Thursday, October 29, 2009
Coming Changes
We found out yesterday that Joshua will be moving foster homes on Wednesday, November 4th, which is in a week. I am really excited about this move, because it will really move him toward reunification with his parents. He is also going back to his first foster home, where he was already really attached to his foster mom there. Things seem to be falling into place!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Latest Update
I've been wanting to blog lately, but haven't felt ready to sit down and commit words to paper, so the speak, until tonight. We've all been doing well, although I'm dealing with pregnancy sickness. But my family is wonderful and they take up for me in many areas. I am so grateful for my husband and my kids. I feel like a queen with them.
Joshua has continued to meld into our family more and more. I've noticed that he listens to and obeys Matthew much quicker and better than he does me, so he must be feeling like one of the kids, since that's pretty much status quo around here. Why is that??? Don't answer.
Anyway...Joshua. We just found out that he will probably be leaving us in the next couple of weeks. His case is being moved to another county. We have known of this possibility for a few weeks. But it's official now. There is a court date on Tuesday that should give us a more solid idea on the time frame. But it's almost a sure thing. It's very interesting, because we have not felt like Joshua is supposed to stay in our family. We're more of a temporary stop for him. But if his case had stayed in Placer County, there could have been a greater chance that he would not go back to his parents. His social worker here really would like to see him stay with us. She sees a secure and stable future for him in our family. So, we've been praying and praying that God's will would be done with this. And I think part of that plan is for the case to move to a county that will be more open to reunification with his parents. As a result, I'm really excited about this move, for Joshua and his parents.
I have actually had the opportunity to get to know his parents more over the last couple of months. They talk with him on the phone a couple times a week. And I have been with them at a some doctor appointments. Their love, adoration really, for Joshua is very evident. They have been devastated by this separation. His dad, especially, is feeling it. He told me that having Joshua taken is the worst pain he has ever experienced. Their whole goal in life right now is to get Joshua back. The really great thing is that they are also going after God and his way. I am very hopeful that they can make it. I pray fervently, for Joshua's sake as well as their own, that they will succeed. They also have another little boy on the way. I so desire to see this family reunited and fulfilling their destiny together. Please pray for them, when you think of us. They have not had many cheerleaders behind them. But I know that if they cling to God with everything they have, they can go forward and never go back.
Of course, the next question is, what's next for the Stroups? Well, aside from having a new baby due in June and all the general craziness that makes up our lives. But in the adoption arena, what's coming for us? Well...I actually got to speak to the head of adoption at Koinonia tonight. He just so happens to attend my church AND I just so happened to see him for the first time in months there tonight. :) He told me that he had a 1/2 hour conversation with our social worker just this week. And he also spoke with the director of the local Koinonia office in Loomis. They are all very enthusiastic about finding us an adoptive placement. I had been worried that we would be disqualified because I'm pregnant. As you might recall, Koinonia has a six kids per household policy. And the new baby makes six. But we don't technically have six yet. So the door is still open. I had started to think that maybe we had done all this just for Joshua and his parents. And that would have been fine. But it's cool to think that God may have one or two for us that need a forever family. I'm excited to see who else God brings into our family.
I cannot say that fostering is easy. I have been very stretched and challenged by many things in the last few months, like learning to parent a child who does not have the foundation that I'm used to giving my kids, learning to parent in a way that I am not accustomed to, learning to love a child that is not my own, and most of all, learning that I really, really cannot raise these kids, any kids, on my own. I desperately need the Lord to meet me in this. And I really need my husband, family and friends. I tend to be pretty self-sufficient, and proud of it. But that is not God's way. So he is using this experience to teach me weakness. Or, more acurately, to show me the weakness that was already there. I think God is a pretty cool guy.
Joshua has continued to meld into our family more and more. I've noticed that he listens to and obeys Matthew much quicker and better than he does me, so he must be feeling like one of the kids, since that's pretty much status quo around here. Why is that??? Don't answer.
Anyway...Joshua. We just found out that he will probably be leaving us in the next couple of weeks. His case is being moved to another county. We have known of this possibility for a few weeks. But it's official now. There is a court date on Tuesday that should give us a more solid idea on the time frame. But it's almost a sure thing. It's very interesting, because we have not felt like Joshua is supposed to stay in our family. We're more of a temporary stop for him. But if his case had stayed in Placer County, there could have been a greater chance that he would not go back to his parents. His social worker here really would like to see him stay with us. She sees a secure and stable future for him in our family. So, we've been praying and praying that God's will would be done with this. And I think part of that plan is for the case to move to a county that will be more open to reunification with his parents. As a result, I'm really excited about this move, for Joshua and his parents.
