Praise God!!!

Oh my gosh!!! I just got off the phone with my caseworker. She informed me that the county has agreed to give us 100% of Macie's adoption subsidy as well as Medicaid benefits until she is 18 years of age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God is SO good!!!

The adoption worker told my caseworker that we need to have it stated in the court documents that we want the full pay rate, as well as medicaid. She said that once it is "court ordered" that even if the county goes bankrupt they are still required to continue paying the subsidy.

Praise God!!!

So we don't have to worry about how we're going to be able to afford to raise Macie or get her the therapy services she is going to need. The subsidy doesn't cover HALF of the costs of raising Macie, but it does give us a little padding to help us make ends meet.

I'm just about to start crying I'm so excited!! The county was trying very hard to get out of giving Macie even 1/4 of her adoption subsidy and didn't want to give her any medicaid benefits. But something helped them change their minds!!

Thank you all for your prayers!

Adoption Update

As you may have read, we are in the process of adopting Macie. The parental rights have been terminated, the parents' appeal has been completed. Macie is now free for adoption!

But here is the problem. When we first accepted Macie's foster care placement we went into this knowing that we were more than likely going to be adopting her. My parents are adopting her older sisters, and we want to keep the sibling group close together. Well when we accepted Macie we were told that she would qualify for the federal subsidy.

What is this? It's basically where the government continutes to pay 75% of Macie's foster care fee as well as provides her Medicaid coverage until she is 18 or out of school. The reasoning? It allows more adoptions to take place because it takes away the financial burden raising another child brings. Now don't get me wrong. The subsidy doesn't cover everything! It honestly doesn't cover half the costs of raising Macie.

We are NOT fostering for the money. If we were we'd be broke! I spend way more than the subsidy we receive. But the subsidy does create a safety net for us. It's nice knowing that we can provide for Macie and set aside part of the subsidy for her first car or college or both!

So here is the issue. Now that Macie is free for adoption, the county she is from is now saying that she doesn't qualify for the federal subsidy. This boggles my mind because this sibling group has SO MANY issues! We're fighting with the county over this issue. They are trying to get out of giving Macie Medicaid as well as cutting her subsidy down to 1/4 her foster care fee.

My caseworker asked me to take Macie in for a therapy appointment to see if she qualifies for services. We presented all the problems we are having with Macie and of course Macie showed her bad side to the therapist (she was being really good before we got to therapy, and she was horrible afterwards as well).

Today I got a phone call from the therapist that she had written a letter to the county caseworker. She asked me to come in to her office and pick up a copy of the letter for my records.

After seeing Macie just one time, but also receiving a ton of paperwork from my caseworker on the family history of Macie; she has already decided that Macie has Reactive Attachment Disorder from Infancy to Toddler, as well as Adjustment Disorder (temper tantrums).

Wow. I knew we have been having some major issues with Macie's temper tantrums and behaviors, but I thought it was just two year old issues. The therapist assured me this is not normal two year old behavior.

So just pray that the county will allow Macie to continue to receive her Medicaid coverage. I don't really care so much about the subsidy; but the Medicaid will be a must to allow Macie to have the best chance to overcome these issues.

Children Are Our Downfall

I've come to believe that it's the children who are going to kill off the human race. They are the ones that have been chosen to bring destruction to our world. Ok so I'm taking it a little far, but they ARE disease carrying card members.

I swear I have never been as sick as I've been this last year. Every time I think I'm getting over some illness, the kids bring home another one for me to deal with. And if I'm not personally dealing with them, then I'm helping my kids deal with them.

The latest batch? Let's see. Jenna brought strep throat back into our home. Now Conner, me, my foster daughter D, and my foster son C all are on antibiotics to get rid of it. D also has an ear infection, fluid in her lungs, and allergies. Macie brought home a nasty cold bug from daycare. Now me, and everyone but Matt are trying to get over this as well.

I'm telling you, these kids are trying to kill off the adult population. I feel like just crawling into bed and sleeping the day away, but no! I have to be mommy and nurse to all these little sick ones. If only I had a mommy to take care of me again....

But alas, I gave up that right when I had kids of my own. So I'll do the next best thing. I'll load my sick family into the car, drive to my mom's house, and infect her family. At least that way I can lay on the couch and let someone else deal with the kids for a few hours. They'll forgive me, right? I am after all their first born child...

My Latest Idea

Ok. Call me crazy. I'll admit that I'm not quite all there most days. But I have had this desire for the past few weeks to "do something more" with my life. I don't know if it's a mid-life crisis, or just a fear of the future; but I want to go back to school.

