My parents came to visit us last weekend, and we got to visit with Cassandra, Mena, Alondra, and Jose!
Of course we had lunch at none other than Chick-fil-A! It’s one of Cassandra’s favorites, and it was recently her birthday, so we thought we’d give her a treat.
Best friends!
Pretty earrings for a pretty birthday girl.
On the hayride!
Sylvia completely covered in corn in the corn pit.
Mena was worn out!
mmmm…ice cream was a sweet way to end our visit.
Visiting with the kiddos at the pumpkin farm.
Sylvie’s Birthday Party! (more to come!)
Nom nom.
In her new wagon!
I am such a stinker!
(To the post below)
I kid you not,
not two hours after I posted, Brian (my incredible, salesman-ish, get people to tell you what you want to know husband), by the grace of God, somehow figured out what school Cassandra is currently attending!!!
On top of that, he called the school – and they were actually helpful! I know what your thinking, “Get. Out. The school was helpful?” ….yes. They were. Praise God!
Brian explained the whole situation, and they offered to have the school translator call the kids’ uncle to let him know that we were trying to get a hold of him, explain what happened, and have him call us.
Well, as soon as he heard that we were trying to get in touch, he called us right away! It was a fast move – but everything is fine. He apologized to Brian for not having called us yet – I was just thinking, “I’m so glad you’re still in the United States! Thank you God!” Anyway, we got all caught up on addresses and phone numbers (which is really pretty difficult when you speak different languages).
Also, we get to hang out with the four kiddos tomorrow. Talk about a change of emotions – I can’t explain how thankful I am. Thank you God for answering prayer! My parents are also in town and it will be the first time they have seen the kids since they left our house.
Thank you for your prayers!
Most of you probably weren’t reading this blog back when we had our girls.
It is difficult for me to explain how precious these children are to my heart.
If you have children, it is like trying to explain that fierceness in your heart that accompanies a thought of them being hurt. The protectiveness that you can only feel for someone who is connected to you in your soul.
That is my love for these girls and their two siblings. God has made them a part of me.
We’ve have had the joy and the blessing of getting to stay in contact with them even though they have now been adopted by their aunt and uncle. We have had the four of them over for weekends, taken them on trips, and gotten to know their (large) family. We even got to go to Cassandra’s 8th birthday party, and although we were the only people there who spoke fluent English, we felt a part of the family.
Early this week we tried to call them to see if the kids could come over this weekend, and to see if their family would like to come to Sylvia’s birthday party. Their phone was disconnected (which has happened several times before). We wanted to make sure that we made arrangements for this weekend in time, so we drove up to their house to stop by and talk.
And they are gone.
None of their neighbors know where they went. We were given a tip on a possible street and we drove up and down it several time and could not find them. I’d imagine that their neighbors would know if they had been deported. And regardless of your feelings on deportation (as in, please do not share.) I pray that they have not been.
We don’t know what happened. We don’t know why them moved so suddenly. It feels impossible for me not to worry. We are still looking, hoping to get lucky.
With tears streaming down my cheeks I am asking you to please pray for them. Pray that they are safe and that the family is taken care of. Pray that the move was a good thing.
Please pray that we find them.
(A day late. Blogger wouldn’t let me post it!)
Oh, baby girl, you have given me the best year of my life.
One year ago right now I was in labor. Your Daddy was holding my hand, talking me through contractions. I was so excited that you were on the way. Seventeen hours later, after we both worked very hard, you arrived. Your Daddy put you on my chest, and I have never been more in awe. Immediately I loved you with a love I hadn’t ever known before.
Love, I thank Jesus for you every day. For the opportunity to know your beautiful little soul. He has given me just a glimpse of His love for you and me by making me your Mama. What a blessing you have been.
It won’t be long before you’ll be a big sister. I’m not sure what you’ll think of that – but I’m sure in time you’ll grow to love your baby brother or sister.
You walk everywhere now – and you’re starting to learn escape tactics. When I come at you with a kleenex, you’re quickly figuring out how to dodge the dreaded nose wipe. You can tell us what sound the dog, the monkey, and the cow make. You are a happy little girl – you have no idea how much joy you bring us.
You have started throwing fits. This has Mama a little worried. Aren’t you supposed to hold off on those for a little while? Anyway, you’re pretty cute when you’re throwing a fit too – so it’s not too bad.
