Were Back :)

After a VERY long yet short trip.

I caught a plane at 6am Thursday morning, changed planes in Atlanta, then landed in Alabama at 2:45. By 4 pm we were at DHR. The worker took me in to his office, I gave him my homestudy, and other paperwork he asked for. He came back to tell me that legal had got involved and we may need to go to court in the morning. So I left in tears not knowing what was going on. We went and picked up the kids, and checked into a hotel. Then went to my normal Aunts house, and spent some time there, the kids played outside, and we ate dinner. Then back to the hotel for baths, and bed.
(The 12 yo and 5 yo took right to me, the baby took about 24 hours.)

The next morning bright and early my Aunts phone rings telling us to be at court asap. So we get ready and go. We get therer ight as the worker is walking in. He takes just me and I meet with asst people. I then find out what is going on after being up worrying all night. The original paper birth Mom signed was just a safety plan. Basiclly that I will keep them safe until she is released. Well once legal got ahold of her case they decided the kids were not going back. So they stayed up til 4am getting custody papers ready. So I met with the judge in a closed court, and he signed the papers. I know how sole, legal custody of the children, and the only way for birth Mom to get them back is to go in front of that same judge, and petion for it. He told me NO WAY will that happen. So YAY! They are safe, and will remain that way finally.

I will update more later, since we had quite the trip home, and let you know how settling in is going. Also how truly awful it really was :( I had no idea how truly bad it was until I got there.

I am no longer busy mommy to 7

I am now BUSY MOMMY TO 10!!!

Birth Mom signed over custody to us today. WHOOOO HOOOOO.
She really had no choice. It was either sign over custody now, or they would go into foster care and we would get them in 6 months after a bunch of paperwork anyway.
So I will be picking them up in their state on Thursday. I am so excited!!!
There are 2 girls, ages 12 and 5, and 1 boy who just turned 2 last week.
So that makes... 7 girls, and 3 boys!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Operation help kids *Update 1*

Okay, so the name is a little over the top. LOL But not really for what I feel I am doing. Yesterday (Monday) morning my phone rings at 6:30am. It is my Aunt letting me know that she called the man that was doing the investigation, and gave me his name and #. So I called of of course got a machine. I left a message and waited. Waiting is something I am not very good at. Finally he calls back, and I am then on speaker phone with him and my Aunt. I cannot tell him a whole lot, for what I know is "hear say" since I am in another state. But I was able to provide him with information he didnt know, such as that the kids were just in DHR custody over Christmas, and that she also has a case in another state. I could also verify the drug use, and abuse I have seen in the past. He was pretty rude until I started using "DHR Buzz words" then all of the sudden he became very nice to me. I also explained to him that we are not jealous ex girlfriends, or new wives, we are the birth Moms family. And how hard it is to turn your own family into DHR and tell them yes the kids would be better off in foster care. He let me know he will be getting with surpervisor and will get back to me.

So later in the day I called my Aunt to see what happened since she was there in person. He told her that it looks as if they will be removing ALL the children from the home. Including my Aunts. So the kids are 15, and 10. from my Aunt, and 12,3 and 2 from my cousin. As of late afternoon they had not been removed yet, so I will see what happens today. I am going to call soon, and hopefully get an update on the decision from the caseworker.

From Bad to Worse

Well I just got a phone call from one of my Aunts. The kids had been at their Grandmothers house all week. ( Which is not great but at least they can be watched out for by my other Aunt.) She is really upset on the phone. The neighbor called the sheriff, who then called DHR. Well DHR gave her a list of things to do, and a time frame, and said they will come back. "Grandma" told my other Aunt that she is not doing any of it. And then let the 3 kids 12,3,and 2 go with a single man from work and stay the weekend. Said she doesnt need them messing up her weekend off. My other Aunt told her earlier in the week to keep that man away from them, that she had a bad feeling, and it wasnt right for a single man to be buying gifts for little girls like that. SO instead she hands them over for the weekend. Ughhhh.

So she told me that she will be going down to DHR 1st thing in the morning, and letting them know everything that is going on, and how "Grandma" asked her to lie.

But now I have the right contact info for the county they are in, and an address where they are. Plus since DHR was just out there, maybe now they will listen....

I will update tomorrow. Hopefully with good news.

*UPDATE* on kid situation

I received a phone call this morning from one of my Aunts. The kids are now with their Grandma. Not a real great place to be, but at least they are with family, and somewhere my other Aunt can check on them. I asked DHR to please go over and check the condition on the living situation, as well as food, and sleeping needs. Hopefully they will. All I can do is pray.

