An update and new journey...

I know it's been a very, VERY, long time since I've updated here. I've updated our timeline and hope to do a better job of updating our blog again. A lot has happened since my last post. We closed our foster home with the private agency we were working with. They were wonderful but for varies reasons, we no longer felt that we needed to be with them. The plan was to move straight over to TN Department of Children's Services (DCS) but life happens...and sometimes not how you plan. So that hasn't happened yet, though we do plan to contact them soon.

Over the past few months we have been working with a fertility clinic and with a fertility specialist to figure out the reasons we aren't getting pregnant. We've done lots of bloodwork and tests and are both on meds now. We've had several medicated cycles but still have not gotten pregnant. We hope to move on to IUI's soon. You can check out the timeline tab and there are links to explain what an IUI is.

Next month we celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary....and all I can think is that it has been seven years and not one positive pregnancy test. We decided before we got married to let God determine when we'd have babies and chose not to use any type of birth control. So naturally being almost seven years in, a few of those years actively trying to get pregnant, we definitely thought we'd be celebrating with a few kids by now. I mean, at least one! Every single cycle I allow myself to hope and dream and every single cycle so far (7 years worth) has resulted in heartache and crushed dreams. It's been a long road...with a lot of heartache and tears. We are so lucky and blessed to be walking this road together though. It has brought us closer and made us stronger but we're really hoping to be celebrating next year with a baby! I'll be updating as we go through this new journey so feel free to stick around.

Hello, Goodbye

I've been MIA but we've had a busy two weeks. We got a call for the sweet twins we had last year and of course, said YES! Again, they were only with us for two weeks but we sure did enjoy them! They were as sweet as ever and so much fun. We miss their sweet little selves. It went too fast.

Empty Nest

If you follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook you know we got a placement about two weeks ago. Twin girls, 17 months, absolutely precious! We got a call for them back in November but their mom decided not to place (we work with an agency that only accepts voluntary placements). Well, when we got a call a couple weeks ago for twin girls, we figured they were the same ones....they were. We were SO excited!...and totally nervous.

We picked them up February 1st. One twin is outgoing, loud, and sassy (we'll call her Ms. Sassy). The other is shy, laid-back, and loves to be held (we'll call her Ms. Cuddles). They are both beautiful and so much fun! Twins are a handful in the best way possible!! :)

I'm working now as a toddler teacher at a local child development center (I posted about that on my personal blog but haven't talked about it here). Thankfully there were openings for them at the same school and I was able to be in their class most days.

Here they are on their first day of school giving each other a hug.

Cuteness overload, right?

With daycare comes sickness, of course. They both had runny noses a week ago Friday but had a weekend visit with mom so I'm not sure how the weekend was. We picked them back up on Sunday and they both had fevers and runny noses so we all stayed home from school on Monday. Their fevers broke in the night and they seemed on the mend besides runny noses so we all went back to school Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday night I posted this picture and asked for prayers for Ms. Cuddles because her fever was high (103.4).

After Motrin, a lukewarm bath, and Tylenol, we headed to the ER when her fever spiked to 104.2. I checked Ms. Sassy before we left who was already sleeping but she wasn't warm so we left her home. Thankfully my brother was able to come stay with her. Our caseworker and the girls mom joined us in the ER after a couple of hours. By the time we went back her fever was up to 104.8 and she was working hard to breathe. Long story short, she was admitted with pneumonia and had a two night hospital stay. Her mom was able to stay with her...which I'm sure was comforting for them both.

In the mean time, we came home that first night and I checked Ms. Sassy who had a fever of 103.7...gave her Motrin and her fever was gone within an hour. She woke up fever-free and as playful and loud as ever around 7:30. Around 10 she started feeling warm and slowing down, I took her temp a little later and it was already up to 104.2. I called her pediatrician who said take her the ER...so off we went again. They were able to get her fever down pretty fast and we left after some tests with just an ear infection and some antibiotics.

Needless to say, we had some exhausting couple of days this week!