I have actually had the opportunity to get to know his parents more over the last couple of months. They talk with him on the phone a couple times a week. And I have been with them at a some doctor appointments. Their love, adoration really, for Joshua is very evident. They have been devastated by this separation. His dad, especially, is feeling it. He told me that having Joshua taken is the worst pain he has ever experienced. Their whole goal in life right now is to get Joshua back. The really great thing is that they are also going after God and his way. I am very hopeful that they can make it. I pray fervently, for Joshua's sake as well as their own, that they will succeed. They also have another little boy on the way. I so desire to see this family reunited and fulfilling their destiny together. Please pray for them, when you think of us. They have not had many cheerleaders behind them. But I know that if they cling to God with everything they have, they can go forward and never go back.
Of course, the next question is, what's next for the Stroups? Well, aside from having a new baby due in June and all the general craziness that makes up our lives. But in the adoption arena, what's coming for us? Well...I actually got to speak to the head of adoption at Koinonia tonight. He just so happens to attend my church AND I just so happened to see him for the first time in months there tonight. :) He told me that he had a 1/2 hour conversation with our social worker just this week. And he also spoke with the director of the local Koinonia office in Loomis. They are all very enthusiastic about finding us an adoptive placement. I had been worried that we would be disqualified because I'm pregnant. As you might recall, Koinonia has a six kids per household policy. And the new baby makes six. But we don't technically have six yet. So the door is still open. I had started to think that maybe we had done all this just for Joshua and his parents. And that would have been fine. But it's cool to think that God may have one or two for us that need a forever family. I'm excited to see who else God brings into our family.
I cannot say that fostering is easy. I have been very stretched and challenged by many things in the last few months, like learning to parent a child who does not have the foundation that I'm used to giving my kids, learning to parent in a way that I am not accustomed to, learning to love a child that is not my own, and most of all, learning that I really, really cannot raise these kids, any kids, on my own. I desperately need the Lord to meet me in this. And I really need my husband, family and friends. I tend to be pretty self-sufficient, and proud of it. But that is not God's way. So he is using this experience to teach me weakness. Or, more acurately, to show me the weakness that was already there. I think God is a pretty cool guy.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Laughter
About ten days before we found out we were pregnant, I was working around the house when out of nowhere, God spoke to my heart, "You're going to have an Isaac." It was one of those times that His voice is so clear, there is no doubt about what you heard. So I thought, "Ok. God's going to give us another boy sometime." At that point, I wasn't even thinking about being pregnant. Then, of course, we found out that we're pregnant. So we've been talking about how even though we're going to have an Isaac someday, that doesn't mean that THIS one is the one.
Tonight, the worship team I play with on Sunday nights was praying a blessing over me and this pregnancy. After several minutes of sweet prayer and blessings, our prayer leader spoke up and said, "Christal, I feel the Lord telling me that this child is an Isaac." Haha! What a confirmation! He said that just because the baby is an Isaac, that doesn't mean that it's a boy. But we have laughter coming to our family that will spill out to the world around us. I am so excited.
I love how the Lord delights in giving us gifts like the word that came tonight. I can imagine him thinking, "It's almost time for Christal to get the gift I've had planned for her forever!" It's like when your excited to see your kids open their Christmas presents that have been under the tree. The moment comes and you see that unforgettable expressions on their faces. It's such a fun part of being their parents. I always try to capture that expression with the camera. God got a great picture for his album tonight.
Tonight, the worship team I play with on Sunday nights was praying a blessing over me and this pregnancy. After several minutes of sweet prayer and blessings, our prayer leader spoke up and said, "Christal, I feel the Lord telling me that this child is an Isaac." Haha! What a confirmation! He said that just because the baby is an Isaac, that doesn't mean that it's a boy. But we have laughter coming to our family that will spill out to the world around us. I am so excited.
I love how the Lord delights in giving us gifts like the word that came tonight. I can imagine him thinking, "It's almost time for Christal to get the gift I've had planned for her forever!" It's like when your excited to see your kids open their Christmas presents that have been under the tree. The moment comes and you see that unforgettable expressions on their faces. It's such a fun part of being their parents. I always try to capture that expression with the camera. God got a great picture for his album tonight.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Make That Nine
We are very excited to have found out that we will be welcoming a new member to our family in June. I am about four weeks pregnant with our sixth biological child. God is good and he sure loves life!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Numbering Eight
It's been a little over two weeks since we got Joshua. We've had two very busy and eventful weeks! Joshua is doing very well and feeling more and more like he's one of our
own. He attached to me fairly quickly. I think that somehow he knew that I'm his new mommy, because he almost immediately turned to me for safety and comfort. We've spent the last couple of weeks training him in our rules and establishing who is the boss. He gets it. He challenges it, too. But what kid doesn't? The good thing is that he responds well to discipline and changes his heart. It's different, not spanking. I've come to appreciate the blessing of spanking a lot in the last couple of weeks. But, we're getting there without it. God is in this and he's not limited by the restrictions placed on us.
