Foster2Forever

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I HEART MY FOSTER BABIES!!!

Tomorrow is the big day!  Tuesday, May 25th is when we go back to court to see if we will keep our Lil Bit, or if he will be placed with a great aunt.  I am not optimistic. CPS wants him with family – the baby’s ad litem attorney wants him with family – the baby’s Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) wants him with family.  However, the birthmother does NOT want him with family. You can read the drama details of the last hearing on this post.

If the judge rules for Lil Bit to go, my husband & I can use this reprieve to reconnect & regroup for our next placement.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God” – Romans 8:28

And for the IHeartFaces yellow challenge this week, here is a picture of our very first foster baby that was placed with us – now, this picture is 2 years later & he is now adopted.  He is such a Stinker!

Y’all have a great week enjoying your loved ones!
Hugs!
~penny

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I HEART TEXAS BLUEBONNETS!!!

I love the bluebonnets in the spring here in Texas!
Two years ago, we were blessed with a beautiful 8-month-old baby boy placed in our home for foster care.
Last summer, we finalized his adoption and became his forever family.

Here is his picture in the bluebonnets I took recently…

I entered this picture in this week’s iheartfaces photography challenge for the theme “flowers”.

I took his first picture in the bluebonnets 2 years ago, when he was barely 9 months old,
not long after he came into our home.

I love this little boy!
You can read the story of his foster-adoption on this post!
Thanks for visiting!!!

Y’all have a great week!
~penny
http://foster2forever.blogspot.com

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FUNNY FRIDAY – Parenting Failures

Our case worker sent us a series of pictures of parenting failures.
She stated,”Some people just aren’t meant to be parents. Don’t let me see you doing this!”

I have seen stupid people doing this on “America’s Funniest Videos” but they were adults…

Have a great weekend enjoying your family!
Hugs to y’all!
~penny
http://txpenelope.blogspot.com/

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UPDATE ON LIL BIT (Part 5) – HOSPITAL STAY

A few weeks ago, we had yet another health scare with Lil Bit (our 8-month-old foster baby). I had noticed that he was beginning to wheeze again. We gave him a breathing treatment of albuteral with his nebulizer, and began watching him closely.

Late that evening, after the other kids had gone to bed, he was becoming extremely fussy and crying out. His breathing was worse. Looking at his chest, I noticed that he was “retracting” (the skin was pulling in & out between the ribs with each breath). The scariest part was when I looked at his round, little face — he was turning BLUE!!!

With tears in my eyes, I sped to the hospital with him crying out the 10-minute drive. I was so scared & trying to comfort him in the back seat with tear-soaked words. I drove over 50 mph through a residential zone & ran 2 red lights. I didn’t care – I just wanted to get Lil Bit to the hospital!

I pulled up to the ER & frantically rushed inside.

Something was different — Would you believe it?

This is the moment Lil Bit stopped crying.

I immediately told the young man at intake how this baby I was holding was struggling to breathe. The young man looked at this little angel quietly lying there and calmly replied,

“Please fill out this form, and I will need a copy on your insurance card.”

“Uh, sure,” I sheepishly replied.

I self-consciously picked up Lil Bit to find a seat in the crowded waiting room as everyone was quietly watching me. (I actually believe I heard an IV drip down the hall.) It was as if everyone’s eyes were saying, “What a nutcase of a mother – wait your turn.”

Just then, before I had made my way across the room, Lil Bit began wailing again. Strong & LOUD! Not that I wanted him to cry, but it did get the attention of a nurse that rushed to us.

“Let’s check his oxygen level. Come with me!”

By this time, Lil bit was really screaming now! With his arms & legs flailing about, it took several trys to get any type of reading for his oxygen — finally 92%

“Let’s find an exam room so the doctor can see him,” the nurse told another.

We quickly got settled into the ER exam room & them we had to..
WAIT
Doctor exam
WAIT
Blood tests
WAIT
Chest x-ray
WAIT
IV (this is the worst with an infant)
Steroid injection
WAIT
Breathing treatment
WAIT

DIAGNOSIS
Bronchialitis

At 2 a.m., the doctor returns and says, “He can go home now.”

