by our names or would refer to my husband as "that other boy." :) He rarely asks for "Other Mommy" or "Other Daddy" now. He told me yesterday that, "I only have one house...this one."
I had heard from friends who are fostering that their kids had acclimated quickly as well, but I did not expect him to feel so at home with us so fast. I think kids that have been abused are very intuitive and learn to be experts at reading people in order to protect themselves. I can only assume that our little red head can sense the love we have for him and knows that we will take care of him and keep him safe. There are moments where he and I will just stare at each other and then he will smile as if to say, "I get it. You love me." And I certainly do!!!!!
Things are not completely rosey, but we feel like they are progressing appropriately. He asks a lot of questions like, "What's my Daddy's name?" and "Where is my other house?" We are trying to help him process the change in his time and on his level so that he can understand that this really is his new home. We continually reminding him that his things will be there when he returns and that we always come back for him. I think these will be conversations that we have multiple times over the years on different levels, as he grows emotionally and cognitively.
The first few nights he vehemently avoided pajamas or anything sleep related, even wanting to wear his clothes and shoes to bed. In addition being in a new environment, we also attribute this to his night terrors, which probably make him avoid sleep. However, after about five days, he put on his pajamas one night, crawled into bed, asked for a story and then went to sleep with no fight! This has been great for him, as well as his daddy and I! He still cries out a lot during the night, but it doesn't seem to wake him up. Sadly, he doesn't have words for his dreams yet, so we cannot process them with him.
After three days, Will got the first spontaneous "I love you." I got mine the next day. After five days, he began calling us "Mommy" and "Daddy." Prior to that, he would call us by our names or would refer to my husband as "that other boy." :) He rarely asks for "Other Mommy" or "Other Daddy" now. He told me yesterday that, "I only have one house...this one."
I had heard from friends who are fostering that their kids had acclimated quickly as well, but I did not expect him to feel so at home with us so fast. I think kids that have been abused are very intuitive and learn to be experts at reading people in order to protect themselves. I can only assume that our little red head can sense the love we have for him and knows that we will take care of him and keep him safe. There are moments where he and I will just stare at each other and then he will smile as if to say, "I get it. You love me." And I certainly do!!!!!
Things are not completely rosey, but we feel like they are progressing appropriately. He asks a lot of questions like, "What's my Daddy's name?" and "Where is my other house?" We are trying to help him process the change in his time and on his level so that he can understand that this really is his new home. We continually reminding him that his things will be there when he returns and that we always come back for him. I think these will be conversations that we have multiple times over the years on different levels, as he grows emotionally and cognitively.
Day 1
We were excited and nervous on Thursday morning as we prepared for our son's arrival. We knew that this would be one of the most exciting days of our lives and one of the more difficult days of his. He had been living in the same home for the past year and a half, so saying goodbye was difficult for both he and his foster mother. Unfortunately, none of them were expecting him to be moved from their home, adding shock and suprise to the already difficult transition.
He arrived at our home wearing red and navy plaid shorts and a gray muscle tee. He had a purple dragon in one hand and a Whataburger milkshake in the other. (The Bible was a gift from his biological mother that he brought with him when he was removed from her home). As I opened the door, my heart leapt. This was him! This was the child that I had been praying for, preparing for and dreaming of for the last seven months! He stood there at the doorway, quietly staring at us and not wanting to come in. After a few minutes he agreed to see what toys we had to offer and even allowed me to hold his dragon. Will and I began to play with him, though he remained cautious as he observed us.
Amazingly, our foster care consultant and his CPS worker stayed about 15 minutes, exchanged some paperwork and left. That was it. With one quick drop off, we were now parents!
I had purchased a small backpack for him. Once he found it,he immediately began trying to put all of his new toys, snacks and clothes into it to "take home" with him. He would not go anywhere without his backpack. I kept trying to explain to him that all of his new things were his to keep forever, but for a child who has just been plucked from all of toys, clothes and relationships, this was hard to believe. (He came to us with one small suitcase containing only a few items of clothing and no toys). We spent the rest of the day playing at the park, drawing with sidewalk chalk and exploring his new surroundings. I know it must've been confusing for him, because I too found it hard to believe that he was actually in our home to stay!
