T-Ball

I love, love, love the spring.  It's a time for new beginnings, warmer weather and baseball!  We just love the game of baseball at our house.  And new this year we have been asked to coach a 4U t-ball team.  We had our first practice last weekend and it was tons of fun.  The kiddos loved running around the bases (and all in the right direction), hitting the ball (or at least attempting to) and playing in the dirt.  I am not sure how much baseball we were able to teach between all the wonderful randomness of 4 year olds but we had a great time.  Our team is full of energy and I am looking forward to our first game! 

On a completely different topic our youngest niece will be in town this weekend and I am hoping to be "one of those people" who take bluebonnet pictures of her and also we will watch the Rangers, learn Texas our Texas and maybe I will read her a book about the Alamo.  She does need to be reminded  that she really is a Texan at heart and that she wants to live near her aunt! :) 

So Close

Over the past few weeks we have made much progress on the process to become foster parents.  My grandparents were in a weekend and were super nice and bought us some items we needed, Buck's bought us a crib, my mom helped me shop and bought some bedding and then Buck's mom helped us paint. Also a huge thanks to my best friend Cindy for the box of kitchen goodies she sent and to my sister, Stephen and Hallie for the many things they have given and mailed to us! The room looks wonderful and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

We are still waiting on our fire/health inspection and then we have officially completed the process.  All we have to do is wait around until May 20 and then they will be able to place children in our home.  There are lots of reason of why May 20 but that was the last official word from Buckner.  The cool part about May 20 is that I have been offered a long term sub job at the high school Buck works at that ends on May 20.  Even better about this date is that Buck and i have been working hard to pay off all of our debt (minus car and house) before they place kids in our home.  Unless there is an emergency this will  be accomplished since I was offered the sub position.  I can't wait to be able to go see a movie again!  I think I miss those the most :)  We both know that this has to be from God since we could  have not asked for it to work out any better.

Over the past weeks too God has provided several people to give us words of encouragement or they have given us items we may need.  I am super grateful that we really haven't had to buy too much considering w have to be ready for any gender child raging from 0-10.  We are blessed with a great group of friends, family and church family.

As we wait out our last month and a half I ask that you pray that God will continue to prepare our hearts for this adventure, that families will be healed and that we will be able to meet the unique needs that each child will bring to our home.  And of course once there are children here, come along with us, come visit us, or continue to pray for us as we learn how to do life with not only the children but the many many adults that will be in and out of our home all helping us love each child. We truly could not do this without the support we have been given!

Baseball and Buckner

Ok, so I know this blog is suppose to be about our adventures as we become foster parents however, I must take a few moments to rant about my Rangers.  Ever since I moved to the DFW area I have been at opening day.  I would save vacation days, flex days or take off from school so I could be there.  It means spring has started which is the most wonderful time here in Texas.  I love it.  I love Ranger baseball and seeing families take trips to the ballpark and friends hanging out.  The smells, the sounds, ballpark nachos, the hope of catching a foul ball....just a few of the wonderful things about baseball.   With all the wonderful things I can saw about Ranger baseball (and I even thought they were wonderful with they weren't winning, I sat through many many losing seasons) I am sad to have gotten a rejection letter from them.  This year we had to sign up for the "opportunity" to have the chance to maybe get to buy opening day tickets.  Everyone I know got a rejection letter and I felt like it was personal when I got mine.  Me, a fan through the ugliness that use to be the Rangers, a fan of Ian's the first game he played, a fan who has been at the coldest game in Ranger history and who will sit in the 100 degree weather, I was rejected by the Rangers.  It was a sad sad day here but I am trying to remind myself it's not personal, it's business but it still stings a little.

And just in case you are wondering what I will be doing come April 1 for opening day, I will be grilling out at friends and watching the Rangers play (on TV).    And  whether we win or lose I am here from the beginning to cheer on my Rangers!


