Canny stand the cuteness! 35 degree playtime

Court

For all those that are following our journey....

Court was this morning.  We ended up being the first case heard. We sat there while the lawyers went back and forth, the judge, who has a reputation as being hard, was super nice to Jason and I even asking us to tell her about the baby (which was very easy for us to do obviously), and ended up being pretty harsh with mom telling her she doesn't think she understands how serious this is, and reminded her that the law says they have 12 months from coming into care to reunify baby K with mom (or her w mom and dad). She went on to point out that mom has had already one third of that time and has "MADE NO PROGRESS" and how her infant daughter was bonding with "These two people"--pointing at Jay and I. She also ordered a hair drug analysis be done by 5 pm tomorrow, since mom has not gone for the urine test requested weeks ago as part of her substance abuse evaluation. Mom now says she has kicked dad out and they are "over with" ( she changes that from week to week lately). Dads visitations were suspended until he takes it upon himself to make a new visitation plan with DSS, and they are no longer are to visit together since they are not "together". A DNA marker test was also ordered today for him. Dad did not come to court, again.

So all in all things are great, no real changes but things good and baby K will be with longer. I couldn't help but feel compassion and hurt for baby Ks mother who sat there IN HER PJ SWEATS and SLIPPERS in the court room being talked sternly to by the judge....but maybe its the wake up call she needs, (but maybe not). Please continue to pray for her as well.

Thanks for your prayers. We go back in May, where it will be decided if the case continues to be reunification or the goal changed.

Baby K was great for Jays parents while we were in court, they took the girls to Marbles to play.

Look at this smile!!!

November.....

Its been a crazy weekend so far, a busted water heater in the middle of the night equals large fans now drying our soaked carpet in the nursery and hallway--just in time for Jay's parents to come for their annual visit for his birthday....carpet is supposed to be cleaned by Wed afternoon assuming its dry they say! 

We signed a lease on a town home about a 1/2 mile away from the apartment we live in now, not our choice to move really but its quite a bit more affordable and out of a complex, Makenna will get to stay in her school and I will still be able to watch the kids I have been, all of which were important to us at this time. If all goes well (they lease our current apartment) we will move in the weekend after Christmas (maybe I can convince my mom to come help organize and unpack, etc again! She is sooo good at it!!!), if not we will move in for Feb 1, we signed a two year lease, locking in the more affordable rate.....we are so tired of moving (didn't think "I" would ever say that!!!). 

We found out this week Makenna's kindergarten teacher has now left for good (been out last several weeks due to illness), Makenna is sad. Thankfully the teacher is no longer ill, just took an out of classroom position at another school they said. Hopefully they will have a new teacher in place by the time she tracks back in early December. We are enjoying the 9 week in 3 week out schedule of year round school so far (ask me again on week three of track out with her home with me and the littler kiddos and I may have another opinion) Shes still excelling in school and enjoying it!

Baby K is still doing awesome, shes up to 14.5 lbs now. She had her first ear infection last week along with croup, which was no fun, but we managed to keep her comfortable mostly, and shes all better now, just a couple more days of antibiotic. Shes always smiling and giggling and very much into toys and interacting now. We go to court next Thursday. 

I hope you are having a great November so far too!

The girls in the tub tonight :)

Today

A different kind of post, after the "interesting" supervised visit today with baby 

K's mom:


Being a foster parent was not our plan, but it was God's plan.


While my heart is so in love with this baby girl it also hurts so bad at the same 

time for her Mother and the hand she was dealt and has chosen, or chooses. It 

appears she continually chooses not to accept the help being handed to her

time and time and time again, yet she too loves this little girl.



foster care --- its so sad.



So I pray...and rock her baby girl....daily. 



Please Pray with us! Court next Thursday 9am.