Hmmm A Year Ago, huh?

Well, apparently my idea to blog was a fleeting one. Here we are, nearly a year later, and so much has changed.

When I started this blog it was to keep up with our adventures as a foster/adoptive/respite family for a Christian agency in our area. I thought I would tell our story often, so people could keep up, roll their eyes, or share the good stuff. We have had abundant "good stuff" over the last year, and some bad stuff too, but I have forgotten to write. Maybe it has been less about forgetting to write, and more about not knowing how to put things down in a "safe" way.

Things have changed in such drastic ways. This time last year, my Granny-who was my strongest prayer partner, Jason, and I were praying about a teen girl who had been a "waiting child" in the Texas foster care system for years on end. Should we offer to do respite? Should we consider adopting her? How were we suppose to move forward with this major decision? Would the kids accept her? Were we nuts for even considering a teen, let alone one with "special needs?"

Last March, the day of her parents' wedding anniversary, my Granny died. I have no doubt what so ever that she was welcomed home with the refrain of "well done my good and faithful servent" because never have I known a woman so consumed with love for our Lord nor one who served her family and the world more completely.

In July we brought the girl we had all been praying for home. We were not sure when she came how well everyone would integrate together, but we stepped out in faith to bring her home. I can't begin to express how well it has gone. She is a very easy going, loving, fun girl. She is a great match with the other kiddos in our house. We were a little scared, but very excited when we met her. Our fears were completely unwarranted, because she is an utter joy. :) Some of my hardest moments have had nothing to do with our wonderful daughter, and everything to do with the fact that my Granny didn't get to meet her. :(

You see, we were planning a trip home to Ohio to see my Granny for this past July. It would have been my first trip home since my Grandaddy's funeral, two years ago in July. The week before she died, just days actually, we talked about what kind of jam I would bring her (I make jams each year-she wanted Strawberry, by the way), my crazy bird (we have a rescued European Starling who will talk your ear off if you sit still long enough), and our foster care and adoption journeys.

In that same time my dad has "retired" a year early. That retirement came courtesy of the horrible economy, particularly for construction, in SW Florida. We were blessed to have a very long term respite placement-the son of a very dear family that we have come to love and respect a great deal; Jonathan is a huge blessing in our lives even though he is back home in Florida now. Annie and Christian have had their parental rights terminated and are waiting for Jason's step parent adoption of them to be finalized. We made our last trip to FL as a family to Grandma and Grandpa's Florida house. We lost another beloved great grandmother, Grandma Jet (Jeannette Kinnen). My mom is retiring as of Monday. :)

This year has held a lot of changes. It has required all of us to stretch beyond what we thought was comfortable, but has blessed us abundantly. We have grown. We have cried. We have laughed and rejoiced. Through it all we have tried to keep our faith and love one another. I want to remember the challenges and the blessings as they come, so I will try to stay the course to writing this blog.