What We're Up To... and Some Bad News...

What have we been up to lately?  Well...  Alot of enjoying the sunshine. And then the rains came this morning.... but I will try to ignore that... and the bit of white stuff that is falling out there right now.  The kids have really enjoyed running off their energy outside... and so has Momma.  The winter has been long and cold.... and snowy.  You can only spend so much time cooped up inside before you start to go stir crazy.  I think the weatherman has forgotten that this is supposed to be spring.  Maybe he forgot to turn the page on his calendar.

We got some bad news yesterday.

The state will be sending the babies to their grandmother sometime in the next 2 weeks.  We will officially be finished with foster care.  We have been mom and dad to so many kids over the years... and we have loved it.  However, along with the budget issues the state is facing, they are starting to put so many kids in very risky situations.  We don't want to be a part of that anymore.  I can't love them to pieces and then see them give these innocent little beings to people who allow child molesters in their homes, drugs, etc and the kids have to go there because a fluke of nature says they share the same blood.

Our court date yesterday was a complete joke.  The father of these babies was treated like he wasn't even part of the equation.  The judge didn't want to hear anything he or his attorney had to say.  He is denying him his right to have visitation with his children by placing them out of state.  Technically this isn't even legal.  However, he knows this father has no finacial recourse.  So that is that.

We cried.  We will cry again.  Mark and I discussed that this was such a huge test of our faith.  We had placed these babies in the Lord's hands and know that he has not only our families best interest at heart, but these babies as well.  I know that he will take care of all of us.  That doesn't take away the pain of having to hand them over, though.  They are so bonded to us.  The woman they are going to doesn't know anything about them and didn't care enough to even call us to find out anything about them.  That is so sad.

Please pray for our family as we go through these normal emotions.