GLAD FAMILY update

Life has kept us busy lately (hence the long gap between updates and pictures).

Big Brother is doing great and we are working on issues at school with hopes that he'll be able to succeed and thrive like a normal Kindergartener. His birthday is coming up soon and "time" is a very hard thing to explain to a 5 year old...especially when his "Birthday!" is on the line! :-) He is determined to have a Lightning MacQueen ("CARS") themed birthday party and Mommy is still working out the logistics of what day to have this awesome celebration. He has mentioned wanting a Tiger Shark for Christmas, so I'm hoping he doesn't have similar hopes for his Birthday present (although mommy and daddy have discussed maybe getting a fish tank with a little "shark"). No definite decision yet. Big Brother continues to love the library and we check out about 30 or more items a week... reading several a day (and several times each!). I try to get lots of Non-Fiction books and he seems to love what I pick out. Whales, Fire trucks, the Titanic, the Hindenburg, Cars, Trains, Alaska, Snakes, Coyotes, Volcanos, etc. etc. etc. Whatever the subject is, becomes his new infatuation. Right now we are focused on tornados, sharks, and volcanos. So of course, he requires mommy to draw him pictures of these things. They usually involve the Tiger Shark biting a tornado or jumping over a volcano (and similar scenarios). Pretty dramatic stuff. We're really into natural disaster stuff and its pretty cool to hear about how God makes lightning, thunder, tornados, etc. We have a SUPER STRONG God! :-)

Baby Sister is thriving and sleeping good at night. There's been a few nights with only one feeding and this makes Mommy VERY happy! :-) She is still looking "pretty in pink" and has the smile of an angel! I have been updating family with pictures and everyone agrees that she has the sweetest smile and the brightest eyes! She's beautiful!

 

We are enjoying Spring Break and Big Brother has been WONDERFUL for me throughout the day (with a few exceptions which require "redirection" and "focus time" - sitting in the hall facing the wall). We have added CHORES to his routine this week and he is excited about "earning quarters"... he already knows how he wants to spend it... *on GUM* (of course!)

Tomorrow evening we are headed to see Poppy and GiGi on the coast and plan a trip to the beach and an aquarium (shhh...it's a surprise!). We have lots of shell-collecting to do, because we've promised shells to just about everybody we know (teacher, CPS and CASA worker, other mommy and daddy, etc).

We have made cookies for the Firemen twice now and the first time we delivered them, Fireman Chris let Big Brother sit in the drivers seat of the BIG RED FIRETRUCK and HONG THE SIREN!!! So exciting! (*Mommy has decided Fireman Chris is super cool). :-) We delivered some again today to them and also to the local Police and Big Brother got to give the Policeman a "high five". Not knowing all the details about these kids past, we are trying our best to reinforce to Big Brother WHO the "Good guys" are. Policemen and Firemen are brave and strong and protect us. I have baked and delivered cookies to the police and firemen before in our community, but it means so much more coming from a kid who can look up to these men and say, "I'm super strong too Mommy! Like a firefighter! I wanna be a firefighter!"

(Neat!)

 

***The kids' Court Date is March 21st, so please keep them in your prayers and pray that the Lord will give the Judge wisdom in his decisions. May God's will be done.****

 

Please enjoy the pictures I've attached, and know that our family feels your prayers and needs them daily! We send our love and THANKS to each of you and hope your month will be filled with rejoicing in the Lord!

 

Big Brother loves to "wash dishes" (another way of saying "playing in the sink for an hour")

 

Big Brother watching a movie (an animated book) for having a great report from school!

Gotta love the germ-infested-playgrounds at your local fast food restaurants :o)

 

Daddy and Baby Sister

(she holds her head up so well!)

Another cute photo from the Rodeo

Daddy, Big Brother, and (the other) Poppy

(Every man in this little boy's world is "Poppy")

Couldn't get this image to turn, but you can get an idea of the sort of drawings Big Brother likes.

Here is one that Daddy drew (at Big Brothers dictation)...

Mommy and Daddy are bottom left watching a tornado.

PawPaw Otter (that's GiGi's dad...My PawPaw) is riding and "roping" the twister,

and GiGi is watching from the ground (her hair is being blown around from the high winds).