He mentioned his (foster) mommy, daddy, and home frequently the first few days. Once he said, "My mommy is crying right now." It was difficult not to question if moving him from their home was the best thing for him. But I knew that it was. I knew that, though they were familair to him, there were so many issues and concerns that he was certainly better off with us. I would just have to wait for him to figure that out, too.
He arrived at our home wearing red and navy plaid shorts and a gray muscle tee. He had a purple dragon in one hand and a Whataburger milkshake in the other. (The Bible was a gift from his biological mother that he brought with him when he was removed from her home). As I opened the door, my heart leapt. This was him! This was the child that I had been praying for, preparing for and dreaming of for the last seven months! He stood there at the doorway, quietly staring at us and not wanting to come in. After a few minutes he agreed to see what toys we had to offer and even allowed me to hold his dragon. Will and I began to play with him, though he remained cautious as he observed us.
Amazingly, our foster care consultant and his CPS worker stayed about 15 minutes, exchanged some paperwork and left. That was it. With one quick drop off, we were now parents!
I had purchased a small backpack for him. Once he found it,he immediately began trying to put all of his new toys, snacks and clothes into it to "take home" with him. He would not go anywhere without his backpack. I kept trying to explain to him that all of his new things were his to keep forever, but for a child who has just been plucked from all of toys, clothes and relationships, this was hard to believe. (He came to us with one small suitcase containing only a few items of clothing and no toys). We spent the rest of the day playing at the park, drawing with sidewalk chalk and exploring his new surroundings. I know it must've been confusing for him, because I too found it hard to believe that he was actually in our home to stay!
He mentioned his (foster) mommy, daddy, and home frequently the first few days. Once he said, "My mommy is crying right now." It was difficult not to question if moving him from their home was the best thing for him. But I knew that it was. I knew that, though they were familair to him, there were so many issues and concerns that he was certainly better off with us. I would just have to wait for him to figure that out, too.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Journey in a Nutshell
Will and I have always known that we wanted to grow our family through adoption. In October 2010, Will began working at a national charity that offers group homes, foster care and counseling services to children. I believe that is where God really started this train. We began looking into international options in November 2010, but were discouraged by the tremendous wait (about 3-4 years!) and cost (we won’t even go there!)
Around December 14, 2010, Will told me about a 3 year old red- head who had come into his office that day with his foster parents. I didn’t sleep much that night because I kept thinking about this little boy… I just felt like he was supposed to be ours. The Foster Care Christmas party was a few days later and Will mentioned that he would be there. I insisted that we go and spent the whole evening playing with him and watching him follow Santa around the cafeteria. As we left that evening, I felt as if we were leaving a part of us behind.
At that time, we knew that his mother’s rights were not terminated, meaning that the state was still working to reunify them, and that he had been in what we believed to be a perfectly good foster home for the past year. This was not a child in need of a home. Now before you all get concerned that I will decide to make your children my own, you should know that this is not typical behavior for me. I have heard hundreds of heartbreaking stories and never felt like I needed to take them home (okay..only a few ;)). I believe that God gave me a love in my heart for this child from the time I first heard his name.
The next Monday, we began searching for a foster care agency and worked to get licensed as foster/adoptive parents are quickly as possible. We were licensed in February and began to wait…. We learned that he had a court date in May to determine if his mother’s rights would be terminated. So we waited…. Then court was rescheduled and we waited some more…..Then on May 17, we learned that his mother’s rights were terminated. **We truly believe that this is for the best, though she remains in our prayers and we ask that she be in yours as well.
As we waited, we began to learn that there were growing concerns about the appropriateness of the foster family as a long term placement for him. There are various medical issues, connection issues, discipline issues, etc… that have arisen over the last 5 months, leaving almost all parties involved feeling as if this child should be moved elsewhere. This is where I stop again and smile at the hand of God. GOD knew before we had any clue that this precious child would need a home. I am in awe of how much God loves His children….
