After Sprout's bio mom missed her second visit this week I made a call to the lawyer we planned on retaining to represent us in court.  I explained everything to her and she asked MULTIPLE times why the county has NOT FILED a TPR!?!?  I had no answers.  The county has not even approached me in formally asking if we are in interested adoptive resource (hmm, let me think about that for a minute...YES!!!!)  She knew bio mom and her side of the family.  I explained about bio dad being in prison and she said that there IS a chance that since Sprout has been with us since birth that termination on him is a possibility.  I have been told by OCF$ that it is at the judge's discretion to terminate or not due to dad being in prison this long.  Court paperwork should be here by the 13th of May so I'll know more then but the lawyer encouraged to seek out CP$ and ask them what they plan on doing.  She also told me to call her after court.  So, for now, we did NOT have to hire her because the 'ball' is really in CP$'s court.  More as it happens...    

No call, no visit for Sprout.  Only 2 visits out of 3 this week. 

No call, no visit today for Sprout.  

Lil' Peanut is officially a BIG brother (at 8 months old!)  

I couldn't write this stuff if I tried... 

This was the first week since February that bio mom made all of her visits.  The court paperwork should be in my hand in about 3 weeks.  I'm anxious to see what it says.   

* If anyone is a foster parent in PA and reads this blog PLEASE take a second and leave a comment.  I have been trying relentlessly to get back into the foster parents board and cannot remember my password.  I am trying to understand PA law vs. my state. 
Thank you in advance!!

HUGE NEWS!!! Check HERE!!!

I held my sweet boy last night and I truly felt the weight of him in my arms.  What is at stake here?  For me to be able to keep my boy his mother has to lose...again.  This will be her 3rd loss.  I'm sure that in a way, beyond her capability of understanding, she knows what's going on.  She knows that her actions will cause her to lose her son.  And I'm sure, in the future, she will regret the decisions she is making.  I remember a while back how hard it was to wait for him.  To wonder what it would feel like to hold him in my arms. Or to wonder if HE would ever be real or just a dream.  I don't know if I ever took the time to really think about the loss.  But to be honest, I love him.  I love the thought of him as our son and brother.  I love the thought of watching him grow up and becoming an actual part of our family.  This boys makes me smile.  I watch him play and listening to the sounds that he makes.  He is all boy!  I have been with him every day since we brought him home from the hospital.  I've watched him grow and learn.  I've rocked him through his tears and heard his laughter ringing in my ears.  He brings us so much joy and we are blessed to be a part of his life.  Like I always say, "I don't know WHAT his future holds but I know WHO holds his future!".  As hard as it is I am learning to rest in that...

No call, no visit for Sprout today.  Spoke to the agency worker and told him about the diaper blowouts and how important it is for bio mom to change his diaper when he has a rash like this.  We also spoke about the foods she is giving him.  Too much sugar content and his belly can't handle it.  Peanut has a visit though, so off to D$$ we go...

Visit went ok yesterday.  Bio mom kept telling me that she had TONS of food and proceeded to show me snack packs of crackers and cookies with frosting dip :(  So glad that Sprout eats anything.  He LOVES grilled chicken and asparagus.  I guess, for now, he'll eat healthy here and not so healthy over there.  I was looking back at the calendar and I can't believe how many visits bio mom has missed since the last court date.  Yesterday was the first time that she showed up at D$$ in many weeks.  I am beginning to wonder if she knows that he might not come home...

Visit went ok yesterday.  Bio mom was asked by the agency worker to keep Sprout home for the 4 hour visit.  He is hopefully on the upswing of this cold that he has.  Still a bit clingy and needy :(

Haven't heard anything about Lil' Peanut's new baby sister yet.  They have already told us we can't take her.  She was due on April 8th.   

Happy Easter!  Sprout woke up with a drippy nose a few days ago.  He still has it.  Don't think the nusery at church would have let us in.  We stayed home.  Family day! 

Visit today.  Our agency worker is off today.  There was someone to pick Sprout up and someone different to drop him off again.  He came home with the same diaper he left with...4 hours earlier.  He was hungry and cranky.  He has a terrible rash on his bottom :(  Not sure what she gave him.  Started on Monday after the visit then...

Friday's visit went well.  Sprout was apprehensive to go to the agency worker but there were no tears.  :)  During the 'pop-in's' the worker found bio mom with a bunch of her friends and their babies.  He also found out that bio mom is allowed to take Sprout on the bus so she took him to see his Grandma who is ONLY supposed to have supervised visits.  The worker will speak to the county about the decisions that bio mom has been making lately. She already confirmed for the visit today (Monday).  ***Update***  Drove all the way to D$$ for Sprout's visit and she didn't show.  Waited for 15 minutes then left.  Lil' Peanut had a visit with bio dad today.