Life Update

I'm overwhelmed. 

~ That's just the honest truth.  The last week has been such a wave of emotions and experiences.  I really don't have the mental capacity to write in any kind of eloquent form so please don't hate me for the bullet points!

~ My dad had surgery last Tuesday to have his right foot and a portion of his lower leg removed.  He fell out of a tree stand 5 1/2 years ago, shattered his heal and then contracted MRSA in the operating room due to contaminated instruments.  This has been life changing for our family and one of the most difficult things to watch my dad navigate.  Last week's surgery was hopefully the end of that long, LONG journey and the beginning of a new chapter where Dad can walk without the gut wrenching pain he was constantly in.  Our goal is this December to take him to Costa Rica... the trip he had planned out for the year he was injured. COSTA RICA DAD!!!  Oh and Dad if you read this you are a man among men in regards to your response to pain!!

~ My mom pulled her back out and it REALLY  flared up right after my dad's surgery.  I have been amazed at watching both of my parents battle with their different struggles but my mom has gone above and beyond to take care of my dad even though she was in extreme pain. 

~ Yesterday I fell down the stairs and broke my toe.  It was sad and pathetic and I was all alone and I cried like a baby.  My poor mom had the misfortune of being the one to answer when I was in full blown hysterics.  She calmed me down and sent my sister to be with me (which was a HUGE blessing Jen). I spent the entire day watching Taylor Swift documentaries and random tv shows and crying like a baby all day... I literally cried off and on for over 12 hours. 

~ We met with our social worker last Monday to talk about switching to the older children program.  We were shocked when we came out of there being told that the wait in VA is two years.  TWO YEARS. That may not seem that extreme to you.. but it is.  VA is number 48 in the COUNTRY for placing children in permanent homes from foster care.  That is sad and downright shameful.  This means they have families who are wanting to adopt older kids, who are home study approved and waiting to be matched on one side and on the other side they have KIDS who need a permanent home and family and because of a lack of policy and NO set plan for VA it takes them TWO YEARS to figure out who should go where.  There is no excuse for that in my book.  We have found out that VA does not have a statewide policy for placing foster kids with forever homes.  There are "guidelines" which may or may not be followed by each city/region.  There is no accountability, no followup and there are several cities/regions in VA that are now being investigated for corruption and for the length of time it takes them to place these children.  To me there is no excuse for this!  Later this week I'll talk more about this.

~ I'm very confused about this season of life God has me in.  Honestly, I've emotionally shut down a little bit and haven't even asked him what he's doing for the last few days.  I'm sure I'm come out of this soon but right now I'm frustrated, confused, emotional and wondering what the heck I'm doing.  I can't walk because I have a broken toe.  When I can go anywhere it's to my family to help out which is where I want to be.  I've felt God asking me to step back from more and more things in my life so I am no longer singing on praise team at church or singing in the choir.  I feel it's so important to be with Steve as much as possible but I can't even do that right now because I can't walk.  I'm just keeping it real right now.. the only thing I AM sure of right now is that God is moving.. I just don't understand any of it.  In all of the emotion, frustration and confusion though I will continue to trust him.

~ On Saturday we had some time with Steve's brother, his wife and our niece Elizabeth.  It was a great time of eating and just reconnecting from the last few months.  That evening my sister Suzie and dear friends the Vandegrifts came over for us all eat, play, run around and just laugh a LOT.  I mean, every once and awhile you just gotta let your hair down and have a good ole' fashioned bamboo sword fight!  I'm very grateful for the people in my life that we can just be with and live life with!  The pictures below are from Saturday night!