 

He has quite the imagination! :o) 

 





 

 

 

Pictures and Update on the GLAD FAMILY (of 4!)

Baby Sister and Mommy!

What's with the Red bib on backwards? (you may ask)

It's a superman cape of course!!!

Josh reading some silly books to Big Brother

 

Putting together his SUPER COOL Hot Wheels track

(sent all the way from Aunt RayRay in Oklahoma!)

The video of him opening his eyes and seeing this present is PRICELESS!

Thanks Aunt Rachel for this awesome present (mommy and daddy thank you too! it offers hours of entertainment to this little guy!)

 

There's just nothing like a Rodeo petting zoo!

Especially one with such stuffed-to-the-max animals that it takes an hour to get rid of this little Dixie cup of feed in a pen with prolly 30 animals! Oh... and then when we're FINALLY done (emptied the cup), a "kind hearted" little girl gives him HER cup full! :-( Ay! Ay! Ay!

 

GiGi reading "The Gingerbread Man" (one of Big Brother's favorites!) and holding sleeping Baby Sister. Poppy is snoozing in the background. My parents came up for a short visit. They're awesome and mom took over a night's feeding for me so that I could do some snoozing myself!

Nothing like a day at the park... especially with Daddy!

 

We took the kids out to the camp where Daddy works. Big Brother got to see fish (here),

hike some trials, climb some hillsides and sit on a big rock near the springs.

An action packed day (a little tired grumpiness) and a long nap at home equaled ONE GREAT DAY!

 

The only comfortable position when you're gassy...

aim that rump straight at mommy!

Baby Sister is too cute for words and requires all her photos to be of her adorable

wide-eyed expressions. So I don't have many photos of her NOT facing the camera.

 

 

We're all doing fantastic and enjoying the ups-and-downs of everyday life with an infant and 5 year old. Big Brother can be quite a handful, but is very loving and always wanting hugs, prayers, and "I love you"s. He goes to bed with prayers, eats each meal with prayers, and likes to wake up with a prayer too. His favorite prayer requests are for Mommy, Daddy, (both mommys and daddys), baby sister, his stuffed animals, and Sharks (namely the Tigar shark and Thresher shark...his favorites). He LOVES sharks in general and we've been getting plenty of library books on the subject. He can now identify probably 5-10 different sharks, just by seeing their picture. The Wobbegong, thresher, great white, lemon shark, whale shark, tiger shark, saw mouth, hammerhead, goblin shark, etc. It fascinating to Mommy and Daddy too :-)

Little sister still amazes us with her great disposition, beautiful smiles, bright eyes, and stinky diapers. Still wakes a number of times per night for feedings, but is a happy and contented baby!

Josh is doing well (although a little on the tired and congested side). And I am on the sleepless, headachey, need-a-Dr.Pepper-desperately side.

 

We love you all and are SOOO thankful for your continued prayers! Bio-visits (where the kids visit with their biological parents) seem to be going well and the parents appear to be making an effort to get these kiddos back. We are rooting for them! I make sure Big Brother draws his parents pictures each week and I am sending a folder to their visitations with pictures and artwork for the parents. We tell them we are praying for them and hoping their precious children are back with them soon. (*I also pray God's will be done... and Josh and I would be THRILLED to adopt these kids if it turns out that way*) But our focus now is to pour God's truth into their lives and shower them with our love and attention. Big Brother is already learning scripture and bible stories and loves to sing songs about "In His Hands", "Jonah", and anything with "Jesus".

 

Love, hugs, and thanks to you all,

The Glad family

(Daddy, mommy, big brother, and baby sister)





 



 

 

 

They're HERE! They're HERE! They REALLY ARE!!!

Can you believe that God would drop two "heaven-sent" gifts on our doorstep Friday night? (on Jan 31st) Those gifts came in the form of a 5 year old boy, (I'll call him "Big Brother") and a precious 1 month old baby girl, ("Baby Sister"). Their names start with the same letter, so I'll just use the terms "baby sister" and "big brother" when referring to them. The very same day that I posted on my blog about our disappointment of not getting an earlier placement, but our confidence that God had the right children out there for us... He delivers them to our door!

