Thinkin....

So just thinkin lately.... We go to court Dec 2nd basically just to get child support set up again. The kids mom dropped it a couple years ago when the came to agreement themselves and long story short.....she wasn't able to get it again right away, and then obviously the kids were living with us there for a while so she wouldn't have gotten it anyways. So now she has applied again...The kids actually came by Sunday morning knocking at the door and said hi to us, which was a VERY nice surprise because that has NEVER happened on an off weekend and I was literally just saying how down I was about not having them for Halloween and stuff. It's weird though because I always suspect something is up when she does something that is actually nice.

On the bright side, Jarrod saw the kids report cards and they are all passing! We are very happy about that and I really do think all the children are doing so much better now that they have been living in one place for I think 3 whole months now. I wanna say they have went to the same school this entire year. Which is saying a lot, on Vallery's ARD report ( when we got her into Special ED classes) they pulled up 16 schools. That was in 4 years! She had attended. That was probably not to mention the ones that weren't on the report because a lot of times they would only attend less than a week and then move or something (as the report showed). Anyways, I think they are doing better and all we can do is hope that it stays that way, because apparently no amount of money or lawyer can help us. The truth is that the state of Texas does not have a law regarding "educational neglect", which would be the only legitimate thing we have to go on. (cps told us this) Florida does, but Texas does not. The kids seem to be happy with Glen (her new husband) and happy in their new home and school and that's all that we have ever wanted for the kids.

Avery, I think, still wants to live with us. he calls Jarrod almost every day and I still remember the picture he drew right after she took him back. It was 2 stick figures ( one larger than the other, holding hands) and then it said "til the day we are together once again" It was like the figures were walking over a hill into the distance or sunset. It was touching. So I guess once Avery is 12, we can then file a petition for a modification so he can come to live with us, which is a mess of paperwork that I have found out (with the help of a wonderful friend) that I can do myself.


Changing subjects.....I cannot wait to see the kids this weekend. I have to work on Saturday but after I get off, I have promised to take Vallery birthday shopping. Instead of the usual cake and gifts, we agreed to let her just have money since she is 12 now and she can pick what she would like to buy ( with my approval of course) :)  And then I hope to do something fun on Sunday as a family. Any ideas????

My first thoughts....

So driving the other day I thought I constructive way to get out some thoughts would be to start this blog and I am gonna just see how it works out. I don't really want it to be about all the negative things that have come along with getting 5 step-children and all the terrible things the their mother does and things that she and their father disagree on (although I am NOT making any promises not to mention any of it). I want this blog to be about MY love for these 5 children and how much they have changed my life in the almost 3 years that I have been in their lives now. I want it to be about how I want to do more for them and everything in my power to improve the quality of life that they will have.

It's funny because someone at my work said "you are going to be a great mother because you didn't really have a great one and that's why you are so great with Jarrod's kids". I totally think she's right. Not that people who had great parents won't also be great. But, I know exactly what I DON'T want t do and what I don't want to be like.

Anyways. I am super tired from a 10 hour road trip in 2 days so this one is gonna be short. I took the two youngest out of town for my niece's 2 year old birthday party! We stayed in a hotel, which Brooke and Chelsea had NEVER done in their 6 years of life before and then we had breakfast over-looking the lake! They thought it was the ocean!! Then we drove some more and stayed another night with one of my really good friends. Chelsea and Brooke had the best time playing with Shannon's boys and just being spoiled all weekend! It really was one of the best times I had in forever.


I am really sad that we won't have the kids next weekend for Halloween and super upset because they say their mom isn't taken them trick-or-treating because she all-of-the-sudden is "against" Halloween, saying it's the "devil's day". Just really because she must be too lazy to let them do it or something. Who knows. I just think it's weird because Jarrod said she never had a problem with Halloween before and he has known her since they were both 12 years old. Wow.....so we painted fingernails orange and black!!!  :))