Home Visit

Today was our first monthly home visit from our new caseworker.  My parents were visiting so my mom could help me make sure the house was CPS ready, and they occupied Thing1 and Thing2 so we could ask better questions.  As I do with anyone that walks through our door for PrincessO, I explained that we are a foster-to-adopt home and would like to keep the baby should she become available.  The caseworker said that there is a list of prospective unrelated adoptive homes that have applied for the Princess.  This means that they are pursuing both the primary goal (reunification) and concurrent goal (unrelated adoption) simultaneously.  We had been unsure if the concurrent goal was being pursued at all.  We are on the list of perspective homes.  The caseworker did say that she did not see why we would not get PrincessO if the case went to unrelated adoption since we have had her all this time (it has not gone that direction yet, but they are prepared if it does).  She did add the disclaimer that she just works for CPS, she doesn't make the decisions necessarily.  So, yea!  This was a good thing we heard.  Then for the other news.  PrincessO's uncle came to the parent visit this week.  He wanted to talk with the caseworker's supervisor, but she was unavailable.  We assume he will talk with her next week.  This makes me sad, but I have to trust above anything that God will be faithful to protect this baby- in my home or outside of it- as He has since conception.  I am trying to pray that either she stays with us or if God's will is that she leave that He would give me that peace.  I really want her to stay.
For those following our strep throat saga, we have no carrier!  Both boys apparently have something in their spit that looks enough like strep to make a positive result with a rapid test, but doesn't grow when the samples are sent for cultures.  It is very likely that Thing1's previous sore throats have just been viruses that would have run their course anyway.  From now on we will send all samples for cultures.  Hopefully this will cut down on the amount of antibiotics they have to take.  Praise the Lord!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6

Ways you can pray:

• That PrincessO would stay with our family, but above all that God's will would be done, and that we would accept it no matter what.
• If her home should be elsewhere that God prepares those people even now for her.  That He would continue to protect her from the dangers of her Birthmom's poor choices.
• Pray for our new caseworker to be bold and confident in her decisions.  That she would continue to learn her job quickly, and use wisdom in all of her recommendations.
• Pray for all of us as we are still settling into our new routine.  I had some huge frustrations and added work handed to me this week, and am very stressed about it.  I need to handle things with grace and boldness.  I also need good time management skills in order to do even an adequate job.