Project 365, Week 32

Time seems to be flying at an unprecedented speed.  It feels like we are only getting about a quarter of our 24-hour allotment and Sunday rolls around again without the week feeling like it even happened.

Update on Z: we had a meeting this week (an ACR for those who know the lingo) with Z's mom, grandma, various social workers and attorneys, a mediator, reunification worker and me.

In short, the decision has been made to reunite Z and his two siblings back with his mom...looks like it is definitely happening.  Talking with my social worker in the parking lot she said, Lisa, you looked like you were going to throw up. The State paints a rosy picture of how things look now and will look once all the kids are placed.  May it be so.

The day he leaves us for good is August 23, but the visits with mom have been ramped up, so he is only with us four full days between now and then.

How are you all doing with it? is a question I'm getting a lot.  The brief answer is we are okay. 

At the risk of over-simplifying it, I trust God and I know He is sovereign.  We have done our very best with Z, upending our life as we'd previously know it on his behalf.  As I've told Z so many times, I don't understand why God has allowed this path for your life, but I know He can use what was intended for evil for good.  Its just what He does, if we continue to allow Him to be a part of our lives and seek His will for our lives.  

Will we be sad?  Absolutely.  It is the strangest thing to look through a year and a half of pictures with Z a part of everything right from the beginning and then to think there is a chance we never see him again in this life.  Weird.

But our family life is such that we don't sit around much dwelling on the past, but try to make the best use of the present.  We will turn our efforts towards R and whatever else God has for us.

And...here's our week!

August 4

Avery earned a free ice cream at DQ through our library's summer reading program and she'd been asking to use it, so just the two of us snuck away for a little bit.

 She has been obsessed with these arson signs that are hung all over town.  She has talked about and analyzed every detail of it and really wants to find out who it was and how they might be discovered....and what she will do with the reward money.

 The sign we stopped at to take a picture of the sign happened to be in front of the first home Shaun and I owned.

 If you look close you can see the double rainbow...right from our front porch.

 August 5
So sweet how Aiden sits at the table.

 R had earned enough to buy himself an iPod.  I said, there is no wifi available for you to use at the house, it gets plugged in downstairs every night and I can check anything on it anytime I want.  Do you still want one?  He said yes, so off we went....he was quite happy with his purchase.  Wait til he hears about how little screen time I can tolerate.  :)

 Such a beautiful sunset at football practice pickup.  Sadly, Z won't be playing football on any team this year, but he sure has enjoyed practicing with the team.

 August 6
I noticed all the kids were wearing plaid.

 Amanda's tooth is loose, so I wanted to get her baby grin before it goes away.  :(

 The kids found the dress up bin.

August 7
Caught Aiden reading to himself while home for lunch.

 August 8
Mom, take a picture...I'm going to be like a parent.

 August 9
After an exhausting day (they all are, by the way) we ended up going out for dinner...a rare treat!

August 10
The kids are having a BLAST sleeping in the same room...and they make it party time!  Its aggravating at night when they are supposed to be sleeping, but in the morning I love listening to them giggle and read and fool around together.