First, I would like to say how deeply grateful I am to all of you for your continued support of us as we continue down this foster care road in the hopes of being able to adopt this beautiful little girl who has captured our hearts. Although there are some updates I will begin by saying that NOTHING has been decided, yet! We won't know anything until our next hearing which is scheduled for April 10th. In the meantime, we are trying to do some things that were suggested to us but mostly we are just continuing to trust in the Lord and His plan. Although it is hard in this situation to know for sure just what His plan may be we are praying toward her staying with us as being what is best for Khylee - physically and psychologically.
In the last week or so we did find out that a few more family members have stepped forward to say they were interested in Khylee. What we don't know is whether or not any of them would actually qualify to be able to take her. We also found out that dad isn't "on board" with us taking her with us. I won't even go in to my opinion on that whole topic but it is what it is. What the social worker is putting together is what they call a Ohana Conference where us, the social worker, the guardian ad-lidum (GAL), all the family members that have come forward and, hopefully, dad joining us over the phone come together to talk. The hope behind this conference is for the family members (and dad) to get to meet us and get to know us and, hopefully, recognize that at this point for Khylee the best thing for her would be to stay with us. What we don't know is what will happen if they DON'T feel that way! I guess what also makes me nervous is that our GAL told me today that if we can't get dad on board with us that we will probably lose!! The conference is currently scheduled for March 22nd so please be praying for that meeting as we get closer! (Especially because that is the week we are also getting packed out of our house!)
Another thing that we just found out about today relates to mom. I believe I mentioned before that publication for mom was supposed to happen back in December but hadn't happened. Our GAL then told us that it was set for March 1st. I got the paper that day to be able to discover if it had been published or not and, alas, it was not! I immediately called the GAL and he said he would call the DAG (district attorney general - the lawyer for DHS) to find out what had happened. He called today to tell me that it turns out the March 1st date was actually the date of the hearing that mom was supposed to show up for and she didn't show. I thought all this time the publication happened for the hearings we attend but it turns out they have a separate hearing just for those publications and if they don't show then we can move forward as mom having, I believe, forfeited her rights. So, praise the Lord, we finally may have some forward movement!!
Brian and I had the opportunity to go on a date night Saturday night which was nice after him being gone for a couple of weeks and, of course, we talked about the situation and what will we do if we don't get to take her and other things relating to that. It is easy to be anxious and I am certainly not one who has been very good at patience so the Lord really is working on me through all of this. My evening devotions both Saturday and Sunday spoke right to me and I was so extremely thankful! I would like to share them here - both for me and future reference but also just in case any of you reading this could use it as well!
Here is Saturday's devotional:
Blessed are all those who wait for ME! Waiting patiently does not come easily to you, but it is nonetheless very good for you. You long to plan ahead, make definitive decisions, and make things happen. There is a time for that, but this is not the time. Now is a time for sitting in My presence, trusting Me with your whole being. This discipline will bring a wealth of blessings your way.
Some of the good things I offer you reside in the future. While you obediently want on me, you are building up equity for those not-yet blessings. Because they are veiled in the mystery of the future, you cannot see them clearly. Other blessings are for the present. The very process of waiting for Me is beneficial. It keeps your soul on tiptoe, as you look up to Me in hope. You acknowledge that I am in control, and you rest in My goodness. Though you may not understand why you have to wait so long, I bless you as you choose to trust Me with all your heart.
Sunday's:
I am taking care of you. Sometimes you feel alone and vulnerable - exposed to the "elements" of a fallen world. When you are feeling this way, stop and remind yourself, "Jesus is taking care of me," This reminder can comfort you and help you relax. It draws you back from obsessing about the future, trying to figure out and orchestrate what will happen.
When circumstances are confusing and you don't know which way to proceed, remember that you are in My watchcase. I know everything about you and your situation. I also know the future. A child in a good family with adequate resources doesn't need to know how his parents will provide for him tomorrow, next week, next year. You are in the best Family imaginable, and My resources are absolutely unlimited! So bring Me all your needs and concerns. Entrust them to Me and live confidently - as a child of the King of Kings! Relax and rejoice, for I am taking good care of you.
Both of those seemed to just speak right to me and what our family is going through right now. I am so thankful that He speaks to us and comforts us!
Anyway, that is where we are right now! Again, thank you for your prayers and please keep them coming!!
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