***Got the letter of acceptance***
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Posted in In The Family Room

Hi everyone!

I'm SO sorry for not posting in awhile.  LOTS of things going on over here.  We purchased our sofa, loveseat and chair combo for only 400.00 on craigs list.  It looks BEAUTIFUL in here.  I can just Imagine what it will be like to invite people for a Bible study or just a nice time together.  The place is coming along nicely.  NOW, if I can only find a nice round table that seats 4-6ppl in a dark wood, that would just have a finishing touch.  I'm also in need of a few more primitive decorations to fit my decor.  Once it is all finished I'll start taking pictures to show everyone.

The childrens room is coming along so nicely.  The crib and the dresser, the new pictures on the wall, I even bought 60 stuffed animals that are in NEW condition for just 35.00.  I have pre-washed and fluffed them just for my own sense of peace and have put the ones I'd like in the childrens room.

NOTHING like a BIG teddy bear to calm the spirits of a child who fears the unknown.

I plan to give the rest away to other Foster-to-adopt families that we'll meet along the way.  I think those stuffed animals will bring great joy to a child who need comfort.

I also just found the ((made in America)) wooden puzzles.  I have been concerned about the lead issue in childrens toys.  So I'm good with books, stuffed toys, wooden playtoys and puzzels, music, etc.  Things to get the imagination going.  I also plan to fill a toychest up with play clothes like pretty dresses, balarina outfits, princess tiaras, mens suit type things in case we have boys.

I can't describe HOW much we're excited to have a child in our home.  My only fear is the loss I'll feel when the ones that are here in transition go home to their parents.  It will be a bitter sweet moment.  I DO believe that children should go back to their birthparents if they have learned to be a structured family and home for them.  It will be why we will be a "safe haven" while the moms and dads work on it, however, foster to adopt is exactly our plan.  We want to adopt our forever child/ren.  So somehow I have to find the strength from God to be able to keep a level head in case I actually lose whoever comes in our home.  Doug has taken it seriousely in reminding me that there IS a possiblity that we could lost the children we have in our care.  I think he too is being cautious because a nurse that works with him has stopped fostering in our county because after 4 times of her same children going back and forth to the birthparents custody, they have decided it's time for mom to have them.  His nurse friend was devistated and has decided to move out of state with her fiance.  When he heard the story he thought of me, how attatched I may get, and also after our last fostering experience through an agency in Ohio, he wondered how I'd deal with the beauracracy of the fostercare system.  I absolutely loved the teens we had, but found the system to be frustrating when it came to their care.  Too many chiefs and not enough Indians in my opinion.  Most children in the care of the system are drugged beyond need because they want them calm and easy to care for.  The agency we worked for in Ohio rec'd stipens for the girls.....while they were drugged beyond belief, the underlying conditions were overlooked.  Either way, it was an independent agency and not the county, but I hear it can be similar.  I suppose only God can get us through the hard part.

In the meantime, we're excited because we're recieved the letter of acceptance, knowing our background check has been done and we have the go-ahead for the second part.  We should be recieving the invitation letter to the 11 week classes within the next two weeks.

In the meantime, we're trying to finish the needs.....we need a twin size bed, car seats, booster seat for our table for toddlers, High Chair, stroller, monitors for the room to hear whats going on when we're in our room and much more.  I NEVER knew there were so many types of 1 product.Haha

So I'll be here, on and off, but I'll be around.

Much love to each of you.

Rebekah