Monday, August 29, 2011

Our First Class

Our first class went well, I thought. We were supposed to meet for two hours. We actually stayed longer than that, but I really thought that it went by really fast. It was very interesting and everyone seemed so excited to get started. It was kind of hard to believe that the 2+ hours passed so quickly. I half expected our class to be boring, but I wasn't disappointed to be wrong! We ended up having homework and apparently that will be a weekly thing. I didn't expect that, but that is ok too. We have 3 more Thursday classes and then an all day Saturday class. After the Saturday class we have 4 home studies to do. One with just me and one with just Jonathan and two more with both of us. They have 90 days to approve or deny us. We are hoping to be approved by the end of the year and pray that we can begin taking care of kids very soon thereafter! Just because I know that some of you are curious, I will go ahead and say that we have to be foster parents for 6 months before we can adopt. They are really stressing that babies are not the norm for adoptions in the system. They also gave us a statistic that over 50% of the children in the TN foster system are reunited with their families. A couple of years ago that would have really, really scared me. It still does, to be honest, but I can also look to my parents example and others that I have known who are in the system and see their experiences and know that sometimes birth parents can change for the better and it is my job to love them and their children through that. I know that it will be MUCH harder to do than I'm thinking right now. I'm just praying that we can be the example to the children and parents that we need to be and when the parents can't or won't change then I hope that we can be the parents those children need. I also pray that when the parents DO change and are able to be parents again, that we are able to let go. We know that it will be hard either way.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I'm so excited... And I just can't hide it!

I wish my Mama was here. I have some very exciting news that I would LOVE to share with her!

Jonathan and I begin classes next Thursday to become Foster parents! We are so excited about this opportunity to become parents. I'm so giddy that I can't even think about sleep at 11:30. (In case you are wondering, Jonathan is sleeping just fine... at least he was until I went and jumped on him and told him again how excited I was!) He is very excited too, he just knows practical things like someone who works two jobs needs sleep even if he is excited. I'll try to refrain from waking him again in my giddiness! ;)
I've been getting a little discouraged about this whole business. I haven't really heard from CPS lately and I wondered if we were still in the process of doing this. I have been super excited all along, but hearing nothing is discouraging sometimes. I DID know that I needed to be patient, but I my patience was running a little thin. I've been praying about it lately. A LOT. Then, this evening, Jonathan came home from the church building at about 7:45 and asked if I had gotten the mail. Nope. So he goes to check it and there are two bill-like envelopes. I didn't think much of it until I noticed the huge grin on his face. I wondered what he was so excited about, but "Wipeout" was on, I was babysitting 4 kids, AND my phone just dropped a call from my sister, Suzanne, making me more than a little distracted until he handed me the letter.   It was a one page letter telling us of the times and dates of our classes to become Foster Parents AND they start NEXT WEEK!!! I was so excited! I told Jonathan that I felt like I finally took a test and it was positive!! I'm not really sure about the process. I don't know what happens after the classes, or how long until we have little ones in our care. But I DO know where we will be every Thursday night for the next few weeks. And then one Saturday class that lasts ALL day. I'm sure that I will know more after our first class next Thursday night! I'm super excited and a little scared, and I really miss my Mama right now. But mostly, I am excited! Please pray for Jonathan and Me and our journey into parenthood!


Friday, August 12, 2011

Busyness

Sorry that it has been a little while! We have  been super busy 'round these parts. We got Daddy and the girls moved in. Hannah and Heather have been tested and they have gotten into the right grades at school. They had been home schooled for the past few years, but without Mama at home that was too hard to continue. Mama always thought that home schooling them was best. They had been behind when they were with their birth families and they still have a lot of struggles. I am still worried about them being able to keep up in their classes, but we will help them as much as we can. They are very happy with their new school and their new classes. I am excited for them in their excitement. Beth was happy to realize that her band Director from Bowling Green was a former band Director at her new school. She knew that he was from somewhere in west TN and she found out on the first day that he previously taught here. She was glad to have that connection.
There is still a lot of work in getting everyone settled. Everything is moved here and all the basic things are in their new places. There is still a lot of cleaning and rearranging to do, but we will get there. It is good to have them here.
I have switched from babysitting during the day  to babysitting most evenings. Every evening, except Wednesday, I am picking up Hunter, Angel, Scott and Azlee from after school. These are the same kiddoes that I kept during the summer, we just have a different schedule now, and since they are in school, I am keeping them at their home instead of mine.
Wednesday, I drove Daddy back to BG so that he could get his other car. We left later than we intended, which gave me a chance to visit my brother and sister-in-law, Stephen and Mary Anne, and my sister, Brittnye. Stephen and Mary Anne have the cutest little older house and they have done a lot of work on it. Brittnye also has an older house that she and several girls from school live in together. Brittnye's room is pretty cool and even has an old fireplace. Since I was running so late and wouldn't make it back home in time for Bible Study, I took advantage of the opportunity to visit with my old "Home" at Lost River. I am always encouraged while worshiping with the members there and love to visit whenever I can. It was a late night of driving to get back home, but it was worth it to visit with my Brothers and Sisters at Lost River church of Christ!

Hummingbirds

My new ring

 I was browsing on Ebay the other day and I came across a hummingbird ring that I loved. Mama loved hummingbirds. She could just sit and watch them for hours. Every time that I have seen once since she died, I have thought about her and smiled. So I found this ring and  decided on a very small limit and bid. I was so excited a couple of days later to see that I had won!
 My sister Suzanne liked my ring so much, for the same reason, that she ordered one today. Her's is the same style, it just looks much newer than mine. This is the one she ordered today. I couldn't take a picture of mine because I have misplaced my camera. It looks exactly the same, only more vintage-y. I really like it a lot.