Life has been more than wild for the seven of us. Things have been busy, wild, crazy, fun, terrifying, worrysome, hilarious, but most of all unpredictable! I will go back and do a recap of the holidays and then I will share what is ahead in the future for our clan.
November:
The kids told us they had never had a Christmas tree all decorated and pretty before. Of course I LOVE Christmas, and this absolutely broke my heart. So we put up our decorations way before Thanksgiving. We decorated every room in the house. The kids all had trees in their rooms. We even have a Santa toilet seat cover (thanks, MOM!). The kids loved every minute of it. We wrapped a few presents right away and put them under the tree. To my surprise, the kids never messed with the gifts. They loved having more presents added. They made sure to show everyone who came over that we had to remove the back half of the tree so all the gifts would fit!
We had a great Thanksgiving. The kids didn't really care for the food that much. My mom's oven broke while she was cooking. That's a shame too, because I look forward to my mom's dressing ALL YEAR LONG! Then the kids wore my dad out on the Wii. They loved playing the race car games with him. Jackie and I were able to sneak off and do some black Friday Christmas shopping. We started at 9:00 on Thursday night and shopped all night. We finished about noon on Friday. Then we went home and wrapped and hid presents so the snoopy kids wouldn't find them! It was so much fun! I love Black Friday and the excitement of finding that perfect gift. I don't like waiting to do all the shopping then. I always start in the summer time buying a few things here and there.
I also got to the point during my student teaching where I wasn't quite sure if I would finish. We have great friends and neighbors who helped us in so many ways. We have so many wonderful friends who kept praying us through this super stressful time. In these moments, God spoke so clearly that Jackie and I are a great team. It was so hard on our family, but it made us realize how important it was for me to stay at home for now.
Chick-fil-a is the most awesome place in the whole world. They had a Daddy/Daughter date night in November. The girls went with Jackie. It was so cute. Jackie told them they had a surprise. They came home and all got dressed up. He rang the doorbell and brought them both flowers. He helped them with their coats and opened all the doors for them. They went to Chick-Fil-A where they had decorated the place with name cards and tablecloths. They had a great time. After the meal, they got to ride in a LIMO. Now, I have only been in one limo, the Big Texan free limo, so I don't even think that counts. They were so excited when they got home! Jackie was just beaming too. It was so sweet to see them enjoy each other so much. They are so blessed to have a Daddy that shows them how ladies are supposed to be treated. The boys and I went for pizza and played cards, so we had fun too that night!
December:
We drove around and looked at lights so many different nights. The kids loved it and we came up with a great plan for how to decorate outside the house next year. We even got the kids their very own "grown-up" hot cocoa mugs. Each one in a different color! They had so much fun wrapping up in blankets with the hot cocoa, singing Christmas songs, and ohh-ing and ahh-ing over the light displays.
In December, I actually gradutated from College! It feels so good to have that degree. I actually finished something! My ex was so unsupportive and told me so many times that I couldn't do it. It was so refreshing to actually do it, and with honors! It was amazing to celebrate this time with Jackie. He did so much to help me finish. He stayed up late helping me study, let me read speeches and papers to him, he babysat before we were married so I could go to class, he provided for our family when I could no longer work and do school, he was amazing. When I told him I wanted to go back to school, he looked me straight in the eye and said "do it!" He promised to be here with me every step and he did. He never questioned me and when I was up late and crying and stressed, he sat with me and helped me push through. He really had unwavering support and I am so thankful to him for that. It was hard for me to take those steps of faith to trust in someone again after being burned so badly in the past. However, Jackie proved himself trustworth and faithful and loyal. God absolutely brought the perfect man to me at the perfect time!
I love you honey!
We also had family pictures made. We had a great time and for the most part the kids did great and really cooperated. Miss T got worn out at the end, so we didn't get an individual picture of her, but we got awesome ones of the others. They turned out so good. I had a hard time narrowing them down.