One interesting emotion I've encountered is the feeling of not wanting to invest so much of myself into him. Given that he is not going to be staying in our family forever, I have felt like he won't even benefit from the training he's receiving here. So I've had to remember that I am not doing this for any other reason than to obey the Lord. The final results are in his hand. And you never know what could happen in the future, or what kind of impact you could have that you never fathomed would take place.
I have been thinking about the scripture in Matthew 18:5-6 and 10.
"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.
Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father."
There have been a few times in the last couple weeks when I've begun to despise having Joshua here. We've had some pretty challenging days, not just with him but with the other kids as well. Even though in my head I could tell myself that we're all adjusting to a new family member and he's adjusting to us, my emotions and my will were not so happy with the situation at times. But as I ponder Go
d's heart for children, it changes my perspective on them. They go from being a burden and an emotional drain to being precious jewels in God's treasure chest. I have known most of this for a long time. But I think I'm finally beginning to "get" it.
The other day, I was talking to my chiropractor and he commented that training Joshua must be fun. "Fun?" I said, "What do you mean?" He answered, "Well, you get to see him change and grow and improve under your care." I had never thought of it that way before. I tend to get caught up in the daily grind of character formation and forget to step back and look at the amazing honor I have been given to mold six little lives into people that love the Lord and bless the people around them. The other day, as I was trying to get the kitchen clean and dinner made at the same time and the "little ones" as we call the younger three were trying unsuccessfully to get along, I took a moment to remember the conversation I had with my chiropractor and thank the Lord for this tremendous blessing and privilege. It was amazing how quickly my heart went from grousing and complaining to soaring in joy.
The Lord told us that he wanted to use this experience to make us into the family that he wants us to be. In fact, I have reminded him and myself of this several times in the last couple of weeks. I am glad to know that he is not wasting any time.
own. He attached to me fairly quickly. I think that somehow he knew that I'm his new mommy, because he almost immediately turned to me for safety and comfort. We've spent the last couple of weeks training him in our rules and establishing who is the boss. He gets it. He challenges it, too. But what kid doesn't? The good thing is that he responds well to discipline and changes his heart. It's different, not spanking. I've come to appreciate the blessing of spanking a lot in the last couple of weeks. But, we're getting there without it. God is in this and he's not limited by the restrictions placed on us.One interesting emotion I've encountered is the feeling of not wanting to invest so much of myself into him. Given that he is not going to be staying in our family forever, I have felt like he won't even benefit from the training he's receiving here. So I've had to remember that I am not doing this for any other reason than to obey the Lord. The final results are in his hand. And you never know what could happen in the future, or what kind of impact you could have that you never fathomed would take place.
I have been thinking about the scripture in Matthew 18:5-6 and 10.
"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.
Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father."
There have been a few times in the last couple weeks when I've begun to despise having Joshua here. We've had some pretty challenging days, not just with him but with the other kids as well. Even though in my head I could tell myself that we're all adjusting to a new family member and he's adjusting to us, my emotions and my will were not so happy with the situation at times. But as I ponder Go
d's heart for children, it changes my perspective on them. They go from being a burden and an emotional drain to being precious jewels in God's treasure chest. I have known most of this for a long time. But I think I'm finally beginning to "get" it.The other day, I was talking to my chiropractor and he commented that training Joshua must be fun. "Fun?" I said, "What do you mean?" He answered, "Well, you get to see him change and grow and improve under your care." I had never thought of it that way before. I tend to get caught up in the daily grind of character formation and forget to step back and look at the amazing honor I have been given to mold six little lives into people that love the Lord and bless the people around them. The other day, as I was trying to get the kitchen clean and dinner made at the same time and the "little ones" as we call the younger three were trying unsuccessfully to get along, I took a moment to remember the conversation I had with my chiropractor and thank the Lord for this tremendous blessing and privilege. It was amazing how quickly my heart went from grousing and complaining to soaring in joy.
The Lord told us that he wanted to use this experience to make us into the family that he wants us to be. In fact, I have reminded him and myself of this several times in the last couple of weeks. I am glad to know that he is not wasting any time.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Joshua
We went and picked up our little boy today. His name is Joshua and he is two years old. He is a very sweet and cheerful boy. He has quickly befriended the kids, who are also happy to have him as part of the family. I believe that we will have him for about six months. His parents are pretty serious about getting him back and very concerned about him. So they are working hard to make sure they get to the place that they can give him a good home. That's a good thing to hear.
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