Love those visits home!

Today Doug and his friend Naomi came home to visit for a short while before going out to eat with Sarah and Paden and later joining us at church. I love those moments:) Doug always squeezes in ball time. I sometimes wonder what will happen the day he comes home and doesn't stop to play? I might have world war 3 on my hands.





I can smile and say this is likely the very last picture I take of Doug....well, the last while Doug has braces. TUESDAY they come off, to Doug's great JOY:) So no more smirky smiles or silver grins!!

Loving helpers....

Yesterday as I sat with in my meetings over Sam one of the men was Tasha's softball coach. He said, "I love her. I can just see her smiling face!". My Tasha is a mess, plain and simple. When I told Tasha what he said she shook her head and laughed saying, "He just likes me because I run!" She is a worker. I love that too. As I was headed out the door to take Cheer pictures Tasha asked if she could go too. I did my "Are you going to help?" and she did her outraged "of course"..lol:) Help she did! I love this goofy girl. Sometimes I am at a loss as to how to describe her ....but I always always love her:)

Cheer Pictures..

Yesterday afternoon I took about an hour and a half of the day to take pictures of Mercedez and her freinds during thier Monday practice. Some of the pictures were really cute and most just plain old funny:) I am ever so thankful for the positive Christian influence of their sponser! She is one of the most incredible ladies I know. I am so grateful for her:)

A letter about Sam....

I'm not sure how to even begin to talk about the mess with Sam...but after writing to Caleb this morning I decided to just copy that letter here. For my friends who read? I ask that you sincerely add Sam to your prayer lists...and Scott and I as we seriously struggle to find appropriate group home for him. Also pray that if all else fails and he comes home....that we are able to maintain the level of care needed.

Dear Caleb,

I am not sure I can even type all the junk going on with Sam...here's the highlights...

The Village (Sam's current Residential Treatment Center RTC) is releasing him this week....actually tomorrow because TN Care is not going to pay the placement anymore. That placement is about $500 a day. Now, Sam has improved. He is doing better, somewhat. But the Dr sat with me last week while I was there and described that Sam's baseline (average...best average) is where he is now....and that is not good enough to live in society. That stinks cause it's not going to get better. No real surprise, but still disappointing. So the RTC called the DCS (Department of Children's Services) hot line to tell them that Sam was coming home and they did not feel it was safe. It is not concerns of neglect or abuse, but based on thier thoughts that the other children in our home are not safe. They feel he needs to be in a group home setting. We do too...but we are struggling to find one. So I have talked to DCS, asking for any advice (a very nice way of asking for help)....none there as of yet.

Why do they feel he can't come home?

1)Just last month they were at the point of discharging Sam because they felt they could not insure his safety or the safety of others. They currently have one teacher to four students, two staff to nine boys, 24/7 nursing care and a daytime therapist and they could not keep Sam from inciting others (causing them to desire to do him harm) or keep Sam from causing others harm. I imagine if they feel they cannot manage with him at the level of care they have, they do not believe he can be cared for in a home.

2)Safety. We have 10 children younger and smaller than Sam. Same as above. They do not believe it is possible to keep Sam in a line of sight care within a family situation.

3) We do feel that this could also be a safeguard for their own liability.

4) Sam has a history of desiring that some of his siblings die. He has even stated he would like to kill them. Daniel, his younger birth brother in particular, who is 11 years old. Samuel has issues, serious issues with at least one person all the times.....a person he chooses to dislike intensely. It is safe to say Daniel will be that person should Sam come home and with their history it is not a safe environment for Daniel.

So Friday I sat and talked to the HCMS principal and he helped me map my "where to go's". Yesterday I had a meeting with the County Resource coordinator. We then scheduled a meeting with the Alternative School teacher, High School Resource teacher and High School Principal. Their thoughts? After reading over reports and letters? He can't come here. County Resource person reminded them that by law they had to provide an education to Sam. So it looks like (after much discussion) that Sam will enter into Alternative School and will work at his own pace in a highly structured environment with highly qualified teachers. I will take him to school at 8:30 and pick him up at 2:30 to insure he does not have time to socialize and make hate with those kids there. It is really ugly and such a terrible mess. I want to shout from the roof tops DON'T DO DRUGS nor DRINK ALCOHOL while pregnant....but I doubt those people care about the consequences of their actions. They will either be dead, in jail or not raising their children anyway. Someone else will live with the consequences of their actions. That sure stinks.

