Another Fabulous Wedding

This weekend my nephew got married and these two little girls got to be in another wedding!! We had a great time! The wedding was absolutely beautiful…and the day was just perfect. My nephew and his bride have a deep faith and I have never experienced such a powerful ceremony. The music was awesome and the priest did a great job with the homely. This is the best advice I have ever heard from a priest … “thank your spouse daily for all the big and small things they do, because how can you love someone if you don’t appreciate them”. Congratulations to Kevin and Jess…you make a beautiful couple!!

An overdue post about Baby L.

Where do I start? CS now has temporary custody of Baby L and she will continue to stay with us (hopefully forever…did I just type that?!?!) There is no denying we love Baby L and she is very much a part of our family. Currently we are not doing visitations with Baby L’s mother, but will start visitation with her father in January. Not sure how that is going to work, as he lives four hours away. Baby L’s mother is pregnant and will be delivering soon. Once she is all settled in after the birth, she can petition to start visitations with Baby L again. If there are no changes by the beginning of April, the court will move forward with finding permanent custody for Baby L. I don’t know how this is all going to play out, but I do know where I would like Baby L to stay!

Two years ago we were in China

bringing this little sweetie home. We love this girl with all of our heart!!

NOW

Then

No more visits

No phone call...no more visitations. Today was the fourth week in a row that Baby L's mother didn't call to confirm her visit. I wanted her to see her baby girl so bad. Baby L is a beautiful little girl and has hit a lot of milestones since her mother has last seen her. I try very hard to have empathy for Baby L's mom, but I really struggle with the fact that she did not somehow make it work for one visit....just one. I know she has no transportation, but somehow...someway make it to one visit.

Next week this case goes to court. Children services currently does not have temporary custody of Baby L....they have a shorter form of temporary custody if that makes sense. At the beginning Baby L's grandparents were seeking custody and the court thought that would take about 6 weeks, but the grandparents could not get an approved homestudy. It has now been 5 months. Anyway next week the court will seek temporary custody of Baby L and social services will recommend that she stays in her current foster home. I hope to get more information next week after court.

Update on Baby L

No visitation again today. My heart breaks for Baby L's mother...I wish I could help her somehow. Our social worker will not support us if we provide transportation for Baby L's mother to and from visitations. She had several reasons and I can understand her side. Baby L's case is generational...her mother's childhood was not good from what I understand. Please continue to pray for Baby L and that her mother can someday get her life turned around. What makes it so hard is that she doesn't want help....hopefully someday this will change.

Visitation

Baby L's mother was not able to attend today's visit, so we will try again next Tuesday. I don't think she has tranportation, so we have offered to drive her to and from visitations. Hopefully next week it will work better.

Halloween, Glasses and first visitation

Today was trick or treat in our small town. Rachel was Snow White...Taylor was Cinderella...Baby L was a giraffe. Emily did not get dressed up this year, but she got plenty of candy walking door to door with the girls. The weather was beautiful....sunny and 60 degrees.

Emily is now wearing glasses....I think her glasses look great on her.

Baby L continues to do great. Last week, Tuesday Baby L was scheduled to have her first visitation with her mother; unfortunately, her mother was sick and had to cancel. So this week Tuesday will be the first visitation for Baby L. I'm planning to sit in on the first few visits until Baby L becomes aquainted with her mother again. I'll post again Tuesday evening to let you know how the visit was.