Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

We celebrated her second Christmas with us. Thankfully, this year she wasn't recovering from shoulder surgery. Honestly, the holiday is kind of a blur. I know we enjoyed it and it was good. As the kids have gotten older I feel like the gifts have gotten smaller, not necessarily less expensive. But, I do enjoy buying gifts for them.  My oldest always has a list and she is very good about sending me pictures and links for what she is wishing for. The middle one usually wants money as he is saving up for camera equipment. The youngest one is the hardest! He never wants anything so this year we went shopping for a family from our church in honor of his wish list. She was easy to buy for. She cried when she opened the lotus necklace, remember the one I just found last week on the driveway, the one that fell out of her bag? There were other fun gifts that I knew would make her happy and we were glad to share them with her.

 I know holidays are hard, hopefully in the future as time goes on, they'll get easier to handle. She misses her younger brother and she is worried about him. She was looking forward to the new year. Shopping at the store for a New Year's party, she saw her mom and dad. They saw her and said nothing. When she told me she saw them, I thought once again. Wow! How do you not say anything? Every day that went on without a word from them to her solidified my belief they were evil. Honestly, that's the only word I can use to describe them. There's nothing they can say that would make it okay they gave their child away. Nothing. I reminded her they were sick and it wasn't her fault they were this way . I also reminded her kids don't break their own hearts and she was worthy of unconditional love forever.
We watched Alabama win and advance to the National Championship game, and rang in the New Year. I prayed 2017 would be happy and healthy for all of us!


We were once again preparing for court. This was in preparation for permanent custody. Remember last March, March 2016 when the judge granted their motion to have it moved to a different county? Well, it was finally here. Court was set for late February. Great.. Let's get the show on the road people! She had a new GAL and she was so great. Loved her! We wanted to settle everything that day but we weren't surprised when the judge had to set another date to discuss financials. It was going on 15 months and  they had not supported their child. Remember, they went into self preservation and tried to keep her quiet and letting her go. Honestly, I am dumbfounded they never thought beyond three feet in front of them. Did they not think we would not want to be wrapped up with communicating through lawyers for four years? Did they not think we'd eventually get our own lawyers as the very first lawyers were only representing her. And, did they not think they'd have to actually pay for their child? Obviously, they're delusional. We needed to do this the right way, which I've mentioned in a previous post.  But, what they were doing was wrong. And, thankfully we were getting some closure, a little bit at a time. 

 They didn't fight for her. She asked to have a visitation with them and they said no. They said no....

We left court that morning pleased with what the judge said. She was finally permanently ours. No more shifting sand and no more worries of her being taken away. With that though comes the responsibility of finishing raising her. Toughest job in the world is raising kids! Here's to all the amazing, tired, broke loving parents out there! You are doing God's work!  
If you ask her what her favorite verse is, she'll say Jeremiah 29:11. She says that's the only one she knows. I think it's a perfect one to know! Believe it sweet child. Believe it. 

 She came to us broken and she was still broken but after that day, there was hope. Hope of being in family that is strong and loves forever, anyway, & in spite of! 


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