God is SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!

Big Brother A is very active, talkative, and investigative. In other words, "he's everywhere at once and into everything around him" :-) ! He loves books and listening to stories (Josh tells great Bible stories), Hot Wheels, Lightning McQueen (off of "CARS"), and eating. He has a hearty appetite and eats lots of snacks throughout the day. He has met the horse that lives on our property and calls him his "Buddy"... he desperately wants to ride him (but of course, that aint hap'nin). :-) Josh and him get along VERY well and Big Brother really looks up to Josh and listens, wide-eyed, at everything Josh says. (*We're still working on him listening to and obeying ME) :-) They have gone on many adventures outside around the property and have their very own walking sticks (more like a spear, the way they whack at things). He likes hitting down dead branches with this staff and I say, "Go for it!"... it uses up some of his over-flowing energy. He asks, "Show me some more trees to hit!" He's attentive to his little sister and notices every time she's crying and points it out to us. He likes giving and receiving hugs and tells us "I love you" often. He says "Yes Ma'am and Yes Sir" without being asked and is actually very well mannered and polite (his Kindergarten teacher reports the same). He started school on Tuesday (new school, new teacher, new kids) and had a great first day. Yesterday was a little harder, but I think its gonna be difficult to get one-on-one attention from a teacher who's got 22 other 5 year olds demanding her help. So Big Brother and I are working together on homework, reading, and counting at the kitchen table when he gets home from school. He likes praying before meals (and wont let you forget) and also before bed, after he gets a book (of his choice) read to him. We started praying with him the night he came to us, and he seems to really enjoy it. This week, "The Gingerbread Man" book (with picture flaps) is his favorite. He loves to be read to and throughout the day (before school and after school) he'll have us sit and read to him. He also likes looking at a book in his car seat on the way to and from school. It'll take time to get him accustomed to our rules (behavior) and improve his speech (he uses lots of baby talk, and if you just heard him, you'd think he was a 3 or 4 year old)... but we think he'll catch on quickly. This kid is SMART! He can read some words, knows every letter of the alphabet and its sound, colors, shapes, etc. He aced all the flashcards I did with him on Monday. And teacher says he's right on target.

Baby Sister is as cute as a button and easy as pie. She does three things: eats, sleeps, and dirties her diaper. Oh, there's a fourth... when awake, she looks all around with her HUGE BEAUTIFUL DARK EYES! Neither of us have seen anything more beautiful. Josh and I are amazed each time she looks around. Her eyes are captivating. Mom is already calling her "Bright Eyes" from the photos I've sent her. Baby Sister has a good appetite and sleeps really good (only 2 feedings a night). Last night was a fluke, and she was fussy, but since Friday, she's done great through the night. She looks pretty in pink and that's all I put her in! :-) She's got a little cough and congestion, so keep her in your prayers.

Big Brother has already received gifts (a cool spelling game/computer from my parents) and rewards from Josh and I for good behavior. He has learned the story of David and Goliath and last night heard about Noah's Ark. He will soon be receiving another gift from the g-parents... his very own Bible (he's looking forward to having his name in it). He is very thankful. His obedience comes and goes. Sometimes very strongly submissive and happy to obey... other times very silly and resistant to correction or instruction. Again, he's been through a lot, (plus he's 5. plus he's a BOY) so we are remembering, "Lots of grace. Lots of patience. Lots of praise." Also repetition and structure. And the very necessary SUPERVISION! :-)

We love you all and thank you for your prayers. We don't know how this placement will go or how long it will last... but we are extremely thankful to God for placing the "perfect" children with us. They are very much already "our own". We love them dearly and pray for them daily. We ask that you do the same.

REJOICING IN GOD'S PROVIDENCIAL PLACEMENT,

Josh, Amy, Big Brother, and Baby Sister

P.S. I told Josh last night, "I feel like a family". Big Brother has been calling us Josh and Amy since his arrival but this morning said he wanted to call us "Mommy" and "Daddy". We'll see which one he goes with. :-) They just got scheduled for a bio-parents visit for Saturday, and afterward we plan to take them out for a day in the great outdoors! It's supposed to be a lovely day!

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