Come Let us Adore Him~ Christ the Lord!

*The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. ~Deuteronomy 31:8~

Hello everyone! Merry Christmas! I hope this finds you doing well! I have a hard time believing 2011 is just about to be wrapped up. Between Christmas parties, children's programs, and just the everyday responsibilities time has gotten away from me. So, I will try to get you up to speed with our family happenings. As many of you know, we were finally placed with foster children before Thanksgiving. A 17 month old boy(T) and an almost 3 year old girl(C). They were part of a sibling group of four. We were placed with the younger two, our friends were placed with the older siblings. The first few days were overwhelming as expected. Getting anywhere with six children was a huge adjustment from having only 4 kids. Distributing food at meal time is quite a juggling act as well. C & T came with a ton of stuff. But very few items actually were the right size. So we went and bought the necessities. And I have to thank all who have given us clothing the past few years. I was able to get most of what I needed for the kids out of my shed : )  The CPS worker had informed us that we would most likely have the kids for a 12 month period, but little else was disclosed. Things seemed to be settling down pretty well, I thought, for our first placement. I have always had that nagging feeling that I would have a hard time bonding with foster kids. But Matt and I immediately bonded with the kids, and the pack(our bio kids) were excited to have them in the house. Each of them stepped up to help around the house, shared their toys, and managed the chaos fairly well. I knew God would equip us, but I guess I didn't really think he would handle every aspect of the heart issues as faithfully as He did. The 17 month old(T) is a typical 17 month old boy. Going, going, and going non stop. He is a healthy & loving baby boy.  After about a week, I realized that the sweet baby girl (C) needed help, lots of help. Being a two year old and having a dysfunctional situation for most of your life is hard to overcome. Being able to trust an adult was something she was slowly coming to terms with and assimilating into her reality. I sat with her and let her process things how she needed to process them. When she would finish and was able to calm down, she would hug me and tell me "JJ, I love you!". Talk about a feeling of fulfillment! After 2 weeks of working almost exclusively with C, I realized that I couldn't give her the time and the patience she required. I was zapped emotionally! I still had 5 additional kids to care for and be involved with. Not to mention a husband who wasn't about to lose a wife to motherhood. I felt the guilt set in when Matt & I made the decision that we had to have them moved to a more qualified foster home for C's sake. After talking with a foster mom about transitioning the kids to her home, God gave me such a peace. I was taking care of C & T! Every time the guilty feeling that I had failed them crept in, God shut it down! This was all part of His sovereign plan. He helped me realize that He created these babies in their mother's womb, He has walked with them every step of the way and will watch over them all the days of their lives. I am sending them on knowing how BIG and CAPABLE my God is!! He allowed me to be a small part in their lives.  Matt & I got to hug on them for a while, to actually be the hands of God. I am humbled beyond belief!!

 So, they have been gone for several days now. The home they were moving to has dealt with moderate level children before. (Yes- children are put on a scale according to their behavior once they become wards of the state.We are licensed for basic care.)This family is experienced and is knowledgeable in all  the resources that are available for C and are eager to start getting her help! I am able to stay in touch with them and hear about their progress through the foster mom/friend. T is rough and tumble as ever. C is making leaps and bounds in her healing process. This foster mom is so thoughtful, she texts me updates. God is so GOOD!! Matt & I are getting them back for a weekend in January to help out their new foster parents. God has again taken absolutely every detail and wrapped it up with much love! Our pack was able to put two faces to kids without a mom & dad to care for them. And because of these two kids, my heart has grown by four more little feet! : )
In the midst of the hardest day, I remember I prayed and asked God where he was in all of this...and Deuteronomy 31:8 came to mind. He is right here with me. He never left me and has been my refuge more than once during these few weeks. There is much work to be done and He asks me to do a part of it, not ALL of it. So we have taken some time off and I have been able to relax, decorate my tree, care for some sick babies, and really prepare my mind for this season. We hope to be placed again very soon. I am ready to take on another sweet baby for as long as God would have them here. God is faithful in everything He does! I am blessed to be a part of His plan. I think I can speak for my family and say that this year when we celebrate Jesus' birthday, we will have much to thank Him for!
Brandon and Alaina have had a tremendous first half of the school year. Brandon has had to learn about the reality of the playground. He has watched two different boys getting picked on. He came home crying and when I got the story out of him, He hadn't even been picked on! His heart was so broken for the bullied kids. Matt and I were able to teach him about compassion and what he can do to reach out to those who are hurting. He has such a big heart~ God has mighty "Joshua-type" things for Brandon...I just know it!
Alaina has also done well with school. She loves life and loves to teach others. I owe her a lot of credit in teaching her little sister to actually write her name correctly!
Hannah is Hannah! She dives into whatever she can get into and can't wait for God to give her another sister. She is always performing, even when she is talking to you. She really does add so much sunshine to my days.
And Logan~ He had a difficult time with the foster kids being here. He shared his toys as well as a 2 year old can. Every morning he would ask while climbing out of bed "Mom, where are my friends?" referring to T & C. He didn't understand why C had such a difficult time being here, but was always ready to offer her a hug. Priceless~
I just have to take a minute and brag on my husband. Matt dumbfounded me these past few weeks. We always tell each other "I love you", but Matt actually walked out his love. He came through for me in amazing ways. He was by my side in a flash when I needed him, willing to do whatever I needed him to do. All the while running a successful Real Estate business to provide for our family. My love & respect for him has grown to a size that I never believed possible. He is a man who truly cherishes his wife! I thank God for using these few weeks to bring our marriage through the refining fire, burning away all the petty stuff and leaving behind a stronger and more beautiful marriage. I Love You Matt!!!
So, now you know what the past few weeks has been like for us. My prayer is that you are given a chance this season to experience God in a new way so He can become bigger to you. He is the real deal. Merry Christmas!!