The Pretty Ballerina

i haven't been much into blogging lately because i am doing something i should have done 18 months ago...i'm scrapping cassie's baby book!!! i've had a really hard time with this, as some of you may know. i didn't know how to go about scrapping the life of a child without my last name...a child, who, for a while there, we thought was only going to be with us for a moment. but the more i thought about it, and prayed about it, the more i realized that however long that moment, i need to embrace it!

so embrace it i am! i have finished three pages so far...and have over 20 in the works...my mom and sisters would be so proud! i've stayed up late, i've looked through scrapbook magazines, and listened to my scrapping c.d.'s (even the one's my husband hates)! i have a ways to go to catch up on where we are today, i feel led to scrap some of the hard times as well, because they make up who she is, with all she's gone through. however, i couldn't wait to share this picture with all of you...it is my favorite picture i've ever had of her...as my mom says, "she oozes with (my) personality."

so thanks to GOD for helping me with this, because, whether a moment or a lifetime...He's helping me scrap...my pretty ballerina!

pickin' a punkin!

yesterday was just one of those wonderful days that you want to remember forever...it wasn't perfect, there were fits thrown, coffee spilled, and lots of dirt involved, but it was still wonderful!

it was supposed to rain all day, so we put going to the pumpkin patch on the back burner, but we awoke to a beautiful cloudy day, perfect for pumpkin hunting and picture taking. so we made our way to "papa's pumpkin patch" and found a wagon and hiked back to the patch, by the grace of GOD i didn't see any snakes!!! we got some great pictures, three beautiful pumpkins and family memories to last a lifetime.

cassie was enamored by all of the orange "balls" in the field, but she was too scared to touch them, but, with some coaxing from her daddy, she eventually felt comfortable enough to hold one in her lap while we snapped away taking any and all photos. after picking out our pumpkins, we headed back to pay for them and found three pigs chowing down on corn on the cob...apparently cassie's never seen a live pig before and couldn't stop saying how "ucky" the "dog dog" was. and laughing at the sounds they made...then she was saying "papa" because well, (sorry dad), it kinda sounded like papa when he sleeps!

we headed off to my favorite place, lincoln perk, for a cup of coffee and a sugar cookie for paul, he let cassie have a few bites at least. and then we ended the day with paul and cassie taking a long nap while i went thrift store shopping.

it is amazing to me how just an "average" day can mean so much...two years ago, a day like this would have been hard for paul and me...watching little kids running around while our arms were empty. now, we are so busy chasing after this little punkin' we hardly see the other children anymore. how wonderful is our GOD that HE brings about days like this, when, perfect or not, can take our breath away!?!

court report

so, we had court this morning and all went exceptionally well! the judge changed cassie's case plan from "reintegration with adoption as back up" to "termination with adoption being the intent."

now we wait. we have court currently scheduled in february to officially terminate parental rights, but can request an earlier court date if all of the parties involved have their information gathered and ready to go sooner. we are, however, hoping that cassie's parents will see this as an opportunity to sign over their rights so that they won't lose additional children...this would eliminate a court date all together, so that would be the best!

we are encouraged that things are going in the right direction, but still request your prayers as things can still change. lift up cassie in prayer as her visits with her parents continue between now and court and they can be very stressful and her.

thanks for all of your encouragement and prayer!