Our First DISAPPOINTMENT...Exciting, Right?!

 

 

 

I received our first placement request (phone call) from ARROW Wednesday.

(Exciting, right!?)

After hearing the offer...it was too good to resist! Josh and I answered YES! And within just 5min we had agreed to take our first placements!

(Exciting , right?!)

After agreeing to take them, I had to wait for ARROW to call us back and find out whether CPS was going to use us or had found someone else already (it's a narrow response margin.)

So I'm busy around the house, checking if things are child proofed, cleaning Josh's messes (lol), and praying joyfully all the while

(Exciting, right!?)

After 4 1/2 HOURS of not knowing...one way or the other whether we're gonna get these kids in our home today... I get a call...
(Still exciting, right?!)

ARROW thanks us for saying "Yes", but notifies us that they found out CPS is sending the children elsewhere (to kin). 

(Suddenly NOT so exciting...right?)

I call Josh. I tell my friend. I tell my mom. I hate telling people bad news...especially when it's OUR bad news! 

(Definitely not exciting)

Then I get overwhelming encouragement from each of them! God DID answer our prayers and He IS faithful! These kids are going where God is taking them...although it's not my house...I am glad in The Lord for them. They get to be with family/friends...so I'm happy for them in that too. This is a good situation after all! 

(Exciting, right?!)

And then my friend reminds me "Don't be sad! God has YOUR children, that need YOU and YOUR love..." It's just a matter of waiting 'til He drops them on our doorstep! :-)

"OUR CHILDREN"


 What a tremendous thought. And to know that God has MY children out there and He's been planning for our lives to cross since before all time!

(Exciting indeed!)

RIGHT??!!!!!!!
 

The waiting game continues!

:-)

Ready when God is...

My "To Do" Lists are dwindling as we are seemingly "READY AT A MOMENTS NOTICE"

for kiddos.

* The fridge and freezer are stocked with yummy kid-appealing meals (aka: chicken nuggets and pizza bites!)

* The rooms are filled with toys, puzzles, blocks, and books that I continue to collect weekly.

My mom says I'm gonna have more toys than the kids will be able to play with!

(Sorry, but there's too many

"can't-pass-it-up" thrift store deals! Like 10 Cent children's books, a LEGO table and blocks for $2, a free mini basketball hoop, and two boxes full of wooden blocks, puzzles, and connecting-trains for $4!)

 

This 10 Cent book is a childhood favorite of my sister and I and a RARE TREASURE to find at any thrift store!(*esp for 10 Cents*)

 

 

* Our "daily schedule" is posted on the fridge along with "Mommy's Weekly Chores".

I'm even prepared for what we're gonna DO once we're "instant parents".

It's always best to

"BE PREPARED"

 

 

* Preparation also includes necessities for ME!

Baby K's foster mom sent me this baby sling as a "Thank You" gift for our Respite Care service. I also got an amazing Diaper Bag at GOODWILL for $6 that's super cute (I'm tempted to tote it around now... but it might look weird to carry a diaper bag without the kids in diapers...lol)

 

 

So, as you can see...

we are Ready when God is!

(* or so we think! *)

 

:-)

****** P-I-C-T-U-R-E-S ******

Friends and Family,
I hope you'll enjoy some of the photos I was able to take and post for your viewing pleasure. I really wish you could see his beautiful features, big eyes (when they were open... rare), and his chubby cheeks. But we'll just have to do with what we've got. :-)
Baby K was 8 days and 8 nights of sleepless wonder, chaotic peace, and 10 pounds of lovable cuteness. We will never forget him as our "very first" foster placement. One look at him and it was over... for both Josh and myself... it was definitely "love at first sight". We thank God for allowing us to be a part of K's life (even for just a short time) and we pray for his future and that of his family.
Enjoy his adorableness and fall in love as we did!
- Josh and Amy

 Last day with baby K (in other words I took a picture every 2 sec)

 baby and me

the house? - a mess

me? - still in house slippers

baby K? - fast asleep

(it all makes for a beautiful day)

gotta have the hand-to-hand comparison... it'll take your breath away each time.

God is awesome.

LIFE - from conception to birth, till death... we are perfectly constructed by an Awesome God!

 Joshua - expert burper

(baby burper that is, although Josh can burp good too)

Joshua - expert soother (and swaddler)

 Joshua - expert entertainer...

ugh!... expert everything!! :-)

 

At this point you're in love. Admit it!

 



After waiting two weeks for our license to arrive (turns out it was mailed incorrectly),

I am proudly showing off our newly arrived (correctly mailed) official "Foster License"

(posted proudly on our living room wall)

 

 

Baby K update and departure :-(

Friday - December 27th

Just letting everyone know that the bio-mom visit went splendidly :-) Glad Josh was able to take off and spend the day with baby and me (and do the navigating/driving thru Austin). Dropping off K was very quick and not too awkward... Basically resembled a relay baton hand-off. :-) Josh took me out to eat Chinese food while we waited for the visit to end. Picking K up gave us more interaction with mom and CPS Caseworker. Went very well and we are praying harder than ever for K's mom and future.

K was a whopping 9lbs 9oz at birth and he's still got a hardy appetite. He's eating 3oz steady at each feeding and has recently downed 4oz! Foster mom said "What a piggie!" when she heard. (He must be the little piggie that had roast beef). So the chubby cheeks get chubbier and the dirty diapers get, well, you know. ;-) Speaking of diapers, Josh has been changing some!!! I'm telling you, he's incredible.

Jan 6, 2014 -

Our precious K went home last week on Thursday night. God was very good to us and it was a smooth transition back to an empty home (fuller heart). K went back to his foster family and will be there for only a short time before being reunited with his bio-mom. For this we are very thankful and excited. Still ever prayerful that his future and his mom's will be bright. Also found out from foster mom yesterday that baby K weighed in at 10lbs 11oz at his checkup! What a healthy baby! :-)
We are now, again, in "the waiting game"... Ready at any moment for another call which could place up to 3 children with us :-)
I will be posting photos soon