Another update

We have made it past the 10 days that Alexis bio father had to prove that he was in fact having car trouble.  He has made no contact with the case worker, so they are moving towards terminating his rights and towards adoption for us.  This is WONDERFUL news for our family.  He still has the 30 days to appeal the termination, but is is my understanding that very few parents actually fight this and if they do it is extremely hard to turn over.  Yippee!!  We feel a huge weight off our shoulders and can not wait for it to be over.

Lexy is doing great in her pre-k boot camp, she is starting to try to make sentences.  It seems like she learns to say a new word everyday, and we are actually able to understand most of them now.  She is also doing great with potty training.  She still has accidents every now and then, but we feel we are on the home stretch.  She continues to be affectionate, sweet and stubborn, she may have learned that since she has been in our home.     We feel so blessed to be in her life and grow and learn with her.  She is an amazing little girl.

Rayne is still growing like a weed.  He was 19 lbs at his last Dr. appointment.  He stills seems to be satisfied with breastfeeding, so we are going to keep it up as long as we can.  He has grown in to a happy content little boy.  He may be a little spoiled to his mama, but much more laid back than we thought he would be.

Monty's home is St. Harbor sold and that is a tremendous load off.  We (Monty) no longer has to make the trips over there to maintain it.  Monty also bought a (newer) car, he got a VW Jetta wagon and is really enjoying driving it.

We are happy and healthy and thankful to have such a wonderful family and friends.

Trial Monday

The trial for Lexy's case is Monday morning at 9:30 am.  The case worker asked be to be there at 11:00 am to testify.  I will not be able to be in the trial except for the time I am testifying.   I will spare you all the details that have unfolded in the last weeks, but I do feel encouraged due to her dad's failure to complete his case plan.  Though I am still a little nervous about the grandparents.

Please keep Lexy and our family in you thoughts and prayers. 

I will send an update on Monday, as soon as I know anything.

Family news

Great News!

Monty closed on his house in Safety Harbor this morning.  It was a belated birthday present for him.

I also took Rayne in for his 4 month check up and he is just shy of 18 pounds.  He is still in 95% on height and weight, the Dr. just went on and on about how healthy and handsome he is.  She said he seems to be doing great on just breastmilk and she said to keep up the good work.  I have to admit I was hoping she would say to start cereal :).  His shots are never fun, but he recovered quickly.

Alexis was accepted into a pre-k boot camp for the summer, and received a partial scholarship because she is a foster child.  They help with behaviors and getting her prepared to be in a school setting. It is twice a week in the mornings.  It is at the same place she gets her speech therapy and they are wonderful.  They love Lexy and the director of the program adopted two children out of foster care, so they "get it". 

Court today

Alexis father did not show up, but did call and say he was having car trouble.  He will have to 10 days to show proof he really was having car trouble and the trial will be rescheduled.  Then he will still have 30 day to fight it.

I will keep you all posted.  Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.  Please keep lifting us up!

I am so tired I did not sleep much last night and just want closure.  Hopefully soon.

Rayne's announcement note

Dear Family and Friends,

I am embarrassed in how long it has taken me to get these mailed out, but excited to finally send them and share our joyous news.  Rayne and I both had a pretty uneventful birth.  We went to the hospital around 6 pm Saturday evening and he was in my arms by 6 am (Super Bowl) Sunday morning.  I only had to push for 20 minutes before he was here.  I was able to leave the hospital a day early because we were both doing so well.  This was not a good indicator of how the next few months would go.  Rayne slept very little at night and cried most of the first two months of his life, this was exhausting for everyone in the house.  Monty and I have dove into parenthood head first and feel incredibly blessed, but it is taking us sometime to find a balance.  Rayne is big health boy, and is settling into a routine that everyone can live with.  I finally feel like I have my head above the water.  Lexy is doing great.  I am keeping her home with me and Rayne, since I have decided not to go back to work right away.  Her case is going to trial, but since the biological father has done very little on his case plan it looks like he is sealing his own fate.  We are trying not to let our guard down because it is far from a done deal, but we do feel encouraged.   Thanks for all you thoughts and prayers.

