Wow, life is so different than it was 5 days ago. Our house is full! Wednesday night our family went from three to seven! We have Taylor and now 4 other kids that we love dearly.
Wednesday morning I rushed around getting ready for a presentation at school. When I got out of class, I called Jackie to tell him I was on my way to pick up Taylor. He told me that CPS was taking custody of 7 precious babies from our chuch and school. These kids are amazing! They have spent quite a bit of time with us. As we were beginning to get to know them, we had them come stay for the weekends to get them out of their environment. The more time together, the more we realized things were wrong at their home. We didn't know what, we just had a bad feeling and knew we needed to pray. Jackie and I had been praying for these sweet kids for many months. Asking God to protect them and to help the parents. Wednesday when he told me they were being taken into custody, I felt relief. That relief was followed by panic, "where will they go? Will I get to see them again?" Then Jackie told me he talked with the case worker and told her we would be willing to take them. I started to cry. Tears of hope, was the Lord answering my prayers? (See Jackie and I have been praying for more kids for about 2 and a half years. We keep an extra room with a bed ready in case it's needed. We stand at the door and ask God to please fill it with another child. When someone new comes to visit, we always show them around and tell them about our prayer for that room.) I drove to church praying the whole way. Asking God to please be with the case workers and guide them as they make such important decisions for these kids. I got to hug the kids and tell them I loved them as they left with the case workers. Then in Diana's office, Jackie and I hugged and I just started crying. I was so glad they weren't going home, yet I didn't want this to be the end of their story with us, we were invested.
Jackie and Dawnette were so calm. At least, they were on the outside. I asked everyone I passed to please pray for these sweet kids and that they would come live with us. I went home and put Taylor down for a nap, and told her to pray too. Then I sat on the couch and told God, "I'm gonna sit here and pray about these kids until I really feel like you have heard me." That was about 12:15 or so, at 3 I got up, confident God had heard me. We picked up kids and had a great kids night. About 7 or so, the case worker called us and asked what time we could come and get the 4 older kids The baby was going with Wes and Tiffany and the middle kids with Greg and Dawnette. Jackie and I hugged right there in the middle of the street!
We all drove kids home and scurried around town getting cars and car seats together. About 8:30 we all met outside the CPS office. Before we went in we all stopped and prayed. See, that's the kind of people we have for friends. Not only are they willing to open their homes, but they took time to ask God's favor on our decisions.
The case workers divided us up to get paperwork together. Then we all 6 crowded in one tiny office to hear the most horrible things I have ever heard. There was not a dry eye in the room. None of us could imagine what had been happening to these sweet kids. Normally CPS's first goal is reunification with the parents. The case worker told us they were pushing for terminitaion of rights. We all took a deep breath and composed ourselves because we were going to get the kids.
Now, about 1 minute after the most horrible thing I had ever heard was said, the best thing I have ever heard was said! The kids ran down the hallway jumping for joy! They tackled Jackie with hugs and we were all smothered with love! See in the midst of the terrible stuff, God was raising up joy. They said, "we've been waiting all day for you!" Little did they know how long we have been waiting for them!
That night as Jackie and I got everyone ready for bed I told him, "The God of the whole universe, just heard and answered my prayer!" That is the most amazing feeling ever! I will never forget that feeling when I wrapped up these kids and put them in the van and took them home.
See, that's what God does for us. He picks us up out of the horrible stuff in our lives, wraps us up and carries us home. The whole time we think we've been waiting for Him, but He's been waiting for us! That night I couldn't sleep, everytime I closed my eyes those horrible images flashed in my mind. I got up everytime and went to the living room were they were all camped out on pallets and started praying over them. I refuse to let Satan have a strong hold in our family. Yes, the beginning of their stories are horrible, but they are not finished! God is not finished! We are not finished! Our God is a God who saves and restores!!
Here are a few things I have learned over the past 4 days.
1. Always wear shoes into the bathroom whenever you have 3 little boys.
2. Laundry multiplies.
3. Storage totes are a gift from the Lord!
4. Girls are SO different than boys. With girls lipstick fixes everything, that doesn't work for boys!
5. Ice packs and kisses cure most of the hurts.
6. The toy aisles are to avoided at all costs!
7. Every boy needs a belt, and every girl needs dress up shoes.
8. There is ALWAYS a line at the bathroom.
9. We have amazing friends who are supporting us in ways we will never be able to fully realize. Every time we have needed something, it has walked right through the door. There are people all over the country praying for us and our kids.
10. Walk into a restaurant with 5 kids all around the same age and people look at you like, "don't you know where babies come from woman!"
11. Even the rowdiest boys and the screaming-est girls still love to crawl up into your lap. Sometimes we all need a hug.
Today we had a wonderful Easter. We got to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus and the new chapter of these kids lives! The oldest one made the decision to be baptized. It was an amazing moment. I know that boy loves the Lord. He is brave and strong. He stepped out and told the truth and he saved his brothers and sisters. He is my hero.
Everyone always asks how's Taylor taking all of this. She has been a part of our praying for more kids since the very beginning. She prays for brothers or sisters all the time. The first night when I was tucking her in she said, "Mommy God answered our prayer!" Then we had some people bring some stuff to the house and they asked her what she thought about all these new kids sharing her stuff and she said, "but they are our kids!" She has such a loving heart and it's been amazing to see how she is willing to share, that's not easy for a 4 year old.
There have been too many sweet moments to count. My heart is overflowing with love and joy! I know hard times will come, but I know the Lord will provide the patience, wisdom and love to get through them. Yesterday one of the boys and I were having a talk after he had to have a time-out for hitting. We started talking about making choices and about how things are different at our house than his old house. I told him, I know it's gonna be hard. But God gives us strength whenever we ask for it. I'm right here beside you and I'll go through this with you. He looked up at me and said "I know you will. I'm so glad you love me and are here to keep me safe!" We had a huge bear hug and then he put a smile on his face, got up and apologized to who he hit. He knew he was loved, mission accomplished!
