Initial testing

Abey has been testing....not sure if she is even aware that she has been doing it or not.  But we have had "sick" times (some of it real and we got that straightened out).  I am beginning to see patterns of attention seeking behaviors.  I tolerate certain amounts of it and then shut it down with love and logic techniques.  She responds to this beautifully and whether she realized it or not is correcting herself some now too.  She is still a delight to have around and we work through our little hurdles throughout each day.  We have been having some great discussions one on one and as a family.  We are all growing!  I know there will be more testing....afterall she is a teenager!

Moving

Ok so it's only one bedroom to another, but it's still a move.  Abey has decided she would be more comfortable not being by herself at night.  So she has moved in with Kerrie.  Abey's first therapy appointment went really well, we have her monthly psych appointment this week.  School is going well and she continues to slowly settle into the family. 

First Visit

Our case manager came out today to check in.  She will need to come out twice a month since Abey is a moderate level care child.  She comes to make sure everything is running smoothly, answer any questions we have or Abey has, and take care of any paperwork that needs doing.  To get two visits in this month she will be out again next week.  She said that there is such a positive change in Abey since she has come to us....certainly feels good to hear that!  The child we see and know is so amazing!  She fits in so well with us!  Confirmation after confirmation that she is meant to be here!  I keep saying that my heart is just overflowing with joy.....and it's so true!! 

mistaken

Well it turns out that I was mistaken!  I got an email from Jackie today that she had gotten word from the person in charge of the group of 4 on the website.  Their picture had been removed because there had been so many people interested in these kids.  So now they are going over the homestudies to select the family they feel would be the best fit.....and our homestudy is among those being considered.  It's sooooo VERY exciting to know that these kids are going to have a forever family soon even if we aren't that family!  What a blessing for these kids!!!!

Gaining time

I checked the TARE website today to see if the group of 4 was still there.  They weren't....and we haven't heard anything so another family has been chosen as the right ones for them.  There is something of a sense of relief in knowing instead of just wondering.  We know there are more kids in our future but for now we will enjoy being a family of 6 again.  I think maybe in a few months we will consider again bringing more kids home.  Of course we will gladly accept any God brings to us!  Life is certainly never dull!

She's OURS!!!

We had a quick training class tonight that gave us enough to have a "Moderate care" level child placed with us.  Right after we went over the info we signed the placement paperwork and Abey is now here to stay!  She is so very happy to be part of a family and we are equally happy she is part of ours!

GOOD morning

B woke up feeling better this morning. YEA!!!!  We decided to sleep in this morning and I am glad.  Did get a phone call from Jackie right after I got up and we have one class we need to take that will be a couple of hours one evening and then B can be officially placed in our home.  We will still need to do some shadowing with another family, but that can pretty easily be worked out.  So it's looking quite certain that B will get to stay in our home!  New challenges, new adventures!  B will get enrolled in school it looks like on Tuesday.  It's good to have some time with her just getting to be part of the family.
Now to rework the chore chart!

sick

B was up most of the night last night crying in pain with her ears hurting.  I did all I could, but couldn't get the pain to subside.  Took her in to the Dr. this afternoon and she has double ear infections and a sinus infection.  Poor thing!  Got her meds and so she will soon be on the mend.  She is unpacking and sharing more and more with us.  By the time that they get around to actually sharing her case file with us, since they didn't get to that the other day, they won't be able to tell us anything we don't already know!  She seems to have so many of the puzzle pieces for healing already, but no one has taken the time to show her how to put them together.  We still aren't 100% sure she is going to be staying and I am doing my best to prepare her heart and ours.  She does seem to have a good relationship with God and I openly talk of my own faith.  I have said more than once that no matter what happens that God is going to take care of her and will take care of us, so everything will be OK.  It's not what she wants to hear, but I think she is beginning to listen to that.  She knows we will do all we can to keep her with us, but ultimately it's not our decision.  So for now we will love on her and provide her with FAMILY and pray and trust that we will all have that peace that passes understanding no matter what!

homecoming and progress

Just got a call from B's foster mom and things are nuts but working to our advantage.  B is coming home tomorrow!  As in MOVING in tomorrow!  We are ELATED!!
Got an email this morning from the TARE (Texas Adoption Resource Exchange website) coordinator over the group of 4 we put in our interest form on and she requested our homestudy be sent directly to a her since the selection panel is starting their review of homestudies and she wanted to make sure ours got in with the others.  Are we absolutely crazy to trying to do all of these?  maybe....
But we are moving forward the way we feel led  and so I leave it all in God's capable hands. 
B comes home tomorrow and we will focus on her.  Unfortunately they are requesting we keep her in public school for now.  And it's understandable.....for now. 
Our God is a mighty God and has continually assured me "I will equip and enable you".  So we trust, pray, and move forward!

keeping communication going

We set up an email for B through yahoo that she says she can access at school.  She has our phone number in several places and I have the foster mom's so B knows we can talk too.  Played "if/then" on the way to Abilene with her  - like if other kids get placed too then she might not have her own room, if things end up taking weeks or months before she can come be with us then we will do respite for her so she can spend time with us, if for some reason it is decided that it won't be in her best interest to be placed with us, then we will still keep in contact and do respite for her, and if another family that would be a better option comes along for her then she needs to do what is going to be best.
She left most of her stuff here with us.  She was tearful and scared that we were going to give up on her.  I reminded her that we were going to keep in touch with her and that I would keep her posted on things as we got more information. 
We talked a little about the group of 4 we put in a request for also.  and she said she would be good with sharing a room with Kerrie and another girl about that age.  I just don't know if we will be ready to handle all of them!  Jackie says it's worth considering.....glad to know she has faith in our abilities!  I'm not going to stress over it all, instead I'll let God handle it!  We'll talk to Jackie tomorrow and find out about B's documented past, and then see what we need to do next!

Changes

B is going back to her foster home today for a little while.  We don't have a definite time line though and so she is very scared.  We had first thought it was going to be just for a couple of days, but now they say it could be longer.  There's the knot of fear that they will change their minds on placing her with us.  The hold up is that she is a treatment level child and we are a basic level home.  The requirements for becoming a treatment level home are very clear and we don't know how to work around some of the time requirements other than just by getting special permission.  Don't even know if they do that kind of thing.  As Jackie said, this kind of thing just doesn't happen that often and so there are not set guidelines in place.  Tuesday Jackie will call again and go over B's case file with me.  They want us to know what all we are getting ourselves into.  I just know we can make a difference for this one child and then maybe later on down the road we will be able to help some more.  Right now our focus is going to be just on B.