We love you,

Amanda (Monty, Lexy, and Rayne)

2007 Christmas letter

Dear Friends and Family,

This is the first letter of this kind that I have ever in my life sent out.  Our family has so much happy news this year, I decided to jump at the opportunity to share it with everyone.

The year began with Monty and I going through the process of becoming foster parents.  Since Monty and I began our life together we knew we wanted to adopt out of the foster care system.  The most logical first step to do that was to become foster parents.  We also were very open the possibility of having our own child, God willing of course.

At the end of March I turned 30, and my friends and family threw me a glorious surprise birthday party. Fully expecting to spend the next week wallowing in being old. I was quite surprised that very next morning when I received a call from the foster care-licensing agency.  She told us that our home had been approved, and the possibility of an 18-month-old baby girl needing placement.   Alexis arrived that afternoon.  She was very beaten up, but she came into our home smiling and hugging and she has been doing it ever since.

To our surprise a month after Lexy was placed in our home I was pregnant.  We have a baby boy due the first week of February.  We have chosen the name Rayne Michael, after my dad.  Pregnancy is not quite as much fun as I anticipated.  Of course we are all thrilled about the new addition, but I will be particularly happy to have him in my arms and out of my belly.

Alexis turned 2 on August 25^th and we had a Hello Kitty birthday party for her.  She is affectionate, smart, energetic and extremely stubborn.  She has changed our lives in so many ways.  Everything about our daily lives has changed and we love every minute of it.   We will be extremely happy when (and if) we can adopt Lexy, and change her last name to Gary.  There is still a long road ahead of us, but we plan to do everything in our power to make her a forever member of our family.

Business has been great for Monty, he has even tossed around the idea of hiring someone else to help him.  What a great problem to have too much business.

We still own both homes, but are planning to move to the one in Safety Harbor after the baby is born.  The good thing about that house it each child can have their own room, and daddy move his office out of the garage.

We feel particularly blessed this year, not only for the obvious reasons, but for the continual love and support from all of you.   

Hugs,

Amanda (Monty and Lexy)

It's a boy

We went to the Dr. yesterday for an ultrasound, and found out that baby and mom are doing great, and we are having a bouncing baby boy (Yippee!!!). He is measuring about 5 days bigger than our due date. Hopefully we will be able to, as Monty says have a perfect little "nuclear family". Lexy does not quite understand what is happening yet, when you ask her where the baby is she pulls up her shirt and shows you her belly, she is so sweet.

After coming home from the ultrasound on cloud 9 we were brought back down to earth when we received a call from Lexy's case worker. Her biological dad called yesterday to schedule a visit when he comes in to town. He also told her that his parents are going to try to get Lexy. Because they do not have any history of abuse or neglect to her, all they have to do is pass a home study and she could go live with them. Since they have not shown any interest up until now we are really praying that it will continue this way. Please keep Lexy and our family in your thoughts and prayers this week.

Alexis arrives

Alexis arrived in our home around 6:00pm tonight. We sure are glad that our agency prepared us, because she really is bruised up. She is also HAPPY, she was smiling when I lifted her out of the transporters car and has been smiling ever since. She is snugly, sweet and oh so busy. We feel very blessed to be in this little girls life, even if it is not for long. The cats on the other hand are not feeling quite as blessed as Monty and I :)

I am attaching a few pictures, due to confidentiality please do not send to anyone else.

Love,

Monty and Amanda

April 1, 2007

This Morning

Well I could not wait to share with everyone our great news. I got the call today and Monty and I are licensed foster parents. This could not be a better ending to a wonderful birthday week. Our agency also has a little girl that may be available for placement this week. She is a 17 month female, with a scull fracture from abuse. She has been medically released. That is all we know so far, but I will keep everyone posted on our progress.

Afternoon

 

We are defiantly getting a baby girl tonight. She is 17 months old and her name is Alexis. She has a sister that was placed on Friday when they were both taken from mom for physical abuse on Alexis. She has been in the hospital since Friday, to make sure she is okay. She is being released to our home tonight with no restrictions. They did warn me that she has two black eyes and quite a bit of bruising on her face, but all indications are that she is going to be okay. And we plan to love and kiss all of those bumps and bruises away.

Love you all

Will keep sending updates as they come!