There was talk of another weekend visit but we weren't sure it would happen because our CW was pushing for it not to after the days we had. Friday morning I get a call from our CW who asks if I can pick them up once Ms. Cuddles is released from the hospital....and then tells me that their mom has decided to take them out of foster care so it won't just be a weekend visit, they're going home for good. So within a couple hours I have all their stuff packed and I'm picking up mom and Ms. Cuddles from the hospital and I drive them all home and say goodbye. What?!

We knew they would be going home...eventually. They have a wonderful mother who loves them very much and I am so thankful for that but the abrupt way they left has been surprisingly emotional for me. Mothering sick babies is draining by itself and I know part of it is just that I'm exhausted from the past few days, but I really wasn't ready for them to leave yet. *sigh*

Please pray for the girls and their mom...that she will do what she needs to do for all of them and that the girls will heal quickly. And pray for me as I continue to process the past few days.

30 Days=6 Weeks...and that's ok!

Welp, we ended up having Little1 for a little over six weeks. We learned quick that timelines in foster care can change from day to day. :) What was supposed to be 30 days turned into six weeks. He went home about two weeks ago (wow, time flies). We enjoyed everyday of it! And miss him terribly! The house is so quiet now but he is where he belongs and I'm thankful we know he's just as loved and cherished at home.

We enjoyed visiting parks, going on nature walks, playing outside and teaching him new words everyday (he was in a blossoming stage with words!). He was so laid-back and easy-going. He learned quickly what "no fussies" meant and how to use words to get what he wanted...and his words are oh.SO.cute. He loved Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einsteins...and so did I because it allowed me to cook, clean and do my bible study time without a toddler hanging on my legs and arms. ;) He was starting to develop a little sense of humor right before he left, so funny! He loved hugs and wrestling. He talked to himself (for like 30mins!) before falling asleep at naptime and bedtime. He is a beautiful little boy and we're so thankful he got to be a part of our lives for a bit.

Now, we're in the waiting stage again for another placement. Who knows how long that will be or when it will be a child we feel fits into our lives but we're ready for another call. Next time, I will *try* to do better about posting! Kids, they're just so time consuming. ;)

Settling In

Click HERE for bigger picture

 In case you haven't heard, we got our first placement! We got a call mid-week asking if we could take him and, of course, we said YES! We picked him up Friday and he should be with us for about a month.



We're all settling in to this new life pretty well. He is 18 months old and the sweetest little guy! I'll be calling him Little1 here on my blog. He is very laid back and easy so far. H loves puzzles, shape sorters, and books! He sleeps well and I am so thankful for that! :) I know not everyone is so blessed. Thank you, Lord!

We're spending a lot of one-on-one time together so you won't see me around here too often (only when he's sleeping and I have nothing else *too* important to do). I feel very accomplished today! I swept, mopped, washed dishes, sent out some important emails and started laundry while he napped (which he is doing now). This is the first day I haven't napped at the same time. :) Hey, I love my sleep! His room is next to ours so I can hear him but I have not been sleeping well at night, worried I won't hear him over our fan and his noise machine...I keep telling my brain, "I can hear him! Sleep!" but it just won't listen. :/

Welp, I have a few more things I need to try to check off my list but wanted to let you all know how things were going. Please pray for us all as we continue to settle in.

Breaking the Silence

I know...it's been awful quiet around here for a while. There hasn't been much to update on. We've continued to wait, had another meeting with our CW to go over some stuff, kept waiting and finally, this week, we got a letter that said we're...
 

...yes, finally, we are approved! So now we wait for a call saying they have placements for us. Thank you for your continued support and prayers. We are excited to be another step forward in our journey and look forward to caring for and loving on some children!

Double Lines

It's been an anxious, yet peaceful, month...can those two feelings co-exists? It is the month where we should get a letter telling us we're approved to be foster parents (...or not). I don't know why I'm nervous...we're pretty good people and I would approve us :) but I guess just having to wait for something that we really want is hard. Especially when other people hold the power to tell us no. It's kinda like holding a pregnancy test...except we've been waiting way past 2mins....we just want to see those double lines! :)
We wait in peace though. God knows our hearts, He knows the children needing love and care, and when the time is right He will bring us all together. We are at peace knowing that He is the one controlling the timing and way all of this is playing out. He knows the kids that need us and He knows the ones that will shape us for His glory. And so we will continue to wait...