You love music, and you love to dance. Anytime you hear music – at the grocery store, on a walk, at the football game – you start dancing. We dance a lot around here. You’ve got more rhythm than your dad or I do.
You already like to play dress up. Anytime there are dirty (or clean, folded) clothes around you pick them up and try to put them over your head. Then you turn and look at us like, “Aren’t I pretty?” Yes. You are.
You still nurse quite a bit. I’m not sure you’re going to be real into weaning any time soon. That’s alright, no rush here. However, if you would like to start sleeping through the night – that would be much appreciated. Whatever phase this is that your in? We should hit a new one now called “8 hours straight at night makes for a happier Mama.”
Most things are “Mama” these days, although you do throw in Daddy and Baa on occasion. When you’re eating and we tell you to say “more please” you say, “mmmmMMMMMMAMAMA!”. You make the funniest faces, and there is no doubt in my mind that you are going to be quite the character.
You love to read books. Unfortunately you have a favorite few (the animal book, Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You?, Goodnight Moon, and Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger) that you want me to read approximately 100 times per day. I have them all memorized. I’m actually wondering if you’re going to be confused as to what reading a book actually is, since I don’t ever look at the page while saying the words.
I love you, sweet girl. Sometimes I’m sad that you’re getting so big – but most of the time I’m just excited to see who you are becoming. Praying for you every day.
Love you, love you, love you,
Mama
I know I’ve fallen hopelessly behind on answering all the questions that you’ve sent me either through e-mail or through the formspring box (in the right column). I’m soooo sorry if you’ve sent me a question and I haven’t responded! I will try to catch up, but if you have a question that was never answered, you might want to resend it….sorry!
When I was in school, I knew that fostering and/or adopting was something I was interested in doing someday. Brian and I had also talked about it in a very abstract, very future kind of way. But God kept placing it on our hearts, and as we prayed about it, it became clear to us that we didn’t really have a good reason not to do it now. When we had that conversation, I think Brian was still thinking in a hypothetical sense. I, on the other hand, took it upon myself to call and sign us up for fostering classes the very next day. (Good thing he loves me!) And here we are.
Having a background in social work has helped a ton with fostering. Because of my schooling I had a good understanding of where these children were coming from, why issues in families seemed to be so cyclical, what to expect in terms of behaviors, etc. Also, I had a framework of counseling techniques that has come in real handy.
What has helped even more than my social work degree, is the experience that I clocked as a caseworker. I already knew the in’s and out’s of the system, and I had seen it all from the caseworker’s perspective (which is very helpful in giving them a little grace when things don’t go just so.). So yes, my background in social work has helped immensely.
I can’t imagine how difficult it is to say goodbye to children who leave your home. Does it ever get any easier?
Well, in short, no. You do learn what to expect. You know what the hurt feels like. You know the emptiness and the worry. It doesn’t make it easier, you just know what to expect. With that said, every time a child leaves our home it always hurts much more than I anticipate. Oh, yes. It hurts.
BUT. Before you go thinking, “Oh, there is just no way I could ever do that, it would hurt too bad.” let me stop you. You could do it. It would hurt. And you would cry. And you would always worry. And it would all be worth it. God gives you the opportunity to get to know these little souls that he created for a purpose. He plants in you love for them. He helps you to attach. Because it is what they need.
And like I’ve said before, Isn’t every child worth being cried over? Isn’t every child worth the kind of love that makes it hard to say goodbye?
It is worth it.
More questions coming! If I missed yours please resend it and I’ll do my best to answer it!!!
Super cute. My friend Shea and Sylvie.
Sylvie pulling all of the tupperware out of the cabinet. Classic toddler move. It kept her busy, so I just ignored it.
Then she decided to get into the cabinet.
I threw a baby shower for two friends, Kate and Nicole. (The center two pregnant women.) I’m just going to count this as my 11 week picture. Still in normal jeans (not sure how much longer that’s going to last though.).
Neither of the girls knows what they are having. So just for fun I had people vote by eating the cupcake of the appropriate sex. On girl and one boy according to the votes!
Yeah, mostly Sylvia is just loving getting into anything she possible can. Her favorite? Unrolling the toilet paper and tearing it into as many little pieces as she can.
