When a son decides that he wants to take you out to dinner you should know something is up.

I asked him, jokingly, if he was getting married and didn't tell us!  He said no but...... there is a chance that he might be moving.  Moving out of our house.  Moving out of state.  God had prepared me for this.  The reason he took us out to dinner was he didn't want me to get upset.  He wanted me to be calm.  Funny thing is God had prepared me.  I told him that is fine but just make sure he is doing it for God's glory.  That this is what God wants him to do.  He has it figured out but there is still a lot to think about and get ready financially if you are going to do this right.  I told him that God gave him us for a short time.  We are to raise him the best we can and send him off.  He feels this is his time.

My husband opened up his mouth at a retreat recently letting everyone know that we are interested in helping out couples & premarried couples.  I have a heart for children and so does dh.  But he has a heart for marriages.  Together we are interested in helping out families.  Since he has opened his mouth we have been in full swing of listening to people.  Now we are waiting to see what is going to happen next.

This next weekend we are attending a Weekend to Remember Conference put on by Family Life.  We are going to be chaperoning a couple who is to be married this coming July.  We know this couple well as they have attended our church and some of my children will be in their wedding.  We are looking forward to this weekend.  Spending time with them and encouraging them.

God has put it on my heart for 4 more couples from our church to go.  I hope God will move mountains to get these couples to go.  It's not only for couples marriages who are in trouble but it's there for strengthening them.

1 Thess. 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Write a book.  That is what I keep being told.  I need to write a book.  This last couple who said this I told them our life is truly boring!  Who would want to read it?

Last week I got a phone call.  Actually my oldest dd got the call and called us.  She was all excited and told us we needed to make this phone call back.  Hmmmm should of known something was up since she was excited and this person I rarely talk to.

I called this lady back.  She said that God told her to call me about this.  She was wondering if Hope Life Center would have anything for foster care.  She then went on to say that there is a 3 month old little boy who needs a home for just 2 yrs.  His mom is going to prison and where he is at they don't want him.  They are threatening foster care if she doesn't find him a home.  That was all the detail she had.  My heart wanted to say take him!  My brain said to her that I would check into it as I don't think Hope has that type of services available.  I also said I would help find him a home as I, myself, didn't want to see him end up in foster care.  A little guy like that needs a permanent home for 2 yrs and not the chance of being bounced from home to home.  Those first 3 yrs are so crucial in a child's life.  Those first 3 yrs he needs stability.  Even though he is going back to his mom in 2 yrs the transition should be a lot easier than going from home to home to home and then back to mom.

I got off the phone and told dh.  My mom was also there and we discussed the little guy's problems.

Frustrated, confused, full of emotions..... court.

That is how I feel today. I'm frustrated, confused and just plain grrrrrrr. I don't get the court systems. I've never had to deal with the court system until now and I'm not liking what I'm seeing. The only times I've been in court was when I was hit by a drunk driver many moons ago and just last year to adopt our newest blessing. Now I'm sitting in court sessions with my niece who just doesn't get it. *I* don't get it either!!!

My niece is in trouble. I've now been to 2 of her court sessions and I think I can see why she believes that the court will not take away her children. As far as I'm concerned all they are doing is giving her a slap on the hand until the next court date. Last court I was at the judge said "if you do drugs we are going to take away your children. stay off drugs!". How hard is that to understand?!?! Yesterday we went back to court with her. Well the states attn. served her with an Indirect Criminal Contempt. She then pleaded guilty to the charge and they gave her 180 days in jail. BUT~! Since she is on a waiting list to get into inpatient rehab, she doesn't have to serve this! The judge then says if you fail your drops or don't go into rehab you will go to jail to finish out the rest of your preg. Sigh.......... what happened with the last statement at the last court date? This is why she feels the system won't take her children. *I* now believe they won't take them. Also in court where was the children's GAL??? She wasn't present in court either.

What gets me so mad is if this court is set up to get families back to together then what are they trying to accomplish here? Dad of 2 of the children is sitting in prison for 6yrs for drugs. Now Mom is doing drugs again and where does this leave the children?? With us. The only reason why the system doesn't have her children is due to the fact they are with us. If she had them then they would of been put in foster care. Now if they were in foster care, how many homes would they have been in by now? We've had them since Nov 7th. A foster home doesn't always guarantee they will stay in that home the entire time that Mom/Dad are dealing with issues. I can see why we have so many messed up children and families!!!

I've heard the saying of families first. Let's get families back together. But when does a time come when that is not just going to be an option?? How long do we have to drag this out before we realize this isn't going to work? As in the parents are not changing!! We are dealing with 2 parents who have/had drug habits and at this point I don't see an end in sight. When are the children put first? Why doesn't the court ask about the children and how they are doing??? Children NEED to be with parents who can provide for them in many ways. When will the system finally figure it out that the parents are not going to get there to do that?!?!

Man I feel like a failure at times. I want to foster children but I'm not sure I'm up for this game playing. Where do I play in this game? When am I allowed to voice my opinion?

Sigh................

Wedding Pic July 2007

Here is a recent picture of our family all dressed up :)