Yes I know, I know. How in the world am I going to go back to college with seven children - five under the age of 7? But I was thinking of only taking one or two classes each semester. I think I "might" be able to handle it if I take it slow.

I'm really thinking of going in to the nursing field. My mom says that since I already have an associate degree in business that I should just go for an RN degree instead of an LPN certificate. She said that I have all the general classes already taken care of and could get my degree quicker that way.

I feel like I'm already a part time nurse as it is! I mean, I give my foster son medication through the port in his chest three times a week; and I also help give my daughter's friend her insulin shots when she spends the night. So I know I could handle the medication part of the nursing profession.

Now if we're talking about teeth *shudder* then I may have a problem. There is just something about seeing the tooth wiggle and hang in the mouth that makes me squirm. I know a dental field is out of the question. Teeth are my downfall!

But I really think the nursing field would be a good fit for me. They always need nurses and there are two hospitals, and almost 60 doctor offices in our town alone. Not to mention the nursing homes. So I don't think I'd have a problem finding a job. And I could probably support my kids on a nursing salary if something happened to Matt.

Matt says we can't afford for me to go back to school right now. And I honestly think I want to wait until at least fall - if not next spring before I really consider it. But I want to take it slow.

So what do you think? Am I crazy to even consider becoming a nurse when I have this many children in my home? The other concern is that my foster children aren't MINE. At any time the caseworkers can come and take them away. I need a skill that will allow me to be with my children when they need me, but also help out financially if something major occurred.

Now to convince my husband of this idea...

I'm Such A Pushover

My brother calls me with a sob story about how his wife has to do a mandatory training session for work - in CHICAGO of all places. And he has to work all week and his boss won't let him off of work to watch his kids. So could I please help him out?

Translation? Will I keep his two year old and four year old night and day until Wednesday evening. Sure Brad, whatever you need. It'll only mean nine children total for me this week! Three 2 year olds, two 4 year olds, and my other 5, 6, 9, and 10 year old.

And honestly I don't mind. I haven't actually gotten to spend any time with my neice and nephew since March, and they are really good kids! But boy it's amazing how much more work and stress come with adding two more kids to the family.

Macie is taking it the hardest. She sees the new kids as competition for my time. So she wants held constantly. When she's not being held she's trying to take their toys and fighting with them. So far she hasn't actually played with them yet!

Actually it's all three two year olds that are the hardest. For those who mother multiples all the time, my hat is off to you. I don't see how you keep your sanity!

My biggest obstacle this week is going to be getting Conner to school while hauling four kids in need of carseats to and from school. And I'm supposed to walk Conner in to his teacher...but I'm going to have to see if I can recruit another parent to help me out with that. I just don't want to drag all these kids inside.

Ok, gotta go rescue the cat and dog from the children, break up a fight over who had the toy first, and get the others to quit banging on the piano keys! Did I mention I LOVE kids? And no matter what the headache I have by the end of the day, it's all worth it.

Age Appropriate Stupidness or Just Plain Stupid?

Tell me... Is this age appropriate stupidness, or just Conner stupidness? Remember he's 6 years old.I woke up this morning to the sound of spitting. One would think maybe it would be the two year olds since they can't really vocalize their desires right? But no, I hear this nerve grating FAKE laughing coming from my son's top bunk bed, and once again...spitting. Then from below I hear C my two year old say "No spit, No spit Conner." *grr*

Fast forward two minutes (we'll bypass me storming like a banshee into the room, climbing up into the bunkbed and scaring my son spitless). He is now standing OVER the heating vent in the kitchen with D. They are enjoying watching the hot air fill their nightshirts (They sleep in my husband's t-shirts a lot) and are laughing that fake laugh of theirs. All of the sudden Conner says "Wow, look I've got big boobs." and proceeds to pull down his nightshirt and show his boobs to D. (which are NOT big by the way- just boy size). So again, I turn into banshee woman and remind the angels about appropriate and inappropriate sharing of body part information.)

Fast forward one minute. (we'll again bypass me stomping to the cabinet and taking my pms meds to keep me from doing bodily damage to the children and also me angrily handing Conner his ADHD meds). The darlings are now in the great room screaming and fighting with one another. All of the sudden I hear "I DARE you to kiss the wall Conner." And my dare-devil son starts "Smooch, smooch, smooching" the wall.

Needless to say, the sweethearts spent the first half hour of the morning sitting on the couch while I counted to 2000 in the kitchen and made breakfast. Here's praying that my diet coke caffeine kicks in soon, and that the children realize that mommy woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and that it's in their best interest to be angels for at least an hour today.