The girls act more and more like sisters everyday. They laugh together and play together very well. They also fight and argue. They are amazing to have around. I can't believe how much Taylor has adapted to these kids becoming a part of our family. She is the most amazing girl in the whole world. Miss T has learned a lot from her. They both have funny personalities and lots of expressions! It's HILARIOUS to listen to them play together. They love their Barbies and to play dress up. They are both very girly. I'm really not that girly, so it's been a lot of fun playing tea parties and going to royal balls with these two.
The funnest part of the last year has been getting used to boys in our house. I had lots of friends that were boys, but never lived with one unless I was married to him. These boys are so funny. They are also messy and stinky! However, they are the sweetest most loving and thoughtful kids I know. They are rowdy and loud and I LOVE IT! It's so nice to see them relax, let their guards down, and just be kids. It has been amazing to see the large amounts of healing God has provided for these boys, Miss T too, but it's so apparent in the boys.
Here is hopefully our last family picutre with just three faces in it.
Which brings me to where we are now. Tomorrow is a huge day in court for our family. One of our kids has a regular review hearing tomorrow. We are praying that parental visits can stop or at least reduced. Then we are praying that their final termination hearing can be set. CPS is looking at that hearing being in March or late February. Three of our kids are having a final termination of parental rights hearing tomorrow. That means CPS has enough evidence and the birth parents are not doing what is required of them to have the kids be reunited with them. The birth mother has signed relinquishment papers. However, these kids have been to a final hearing and the mother has signed relinquishment papers before and it did not go well. The judge actually allowed the mother to take back the relinqushment papers she signed and then he sent them home. We got to talk to their previous case worker and she was just floored when it happened. Because of that decision, our kids went through so many awful things that I can not fully understand or grasp. But, because of the chain of events after that decision they are ours. We have a different judge this time around. The last time we were in front of him, he showed a great deal of frustration towards the birth parents, which was deserved. As a mother I can't imagine making the decisions these parents have made. Twice they have said, I don't want my kids. Then they hurt them in the most horrible and disgusting ways. I know I would do anything for my babies and to protect them. I am prepared for a fight. However, as I'm ready to jump out and shout and bang on that judges's door and call the case workers daily, I hear God telling me, "Heather, be patient, I've got this." God has moved mountains and worked miracles on behalf of our kids and us. He has been faithful and never fading. I know He is working and is well-aware of what's going on with our family. I can't stop crying out to Him to continue to move in this situation. No matter what happens tomorrow in court, I know we serve a powerful, compassionate God. He is perfect where I am not at all. We have been studying the book of Mark. We just this week studied the passage where Jesus fed the 4000 in the dessert. These people had been following Jesus for three days. He was well aware of their needs, both physical and spiritual. No one was complaining and begging, He was so focused on the people that He knew just what they needed. I can only imagine how crazy people thought He was when he told the disciples He was going to feed the people with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. The situation looked hopeless. People today think we are crazy. Taking in 4 kids with such a brutal abusive background, severe behavior issues, with nothing but the clothes on their backs into a very small (less that 1000 square feet) 3 bedroom one bath house with one income at a moment's notice. Our situation looks hopeless to those look from the outside in. However, we are not hopeless but hopeful. We are praising and rejoicing at every momentous occasion our kids celebrate. Some are small things like using a napkin instead of a shirt, saying please instead of gimme. Other are large things, like being able to use words to talk about their abusive backgrounds and do self-checks to keep themselves calm. Every need we have had the Lord has abundantly provided for. I am confident He will do so in the future. Our battle is long from over. We get worn out and exhausted, but I am so THANKFUL that God doesn't grow weak or weary. We are still believing Him for HUGE things. We are waiting for miracles and for deep healing. It will come, in the mean time, we wait. We enjoy each hug, kiss, laughter, and the sweet sound of five precious angels saying, "Mommy, I love You. Daddy, you are the best Daddy in the whole world." We are praying and hoping that the rest of our family pictures will have at least these special faces in them and that soon I will be able to share their beautiful smiles with you!!
Pray for tomorrow and that God's will for these babies will be done!