God is so good

My 14ds has been having some struggles lately with one of his leaders at church. He keeps giving Ds a hard time about his hair so in turn ds just rebels against cutting it even more. Dh and I havent said much as it is just hair, and if this is our biggest problem, then I felt blessed. But then I noticed his attitude toward church change slightly. Dh and I fasted and prayed for him last Sunday, and Wed morning dropped him off to go on a 4 day pioneer trek. Dh picked him up today, and he has changed so much. He kept talking about how much he felt the spirt with him, and just kept bearing his testimony. Then he asked Dh to take him to get a hair cut. So 4 days ago I sent of a 14 yo boy with angst in his heart, and got him back a sweet young man with a renewed love for the Lord.

I feel so blessed.

*UPDATE and Answering some questions*

The woman that answered the phone at the jail when I called, called me back last night. She took my cousin into a room and asked her to tell her where the kids are. My cousin just lied over and over again. The woman was very angry, and told me she would keep trying. My cousin NEVER told anyone that arrested her, or at the jail she left children anywhere. They only found out when I alerted them.
She said my cousin told her that she doesnt want DHR to get them.
And she told the woman that I only want them because thats what I do, take peoples kids and get welfare for them. I had to laugh instead of get angry. As anyone who knows anything about foster/adoption knows you cannot collect welfare and get a license. And I birthed 6 of my children. God sent me our 7th via another cousin ( Her sister. And had we not adopted her , she would have been adopted by strangers.

Her boyfriend was suppose to pick them up and take them to her Mother. Her Mother ( my Aunt) told him he better not bring those "f" kids to her house. ( She is quite lovely as you can tell) So he never went and picked them up. DHR and the Sheriff told me unless I give them an exact address that they cannot go get them. I do have 2 more Aunts there but they really do not want to get invloved other then to help me. So one is going to try to get me the house # today.They are in another state or else I would have been going door to door looking for them.

I spoke to Dh last night, and we have prayed on it. We both feel that if everything works out and DHR does their job, and we are asked to take them and give them a forever home we will. If it is a temp situation we will have to spend more time in prayer on that. Due to them being in another state we feel that if they are just going to return them yet again, it be better they stay there so she can visit, and be monitered during those visits.

I just dont get it!

And I am learning that I probably never will understand how child protective services works. In Dec another cousin of mine ( her sister is our adopted dd birth Mom) who is an abusive drug addict got 3 of her 4 kids taken away. ( The 4th is raised by his paternal grandmother) All 4 have different fathers, his is the only one that is around. Anyway.... She has cases in 2 states for abuse, several family members called asking that the kids be removed permantly. Well guess what! 30 or so days later she got them back! So I get a phone call today from my Aunt ( not her Mom) to tell me that she was arrested last night, and is in jail. 2 of the 3 kids are still at the crack house she was leaving from!
And ask if I can get online and find anything out. So I call the jail and find out she was picked up at 11:20 pm on the 8th! These babies ( 1 and 3 years old) have now been left at the crack house for 2 days. Her boyfriend was suppose to pick them up, but being the drug addict he is, and seeing how they are not his kids, he never did.
Her Mother refuses to have them at her house either, yet she has the oldest one with her. ( I was told that is because she cleans) So I have spent hours calling everyone I can find to try to get someone to go pick up these kids. It is now 5pm, so all the offices are closed where they are, so here I will sit a wreak all night worried about these poor babies, and wondering why things like this happen.

When you thought I wasnt looking

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING


Written by a child, now an adult.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT. Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influence the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today? Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Where have I been?

I had someone email me and ask. I have been tearing my whole house apart like a mad woman. LOL

I have donated bags upon bags of "stuff" I have removed so many plastic toys, stuff filled with chemicals, food filled with high fructose corn syrup, and dyes. Things made from animal products, and things we just plain dont need.

I am revamping our life 110%. I was working on it slowly, then couldnt take it anymore, so I stepped it up 60mph.

I am removing everything that is negative or unhealthy for my family.

And thats where I have been :) Pics to soon follow.

My Daughter The Dog Whisper

This is how my youngest sleeps.( Ignore the disposible diaper, someone gave me a pack.LOL) Well since we co sleep I guess this is how Dh and I sleep also. LOL You will see our silky terrier "Muffin" on her head, and her holding the paw of our bishon "Taggert". She will lay all over, roll all over, yank on, tug at, and drag these dogs all over, all day long. And yet they still come running the minute the hear her voice to cover her in kisses. I have never been a huge animal lover. ( Sounds really stupid since I am vegan. LOL) Well let me refraise that. I love other peoples animals. I just didnt like having another thing to pick up after in my home. Yet in the past 6 months at 2 different times, from 2 different people at Church we have been blessed with puppies. And in a very short time I have grown to love these dogs so very much. I think it is because they love my dd so very much.