Today Buckner will be coming and doing their last walk through and then we will have our inspections from the county and we are done.  Buck and I are super excited about getting all the steps completed with and are grateful for all the help people have provided us.  My mom and I had a great time last weekend out shopping and organizing  and we are looking forward to Buck's mom coming and helping us paint.  And as our time gets nearer I get more and more excited about playing a role in helping families heal and getting to love on little ones.  We have all needed help from time to time in our lives and this is our way of helping others hopefully through us others will know the love and hope and God can provide.

thank you, thank you, thank you

This weekend we were given some items for the room we are making a kids room.  A couple at church was telling their daughters what we are doing and they went through their rooms and gave us lots of toys and clothes that they wanted us to have to give to the children that will be in our home.  Their mom said that the girls eager to help.  To the girls we say thank you!

Questions, Comments, Concerns

I must preface this blog by saying that most people in our lives are super encouraging and supportive of us. But as I was chatting with an old friend who I reconnect with recently she was asking me of all the dumb things people have said to us and does it make me upset to hear people say such stupid things to us.  It use to frustrate me, but now it just makes me smile at their ignorance.  For example, here are some questions I have been asked or concerns people have voiced to me.

1.  You do know that "those" children (ok, I must be honest that anytime some says those type of kids does anger me a little) will change your life?

So really there are people out there that have children and their life doesn't change.   :)

2. You just wait, I bet the children in your home will fight and disobey you.

 

Again, seriously, there are kids that don't disobey.  I know that I haven't had children of my own but anyone who has seen children, babysat, or there is a child in their family knows this is true.  

3.  You do realize you are asking to have trouble and chaos in your home?

First, sure their may be some trouble but as with anything good there is some trouble. But trouble doesn't have to be crippling to us, and child or not people have trouble.  As for chaos, I have seen homes with children in them and biological children or not some level of chaos is present.

I know (or at least hope) that each person is just misinformed and are saying such things with good intentions, however, sometimes you want to look at them and say, did you really just ask me that, you do realize how dumb that just sounded.  But instead I just smile.

Last Interview

Wow, it's been a crazy last two weeks.  We had record snow, ice and cold temps in the metroplex which kept us inside for a long time.  I went a little stir crazy while Buck loved every minute of it (he read several books and did some writing).  We also had a death in our family and though it was a sad time it was a beautiful time with family.  Buck's family is huge and it was so much fun to be around so many people who love you with kids running around, stories being told, lots of food, and at least for the weekend everyone got along.  Unfortunately I did not know Buck's granddad that well, he was already in pretty bad health by the time I came around, the times I did get to talk with him one thing was evident, he loved God and he loved his family.  His funeral was truly a celebration of a life well lived.  Buck and I both hope that as we continue in the process of becoming foster parents that we will have the same heart, zeal and love for those who will be in and out of our home and lives as his granddad did.


Today we will be spending our Valentine's Day doing our last interview with Buckner.  We have both come to enjoy our time with Jim, our interviewer, and will miss our chats.  Hopefully we will see him as we continue our relationship with Buckner.  We are also thankful to our church family who has really showed us some encouragement and support over the past few weeks as we continue to prepare.  I have been humbled by the many people who are so interested in hearing what we are doing and wanting to help out.   We still have quite a few things we need to do but I am feeling good about getting it all completed.  This weeks project is going to be sanding a wall for a project in the kids' room.

 Hope you all have a great week and are making sure you are living life to it's fullest that one day you too will be celebrated for the life you lived.

shopping

Wow, we have had some crazy weather here lately and have been stuck in the house for several days.  We were however able to go shopping last weekend with my grandparents and picked up a few things. Thanks grandma and grandpa for purchasing some items! We also went crib shopping.  I could not believe how many options there are and how many things you have to check for when it comes to safety.  We have found two that we like and are hoping to get it by the end of the month.  Babies R US is doing a great trade in sale.  If you are needing some items check out their website for all the details. Babies R US

My next big project will be to sand one of the walls so we can paint on it with the chalkboard paint.  I have been looking forward to this project for some time now!

As we continue to move closer to having our license, we both get more excited about the opportunities and adventures that lie ahead of us.