Field Day!

Still playing catch up...

Annnd, one of my jobs is complete. ;-)  Baby loves books!

My sweet view from our school table.

L and E have completed their math books for the year.
I told them to hug and congratulate each other.  It was so heartfelt!

Eli in a place unable to quickly dart away from my camera. :)

Snuggle loves

Jon doing science experiments with KB.

Fall Creek Falls State Park Adventure 4/28 - 4/30

At the start of the first of two suspension bridges.  They were long and
wobbly enough to make me feel motion sick by the time we got across!

Exploring a spot the kids dubbed "clam cave."

Our babies on a high rock with no railing (close your eyes, Nana).

Lily as a puppy.

A rare shot of everyone together.

It's about time :)

Balancing everyone on the swing.

Kaylee loves the petting zoo
...and apparently has no qualms sitting in the midst of goat poop.

J enjoying the zoo.  Her arm was probably sore the next day, because it was reaching
out to the animals all day.

Matchy matchy (thanks, Nana!) sisters at Aunt Madie's senior dance recital.

KB and J LOVE

Sweet J feeding her baby.

Working Backwards

I have a hard time writing about our foster care experience knowing I can't sit and fully explain everything.  Sharing snippets just doesn't seem right or easily done.  This thinking is clearly silly given I have literally had 4 interruptions since I opened this page; not to mention the constraints I am under to keep case details private.  At the sweet urging of a friend, I am going to try to get parts out, however incomplete they seem.

I always encourage our kids to complete their toughest or least desirable work first, and then finish up with the fun or simple stuff.  I'm going to go ahead and not take my own advice.  I'll work backwards on D's story, because where he's at now is "only God could do that" perfect for him, and feels easier to explain.  Plus, I am the kind of person who has the tendency to skim a book, read the end, and then the beginning.  For those of you in that same camp, I dedicate this backwards story. :)

D is currently an only child in a pre-adoptive home.   This translates to lots of undivided attention for D in a family who wants to adopt him should the case move to termination of parental rights (TPR).  His resource parents, Mama S and Daddy D, are head over heels in love with him.  As in they want to wake him up when he's sleeping (that's totally insane in my book), because they can't get enough of him type of love.

It's not just the way they feel about D that makes them a wonderful fit.  Mama S and Daddy D are followers of Jesus and continue to read to him from the Word, pray for him, and with him.  Mama S had already read The Connected Child which I also had read, learned a lot from, and on which we based some of our parenting of D.  This has helped smooth the transition.  They have a family member who is a therapist for young children from trauma who is helping them help D.  After being told he was too young for any services through the state, I am thrilled for him to have access to this resource. This is a small thing, but they already ate quinoa.  D could out eat anyone I know in a quinoa eating contest.  Parents of toddlers, you know how important a child's chosen food staples can be!  The more I hear from Mama S, the more little things I see that are just right for D.

I hope this gives you a snapshot of the way God has prepared this family for this time for little D.  I still marvel at the loving providence of God placing D with Mama S and Daddy D!  The fact that a foster child left our home and we know where he is, how he's doing, and feel great about both of those things is such a gift of grace!

Let it encourage us all to seek, trust, and obey Him who has written these days before anyone of them has unfolded!