Child Abuse Prevention Guest Blog

Check out my guest post over at Foster 2 Forever.

Fear, Fight and Fostering

Disclaimer: Mom (and other family members) Nothing new has happened...I'm just now blogging about everything you already know. Love you!

I've experienced more fear in the last 14 months than I have EVER experienced in my LIFE! You know the "sick" meter they have posted on hospital walls for your pain level? 0-1 No Pain, 2-3 Mild Pain- all the way to 10 Unbearable pain.



If there were a fear meter I'm sure I would have ranked between 5-Discomforting Fear to 10-Unbearable Fear 90% of the last year. When we signed up for fostering to adopt I had NO idea the amount of fear I would go through.

This fear for me hasn't been a lesson in faith, rather a lesson in fight. I haven't experienced an over abundance of fear in my life, because I run from scenarios that aren't a "sure thing." I choose friends who I'm confident will not hurt me. I take jobs that I can over-achieve at. I set expectations low, so when I am disappointed...well, "I knew that was going to happen anyway because, I live in the real world." Unfortunately, my realistic personality hasn't taught me to fight for much.

Throw a sweet baby girl into the mix with parents who are unable to take care of her, family members who can't decide what they want and a broken system filled with red tape and I have suddenly found myself in the RISKIEST situation of all - the possibility that I might lose the most amazing 2 1/2 foot tall human being on the planet. And folks....I'm just not going to let that happen. Nope. God ordained her life to be a part of ours forever - He has confirmed it too many times for me to doubt Him.

So, satan...get your boxing gloves ready, 'cause you've got a fight on your hands.

So much to be thankful for...

One year ago today, we drove our little princessa home from the hospital. I'm pretty sure about 10 minutes after we got home, I sent Adam to the pharmacy for her iron and vitamins and then proceeded to call my friend Amber and cry. "What were we doing?" "This is not a sure thing." "What if her mom decides to get her stuff together and we lose her?" Suddenly, having this little baby in our house was reality and ALL my fears came to the surface.

I don't remember what else happened that evening. We obviously fed her, changed her diaper and probably stared at her incessantly...wait that sounds just like today! :) What an amazing year you have given us Lucy Bear. We love you!!

Realities of Foster Care

With the impending visit from Lucy's social worker tomorrow, I was prompted to relay one really harsh reality of fostering - APPOINTMENTS. Not once a month, no, not twice a month....but practically every week and sometimes twice a week we have an appointment with someone, simply because Lucy is in foster care. I have become a regular social secretary.

Lucy has had 7 appointments in the last 6 weeks, and has 4 more in the next 2 weeks. I appreciate that the court believes that these kids need multiple advocates to ensure they don't get lost in the system. I appreciate that Lucy is eligible for WIC and I don't have to buy formula. I appreciate that Lucy has health care that is paid for by the state. But all of these state run agencies are required to see my child WAY more often than necessary! Remember the dentist appointment? I still need to call and schedule her one year check up. yay.

Guest Blogger

Hey everyone!

Check out my guest blog today at http://foster2forever.blogspot.com/

Can you believe it?!? Me either!

Saying Yes

Throughout our marriage Adam and I have generally been quick to say yes to the direction we feel like we're being led. It helps when the first major decision you make as a couple is to move away from home to help with a church plant. (We had been married about a minute and were the ripe old age of 20.)

And so, we set the course for our marriage. We are getting ready to embark on our 12th move in 13 years, we once owned a conversion van...with no kids, we started an adoption process to only watch it end in failure, we are now in the middle of an open CPS adoption and we're ready for a call to take 2 or 3 more. This by no means makes us some special breed of human....really you could surmise from these few facts that we're young and naive. It truly is God's grace and mercy that has made each crazy decision we've made work out. And I'll even say He gave us these crazy ideas. We've said no enough times to know that yes is much less scary.

The Dentist

So, today, Lucy went to her first dentist appointment, at the ripe old age of 6 months, 2 weeks and 5 days old. Yep....we went to see the dentist. In case your wondering...she has NO teeth. Not one. However, in the state's infinite wisdom, all children on their health plan are required to see the dentist at 6 months old and every 6 months thereafter. It took me more time to take her in and out of the van, than actual face time with the dentist.

Rest easy folks, Lucy's soft palette looks great.

Nothing to Say

Didn't mom always tell us "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all?" I guess it's not really that I haven't had anything nice to say, it's more I haven't had anything positive to say.

So, after reflecting on the past CrAzY month, here are the positive things that happened:

1. I can no longer grind my teeth, because they are missing. Yep, major oral surgery will do that...take your teeth. No, I'm not missing ALL my teeth, just the three that I was very fond of grinding in my sleep. Who knew God was sneaky like that? Taking the teeth that I was taking my stress out on, so I would have to turn it over to Him...sneaky, I tell you.

2. We still have the most wonderful, amazing pleasure of raising Lucy. Court was well...not positive. Not negative...but just a new realization that Lucy is not "ours" and her fate really does lie in the hands of ONE judge. But, she's living with us right now. No person or fear can not take that away from us.

3. I'm one payment away from paying off my surgery from December. The Lord has totally provided...just in time for the new round of bills...ooops, that wasn't positive. But, I am SO very thankful to not be paying 2 of everything.

4. Last, but not least, I have the most amazing friends and family. Seriously....I lost count of the number of different soups that came home from the church with Adam and all the flowers, cards and phone calls (thanks Adam...for fielding those. I couldn't talk the first week.) I felt so loved. And in case you're wondering...I have THE best husband on the planet!

So, there...the positive. Think about your positive...your list of negative's will pale in comparison.

Lucy's Room

Lucy is almost 5 months old and I have FINALLY finished her room! We were so blessed to have someone give us a matching crib and changing table. (Thank you Roddies!) I picked up the Rocking Chair at Lowe's.

We got this cute little owl from here. It was really easy to put up...well it seemed easy...I watched Adam do it. :) We aren't allowed to hang a mobile or anything else for that matter over her crib.
This is Lucy's favorite spot! She loves looking at the butterflies and seeing herself in the mirrors.

I picked up these white frames at Hobby Lobby, and picked some fun fabric to create the "pictures."

The mobile I created over the rocking chair was inspired by this website. I covered some of the paper with the fabrics I used in the room.


Granny made the crib skirt and I made the curtains. (I was limited in design, because we need blackout curtains, too.)

Here's the fabric up close:
Lastly I picked up the curtain rod at Target and the rings at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

The paint color is Rejuvenate from Sherwin Williams. Adam balked at painting the whole room orange, but we both love it and Lucy does, too...we think. :)