Mother of Seven + 2

Fear.  A force that often controls our actions.    Little Girl has an intense fear.  It is the fear that she will be taken from her family.  It is understandable.  Each month when her case worker comes to visit, we face this challenge.  It took me awhile to catch on to what was going on, but I finally realized a pattern of negative behaviors was associated with each visit. One month she was acting up and the case worker said to her, "That isn't very nice."   She promptly replied, "I'm listening to the serpent."  That took me aback.  I had to explain that we had read about Adam and Eve in the garden and how the serpent had tempted Eve.  The case worker chuckled and the visit went on. The next month she was a drama queen, crying and hiding in my lap.  Nothing seemed to calm her.  The case worker commented that she tends to bring out the worst in the kids she manages. In December we met the worker at Baby Boy's appointment with his asthma specialist

Woke up this morning to our sweet Baby Boy's call from his room, "Mama."  Realistically he's not a baby.  He'll be turning two in February.  Playing silly games with him, cuddling him in my arms, singing to him as I tuck him in bed are all moments I treasure.  His sweet but ornery smile brightens our days.  I cannot imagine life without him.  Praying adoption finalization will take that nagging fear away.  Five months down and one to go before we can begin the legal process. Little Girl was extra tired tonight.  I helped her bathe and put on her warm flannel pajamas.  Then she snuggled down into her new bedding that she got for Christmas.  We read our Bible story and prayed together.  Then she asked, "Mama, can we talk."  She always likes to talk at bedtime.  Tonight she told me how she missed her grandma.  We hugged and I told her how she was special because she had a grandma a long ways away that loved her, but that she also had a mommy, daddy, and l