I felt guilty even having to ask them to help with Sam. Although, in our defense we have spent YEARS keeping him out of school in Hardin County.

While I was messaging you on face book this morning a Christian Home in Arkansas called to ask questions about my application. We have 3 places we are hopeful will take Sam. You might add that to your prayer list. I know God knows about it but I also know prayer matters greatly...so add him to yours please.

Makes me miss my GOOD GUYS so much more....like YOU!!! I love you so much. I am so very proud of you and I am so very thankful to know that I can raise honorable successful kids.......and apparently unruly ones too...

Love you much,
mom:)

If I had....

If I had a status on my blog it would "look" a whole lot like the picture above. Give out!

So much junk going on and at the same time so much joy...it is hard to live in the reality of the two extremes right now.

Good things include Ryan incredible football game Saturday morning. Score was 42-0. One of those touchdowns belonged to Ryan!

We cleaned out the entire laundry room (a big ridiculous mess which is now clean).

Kids and I went to the movie to see Nanny McPhee Returns (super cute). I wish I could say my kids had accomplished all the neat "tasks" on behavior. Perhaps that's why it's a movie...in real life those tasks need working on every single day!

We had a wonderful morning at church. We all went to the funeral home to pay our respects to my super sweet friend Theresia and her family for the loss of her father. We came home and had a wonderful meal. Then we were able to go to Horse Creek to have church with our incredible church family. HUGE highlight in the weekend for us all!!

Michael and our neighbor Harvie got to hang out, or sit around at the picnic at Horse Creek.


My two plaid children Lita and Jacob:) I smiled as they left the house to leave for Horse Creek, my two long lean skinny kiddos in plaid...they wear it well:)


In my choosing your battles and choosing to battle I made Lita wear her hair up to church yesterday. This child has the most beautiful hair ever!! And the green grass in her head is nearly overwhelming. Only compliments were given, but today it is back to her normal self:)


I spent some time trying to get Rosie to wear her hair down...it is so pretty that way! To no avail. Bella made me laugh as she commented while helping me cook lunch, "It's really surprising that Lita and Rosie care so much about their hair." True, very true. Lita and Rosie are my "comfort kids"...they like what they like and they dress casual ALL the time unless forced. But, hair is apparently an issue for them, surprisingly or not.

Rolling down the River

I had a call from Sarah this morning....asking me to look up the directions from Murfreesboro to Fall Creek Falls. I looked them up and asked where she was...she was on 840 going to Knoxville..I know that might not make any sense to anyone, but she and Paden will travel 30minutes to an hour out of the way. I tried to tell her and when she said "Mom, I got directions from the Fall Creek Website". So I stopped, smiled to myself and told her to have a good day! I suppose if you have no time schedule it really doesn't matter. I sometimes miss those "rolling down the river" days. When time had no meaning(lol...or very little). BTW...Sarah does actually roll down the river....but in a Kayak:) She and her little yellow ride! Her newest toy:)

Maywood Christian Camp Fall Retreat

What a very long title for a surprisingly fast weekend. A week ago right now I was running through the shower after sitting through a flood at the football game and wading to my van. I ran home, made my kids all change into dry clothes and we headed back to the church to leave for the retreat. My first one in a long time. EVERYONE (haha...nearly) went for the weekend. Jacob and Scott came on Saturday after work. It was super nice to spend time with my kiddos, but even more with my friends. What a special time. Of all the pictures, this is likely my favorite one:

This is a picture of the "little kids" who came with moms and dads. The future of our youth group:) Neat bunch of kiddos!!

Other glimpses:











And this is the family picture I asked my children to take. I asked for them to stand for these two pitifully horrible pictures. You would think they were at a death camp. Instead they managed to smile and enjoy the whole weekend...except for these two pictures. I pulled them up and raked my non-smiling pouters over the coals. The jest is that I will not pay $400 again to take a bunch of kiddos with me who cannot show mom enough respect to smile for two measly pictures. I think the point was made. It reminded me of this year I nearly chopped Caleb up.....he thought he was so funny but I did not have even one good picture. Every last one Caleb was eating the pumpkin!! I think he learned his lesson, I've never had anymore pumpkin issues:) Just plenty of other moments....lol:)