Foster Care Update

If you want to catch up on our foster care journey;
here are a few links:

Decision to become foster parents

first placement

Meeting the Governor and First Lady

Second placement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The new girls came on the Friday before Christmas -
so just two weeks have past since becoming a family of eight.

All in all -
I think things are going well,
and once again -
I am so thankful that the placement came when Mike had two
four-day weekends back to back to help with adjustments and
just some extra family time without school, homework and sports.

The biggest adjustments for me are the cooking and laundry.

I make a dozen eggs every morning.

I didn't do laundry after the girls came on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day -
and I haven't caught up yet.  (although, maybe by the end of the weekend)

The boys have been great to help out.

Isaac has made himself the bedtime story reader.
It's adorable!

And the boys each have to load or unload the dishwasher every day.
(I do a load in the morning and a load at night)
THANK YOU LORD FOR A DISHWASHER!


There are some little things that we are working through.


Educational apathy is my biggest concern.
I'm not sure how to motivate a child to WANT to learn.
It's hard to teach them, if they aren't interested.
I think some of this may be cultural, or be a result of not
having English speaking parents that can help them.


We are hoping, if the placement will be through the summer,
that we can get the girls into school at McCool where the boys go.
I know that they have special ESL* programs there.
(English as a Second Language)
Please pray with us about this.
We have court on Monday the 9th and will request from the judge
that the girls attend McCool.



In other news:
Little Meleah continues to be a LOVE!
She has learned to smack her lips to blow a kiss.
It's the cutest thing on the planet!
She loves to play pat-a-cake
and is really close to rolling over back to belly.






She is also getting up on her toes from a belly position and rocking a little bit.  A long way from crawling, but the beginning stages are developing.






She is easy going and will sit (and sleep) in her stroller at the beach or wherever we are without complaining.   

She has a LOT of hair in the back 

and we are getting the ponies going.  

And while you are here - 

look at those eyelashes too....a heartbreaker this one!

She has tried carrots, squash, green beans and sweet potatoes.

peas, bananas and apples are coming in the next three weeks.
Having a child with food allergies -
I am only doing one food per week to make sure she is not reacting
in any way.

The next court date for her is January 24th.
If the paperwork is in order, she will go live with a relative at that time.
We are enjoying each day with her and trying not to think about the days to come.

Thank you for your continued prayers as we journey this road!