Ok lets try this again. It's been months since I've sat down to write anything out for this blog. This morning I got up a bit early to attempt to get something down and after an hour the whole thing was deleted by a kick of one 5 year olds little foot. So here I am again....I'm not sure why I'm even attempting this. 3 kiddos home here today. Trent has been battling a cold since last Thursday and missed 2 days of school so far and is home again today. Doc says it's mostly sinus' and an ear infection. Josie started complaining of an ear ache and sore throat two days ago so meds started last night for her, luckily she's at school. Rylee has a runny nose and plays with her ears a bit as well and has a mild cough. Brant has a nasty runny nose and we all know how fun that is with a baby so if you enter my home and can't recognize his face due to the muck plastered all over it, please forgive me I can't keep up with the snot!
I am on cup 3 of coffee for the day so far and as I contemplate what should be in store for today I wanna just sit where I am and not move. Our washer has been broke for a little over a week now and the mounds of clothing could possibly hit the ceiling of our basement...no joke! However, thinking of the trips up and down the basement steps out to the vehicle and in and out and in and out and up and down and up and down....get it?!
Thought I would attempt giving everyone an update on the Rice family. It's been crazy and I love crazy and that makes everything all the crazier!!! The new "norm" would be...I have no clue what the new "norm" is for us. Each day is new and can be a new journey in itself. I have no doubt in my mind God gives us exactly what we need to get through each and every second of everyday.
Lets start with some good news. On December 2 the court FINALLY ruled for a goal change for Rylee from return to parent\guardian to adoption. That was for the court hearing on July 2nd. I have NO clue why the court waited all these months to rule but they did and we finally got a verdict that rules in favor of Rylee. We are now waiting on Orphans Court to officially rule. However, with good news always comes something that will spice it up, Rylee's mom has started a GoFundMe account and is attempting her way at going to the supreme court to fight this ruling. I have so many thoughts on all that's going on with Rylee's mom and the court system and I'll just keep them to myself. Our system is sad, very very sad and flawed. So continued prayers are much appreciated, I know God knows and His will will be done but man this is getting so overwhelming!!
Last week CYS started the process for another appointment with Orphans Court but this time for Josie. I can't believe parental rights are already at risk for her parents. I can't even believe we have been asked about adoption for another child already. This is crazy!!! I swore I would never turn a child away and taking on a teen with a baby has been super challenging but I never thought at 5 mo in our home we would be asked if we wanted to adopt. Please pray for this whole situation. Pray for guidance for Steve and I. Pray for Steve as he's had quite a turn around since we first got into this situation but still has lots of concerns. Pray that Steve and I will always stand firm together. Pray for Josie, her heart, her mind. She's been through WAY more then she deserves in her 15 years and has quite a lot to work through. She made a huge decision a few weeks ago and she accepted Christ into her heart at a youth event called The Silver Ring Thing!!!! WOOHOO!!! I have never felt such joy. Pray for that all around. She doesn't quite understand what she did but each day she's learning more and more and I love watching her grow. Honestly Josie isn't an open book about everything she has endured growing up, however as things do come out my eyes have been opened to all the things I never have thought to appreciate on a daily basis. We just have absolutely NO clue what some kids\people go through, how they live...the things we take for granted. Having a teen in our home has been very challenging at times and we've done a lot of "do overs" and we're learning and trying to be forgiving and asking for lots of advice, guidance and prayers. Josie has had a few "bumps" here and there and some may have said "she's to far gone", "a lost cause" SHAME on THEM! A child deserves a chance on every level and if I have to step out of my comfort zone a little to help out I will do that because God has ask that of me and because God did it for me, AND does it for me every.single.day!
So onto Brantley. What a joy it has been to have him in our home. I take care of Brantley as if he's just another one of the kiddos in our house...don't ask me what I call myself to him because I find that more confusing then anything else that goes on in our home. I cannot get Gram, Granny, Grandma, or anything close to that out of my mouth. Josie is "mom" and that's ok...and everyone outside of our home may find our situation confusing but it's what works...for now. I am "mom" to Brantley without the label and I don't need that label. We are currently battling Brantleys Dad in court for custody and I can't even begin to go into ALL that because it's incredibly overwhelming and frustrating and it's best to just say pray for us and that situation. Brantley is a crazy little boy. Crawled at 5 mo and is officially a walker at 10mo. He crawls up steps, gets into everything but man is he super bright. He keeps me on my feet!!!
Last but not least Trent. He loves school and I simply can't believe all he's learning in TK, what in the world will they teach in Kindergarten??!! He still struggles with his belly issues and he's on new medicine and that has been a challenge getting the dosage just right on 2 laxatives. He's in swimming lessons on Saturdays at the Y, we're super thankful for the Y membership we got from CYS!! Trent lost one of his very close friends this past summer and he's really struggling getting over it. It's heartbreaking to try and explain that he moved and he simply can't see him anymore. He doesn't "want" to make a new friend, he just "misses" and "loves" his "best friend". Trent has a huge heart, guess I should blame myself for that. A new thing this year Trent loves crafts and art! Everyday Rylee and him sit at our table and make projects all night. They color, paint, use pipe cleaners, cut things out, and have given me so many pictures to hang I need not buy any other decorations ever!
Over the past few months I couldn't be more thankful for such an awesome church and for my amazing parents. I do firmly believe it takes a village to raise children. Our church family has stepped out in so many ways with Josie and prayed and encouraged her and she feels so incredibly loved and accepted and that brings tears to my eyes. I couldn't ask for a better church family!! And my parents are simply amazing! They are always there for us and while we got into fostering it's almost like they did right along with us and I appreciate that SO much! We need that support and the children that come into our home need to feel that as well and ours do. I also must say how amazing my husband is. our journey with fostering hasn't always been exactly what he wanted and some days he is very discouraged but man do I love that man and his heart. God is working on all of us and He will bring such great things and already is. Please just continue as always to pray for us.