WAIT

45 minutes later, as the nurse begins to take the IV out of Lil Bit’s arm, I exclaimed, “Look at his chest!” He was retracting again.

The nurse rushed to get the doctor. From the doorway, the doctor said, “Let’s go ahead & admit him.”

WAIT

At 5 a.m., we finally arrived at our room on the Pediatric floor of the hospital. We could finally get some sleep!

WAIT

30 minutes later, the nurses had completed the admissions paperwork and lowered the lights as they left the room.

Lil Bit & I finally slept….HARD!

The treatment Lil Bit received worked wonders!
His breathing improved tremendously throughout the day.
Lil Bit was released from the hospital late that afternoon.

I’ve since requested that Lil Bit be referred to a pediatric pulmonologist (worked great for Stinkpot). No one is balking at this request; in fact, the doctor and insurance company have been very helpful with the referral.

Lil Bit is on his way to receiving specialized care to prevent these health scares in regard to his breathing.

Have a great week enjoying your family!
Hugs to y’all!
~penny
http://txpenelope.blogspot.com

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY – YOGA

So what do you think would be a good title for this picture I took of Stinkpot during his nap?
Have a good time thinking this one up!

Hugs to y’all!

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CELEBRATING BEING A FIRST-TIME MOM

This was my very first Mother’s Day as an “official” MOM! I’ve been a stepmother for 6 years, a foster mother for 3 years; but this was my very first Mother’s Day since adopting Stinkpot.

The time I enjoy most as a mother is watching my kids laughing and playing, and I wanted this on Mother’s Day. Originally, I wanted to have a picnic in the park just enjoying the kids being kids, but the weather was threatening, SO…

I chose to have my Mother’s Day luncheon at…

CHUCK E. CHEESE!

My husband hesitantly obliged — He wanted to take me to a nice restaurant to treat me with a special meal.

But before you say I’m crazy let me tell you what I was thinking…

The kids wouldn’t enjoy sitting still in a nice restaurant, we wouldn’t enjoy making them sit still, and the meal would end with us making a mad dash out the door while Stinkpot made a huge scene. Not exactly my idea of enjoyable.

Tell me! Is that nuts? Should I have requested a nicer meal than pizza?

Here is my story…
When I was 5 years old, my dad took me to the old K-Mart on New Road to buy a gift for Mother’s Day. His idea was to buy her an LP album of her favorite music, but this strong-willed little girl saw the “Cinderella” album and just KNEW my mother wanted that album.
Dad asked me as he picked up a Percy Sledge album,
“Don’t you think she would like this one better?”
“Oh no, Daddy, she would like Cinderella!”

He purchased 2 albums & I ran excitedly to my mother to give her the gift I just knew she would love!

As she looked at the Cinderella album in her hands, I exclaimed, “Mommy, don’t you want to listen to Cinderella?”

“Oh no, Sweetheart. Why don’t you go to your room & listen to it?” And off I went, so happy on Mother’s Day!

So let me tell you – I had a GREAT Mother’s Day at Chuck E. Cheese!
(plus there was hardly anyone else there!)

Here’s a picture my husband took of me laughing with Lil Bit, our 9-month-old foster baby.
I’ve entered it in this week’s I Heart Faces photography challenge – Celebrating Mom.

Click on this link to head over to their incredible website & check out all the inspiring photos celebrating mom!


How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?

Have a great week!
Hugs to y’all!
~penny

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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

On this Mother’s Day with my children (adopted & foster) – –


The Gift of Life
I didn’t give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.

For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn’t give you The gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you.
— Unknown


Have a great Mother’s Day!
Hugs to y’all,
~penny
http://txpenelope.blogspot.com

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THE PRAYER OF A TODDLER

The other night, Stinkpot was saying his prayers:
“God bless Mommy
and
Daddy

and

French fries
and

chicken nougats
and

Grandma
and
PawPaw

and

Skittles
and

Granny”

What things do you pray for?

Have a great weekend!
Hugs to y’all,
~penny

I’m Clever

Sway