Just Pray...

and that would just be the facts of life around here right now. Nothing like setting out on another wait journey. We closed the little j's adoption on the 26th. It was beautiful. We prayed for a week, and then on November 3 we set out on a careful and deliberate path to gain custody of little j's siblings who still sit in foster care almost 10 months later. Because the FACT is, there is not an alternative relative care plan available. If there was, the little j would have never been placed in adoptive status. In July when we attempted to have the boys moved we were told by the contracting agency The Centers that those boys would not be moved. In fact, their case worker was most concerned that we would ruin their heritage, if that was possible. During those conversations in July we were informed by the Supervisor of the Foster Division at The Centers that the little j had been placed inappropriately and they would attempt to get him back. It was a very disturbing phone call. One that would haunt us on a daily basis until the 26th. We immediately contacted our guardian and case worker and were told to not make any more moves to obtain the brothers until the little j's adoption was safely behind us. It was a grueling 3 months.. with lots of petitions and objections flying all around us. Thank goodness for our Judge, who under NO circumstances would budge on the issue of moving the little j. The Centers in fact had become the playground bully. They were willfully abusing powers and denying the little j placement with his siblings.
After much thought and prayerful consideration complaints were filed November 3. There was a list, and we felt like we would start at the bottom and work our way to the top. We did not want anyone to feel that we were simply angry, but that serious abuse had come to us and toward 2 siblings from workers at The Centers. We started at The Centers and then went to Kids Central, on over to the Ombudsman, and then to Senator Wise's office. It wasn't until we reached Senator Wise's office did we feel that we were being taken seriously. Senator Wise's office got that it had become extremely personal. I must say God was very present in that office, in that conversation, and in that afternoon. When I left there Friday I felt like for the first time, that I had finally done everything possible to make a reunification happen. At that point, I had a prayer team in place and they committed to pray every day until we have a resolution.
We received a call from DCF Saturday morning and spent about 2 hours on the phone with them reviewing the case. What we are asking is not impossible, and when we talk to anyone NOT at THE Centers, it seems that what we are asking for is logical. We are again in a five day review period. We are praying for a placement before Thanksgiving. We are praying for resolution that will not make us explain to the little j that the State would not give us his brothers. We are praying for peace...
We are, and we know that God had blessed us... we have been still, we have been held... it is an emotional battle where human feeling are involved. We don't know what the outcome will be, but we pray that whatever it may be we can find peace with it.

Other than the emotional wreck of a roller coaster last week, we have been extremely busy. The Big J's last game is this Friday, then he has two basketball games next week. So, we are changing sports, but still keeping busy with him. M & B are getting ready for company performances in January, so they are practicing like crazy. School is a blur... a total blur... so much is going on, it seems like the days just slip by. We are crazy busy with assessments this year. It is amazing how much we test...

We are looking forward to the Thanksgiving Break. The little j is going to have a small surgical procedure that Wednesday, so we are just hanging around the house that weekend. Hopefully some black mulch will get put out, and beds cleaned out for winter. Christmas lights will go up, and 'Tis the Season will roll right in. Who knows though.. we may have a house full, and well just spend time hanging out! WHO KNOWS....
We are off Wednesday, so I will do a real update, just trying to get a lot of information out there.
If I haven't returned your call, it was for several reasons.. one I had a real hard time last week, way to emotional to talk about this any more than I had to, and two.. we still have our hectic life with who we have, and to not short change anyone, I was trying to keep all those little ball bouncing! I will get back with you though... soon :-) Remember, I am off Wednesday!!!!