Happy Birthday, "J"

"J" turned "3" yesterday! WOOHOO!!! "J" came to us 2 weeks after his first birthday, which was spent in a shelter. Last year, he had the birthday party from $@!!, thanks to his bio family. Someone at DHS thought it would be a good idea for us to "share" his birthday party with the family. That is another story for another day. So, this year, we were able to celebrate his first "REAL" birthday party! He had so much fun. Here is the conversation he had with Justin the night before his party:


J - I want my bertday party.
Justin - You will have your party tomorrow.
J - Okay. I will have my bertday tomorrow. It's MY bertday, not YOUR bertday.
Justin - Okay.
J - Are you okay, Justin? Don't cry. It's my party.


He is so funny. OH...I forgot to update you all on our court hearing. Nothing happened. The lawyer DID get the info to the jail, but the sheriff's dept. thought the jail was transporting and the jail thought the sheriff's dept. was transporting. What a lame excuse. These people transport EVERY DAY! So, we are back on the docket for a jury trial on December 8th. Bio dad decided not to relinquish, again, he wants his "day in court". Pray that our case gets chosen. The way DHS court does it (remember...they aren't the same as regular courts) is they schedule 8 or 9 cases. They automatically terminate the cases where bios don't show up, then the lawyers argue about which case should be heard. The judge was pushing for ours, since we are a really old case, but the lawyer and asst. DA were whining about another case, where the kids were young. Well, guess what? MY kids were young when this all started! So, please pray that we can end this. One pray answered was that the paternal grandfather did not show up to court. A sister called the worker mid court and thought maybe we could just "hang on" to the kids until her brother could get out of jail and work a plan to get his son back. (Wonder if they remember he has a daughter, too??)

I am not worried, really, about this, BUT, you NEVER know what DHS will do. A fellow foster parent has a two year old, got her at 2 days, whose bio mother has not done one thing to get her kids back, headed for termination, when all of a sudden she asks to go into drug rehab. (Remember...this has been going on for 2 years.) Court thought it was a good idea not only to send her there, but to also send her KIDS with her!!! The 2 year old does NOT know this woman. UGH!

Enough of DHS stuff. Sorry that I have not posted sooner, but we have just been really busy and by the time I get some quiet, I am SO tired. I don't know why. But, you can stop calling and emailing me telling me to post...here I am! (You know who you are and I promise I don't mind a bit! I like knowing you care and are thinking of me!)

We had a good Thanksgiving. I am almost finished with the Christmas shopping...have 3 more items to get. WOOHOO!! Our kids get 3 gifts a piece...just like Jesus did (3 Wise Men). You realize, that is still a BUNCH of presents under our tree!! Anyway, they get something they want, something they need (you know, like socks and undies) and something we (translated "I") make for them.

Missing Jacob a LOT. Knowing how he died puts terrible pictures in my mind on a daily (nightly) basis. As we were putting up our Christmas decor yesterday, I opened up the ornament ball thingys. Last year, we did handprints of all the kids on the ornaments. (Painted their hands white, then placed a red ornament ball in their hand, like they were holding it...very cute!) I will post a picture for those of you who are visual learners! Anyway, we found Jacob's. I am not sure which one of my kids hung it on the tree, but it is right smack dab in the middle! I have good kids!

As we were decorating, "J" said, "Jacob lives with Jesus." I said, "Yes, he does." "J" said, "He is a good boy." And he said it like a 90 year old woman would. (No offense if you happen to be 90 years old and are reading this.)

God is moving in our lives. We may have an exciting announcement for you in the near future. (You can pray about it...God knows what it is.) But, again, there are decisions to be made and I don't want to mess it up. I have been talking to God, reading my Bible, and I have just not been getting much feedback, you know?? My friend wisely told me to sit back and just see what God does. Easy for her to say. She is on the OTHER side of the unknown today! (She just adopted the baby that in July, was a failed adoption! WOOHOO!!!) Anyway, I was off to the bubble bath tonight. And you all know that is where I pray for my family (and myself). As I went in, I asked God to tell me SOMETHING....ANYTHING to let me know He was in control. God is good.

I opened up the first book, turned to chapter 29, ready to pray for the souls of my sinful children. The chapter today was on seeking wisdom and discernment. "Help them to trust You with all their hearts, not depending on their own understanding, but acknowledging You in all their ways so that they may hear Your clear direction as to which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5)" REALLY??? So, I went back and prayed it for myself!

Then, it's time to pray for my husband and guess what his was about?? FAITH! Okay, God, I get it...You are here, and You are in control. "Lord, I pray that You will give Patrick (ME) an added measure of faith today. Enlarge his (my) ability to believe in You, Your Word, Your promises, Your ways, and Your power. Put a longing in His (my) heart to talk with You and hear Your voice. Give him (me) an understanding of what it means to bask in Your presence and not just ask for things. May he (I) seek You, rely totally upon You, be led by You, put You first, and acknowledge You in everything he (I) does. Lord, You've said that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Feed his (my) soul with Your word so his (my) faith grows big enough to believe that with You all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Give him (me) unfailing certainty that what You've promised to do, You will do (Romans 4:21). (At this point, I seriously laughed out loud! How much more obvious could He be??) Make his (my) faith a sheild of protection. Put it into action to move the mountains in his (my) life. Your word says, "the just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17); I pray that he (I) will live the kind of faith-filled life You've called us all to experience. May he (I) know with complete certainty "how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You" (Psalm 31:19).

And then, onto MY book..."I know You have begun a good work in me and You will complete it (Phillipians 1:6). I know that whatever state I am in, I can be content because You will no tleave me there forever (Phillipians 4:11). I will praise You in the midst of any need I have for breakthrough, deliverance, or transformation, knowing that You see my need and will meet it in Your way and in Your time."

Have a blessed Sunday. Oh...and by the way...here is what happens when you leave your camera at your dad's house on Thanksgiving...

HAHA!! Gotcha, Dad!