So, since May 17, we have just been waiting to see what will happen next. While my tolerance for the unknown has increased over the years, this has certainly stretched far beyond my previous capacity! The wait has not been easy, but God has done so many things to encourage us along the way that I have never doubted that this little child would be our son. He allowed Will to meet with his attorney, provided just the right color of paint and put clients in my path 3 weeks in a row with his birthday just to name a few….. I could tell of the thousands of “signs” He has given us in the last few months, but that would triple the size of this story, which is probably already pushing YOUR capacity to sit and read!
So…to wrap this up, we received a phone call on June 24 from our wonderful foster care consultant, informing us that his attorney (or guardian ad litem) has scheduled a hearing on Friday, July 1 at 9am to ask the judge to place him with us. We received notice a on June 27 that the hearing would not be required and that he would instead come to live with us on June 30.
Our foster care worker commented that he cannot believe how this has all unfolded and has never seen anything he like it. I am not surprised. My God is always up for the unbelievable! “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days that you would not believe if you were told.” (Habakkuk 1:5) Indeed He has.
As a side note, His middle name is the same as my dad's, who I have always wanted to name my son after. God's train started before October 2010 :)
Around December 14, 2010, Will told me about a 3 year old red- head who had come into his office that day with his foster parents. I didn’t sleep much that night because I kept thinking about this little boy… I just felt like he was supposed to be ours. The Foster Care Christmas party was a few days later and Will mentioned that he would be there. I insisted that we go and spent the whole evening playing with him and watching him follow Santa around the cafeteria. As we left that evening, I felt as if we were leaving a part of us behind.
At that time, we knew that his mother’s rights were not terminated, meaning that the state was still working to reunify them, and that he had been in what we believed to be a perfectly good foster home for the past year. This was not a child in need of a home. Now before you all get concerned that I will decide to make your children my own, you should know that this is not typical behavior for me. I have heard hundreds of heartbreaking stories and never felt like I needed to take them home (okay..only a few ;)). I believe that God gave me a love in my heart for this child from the time I first heard his name.
The next Monday, we began searching for a foster care agency and worked to get licensed as foster/adoptive parents are quickly as possible. We were licensed in February and began to wait…. We learned that he had a court date in May to determine if his mother’s rights would be terminated. So we waited…. Then court was rescheduled and we waited some more…..Then on May 17, we learned that his mother’s rights were terminated. **We truly believe that this is for the best, though she remains in our prayers and we ask that she be in yours as well.
As we waited, we began to learn that there were growing concerns about the appropriateness of the foster family as a long term placement for him. There are various medical issues, connection issues, discipline issues, etc… that have arisen over the last 5 months, leaving almost all parties involved feeling as if this child should be moved elsewhere. This is where I stop again and smile at the hand of God. GOD knew before we had any clue that this precious child would need a home. I am in awe of how much God loves His children….
So, since May 17, we have just been waiting to see what will happen next. While my tolerance for the unknown has increased over the years, this has certainly stretched far beyond my previous capacity! The wait has not been easy, but God has done so many things to encourage us along the way that I have never doubted that this little child would be our son. He allowed Will to meet with his attorney, provided just the right color of paint and put clients in my path 3 weeks in a row with his birthday just to name a few….. I could tell of the thousands of “signs” He has given us in the last few months, but that would triple the size of this story, which is probably already pushing YOUR capacity to sit and read!
So…to wrap this up, we received a phone call on June 24 from our wonderful foster care consultant, informing us that his attorney (or guardian ad litem) has scheduled a hearing on Friday, July 1 at 9am to ask the judge to place him with us. We received notice a on June 27 that the hearing would not be required and that he would instead come to live with us on June 30.
Our foster care worker commented that he cannot believe how this has all unfolded and has never seen anything he like it. I am not surprised. My God is always up for the unbelievable! “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days that you would not believe if you were told.” (Habakkuk 1:5) Indeed He has.
As a side note, His middle name is the same as my dad's, who I have always wanted to name my son after. God's train started before October 2010 :)
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