Friday, March 14, 2014

We're Halfway There, OH, Livin' on a Prayer...

Thanks to Bon Jovi for the inspiration to get through this week.

The to do list was already backing up, but this week we added more to the list than we took off. The Fire Marshall's office came by class to tell us about what we need to have on hand and around the house in case of emergencies.

In the house:
Flashlights
Secondary Heat Source
Disaster Supply Kit (highly recommended)
First Aid Kit
Smoke Detectors
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Working Phone Line
NO Double Key Deadbolts
Emergeny Fire Ladders (2nd story bedrooms)

Mounted in the house in plain view of all family and guests:
Fire Extinguisher (at least a 1A is required, but going up a size to the 5lb is recommended)
Evacuation Plan
Emergency Contact Numbers (911, Poison Control, Emergency Services, etc.)

Necessary Certifications:
First Aid
CPR

Luckily, we have most of this covered, but there is still a ways to go. I guess it is about time to type up a master to do list and start checking things off one at a time. Nervous excitement doesn't begin to cover how we are feeling at the moment. Staying positive and speaking the good into existence this week.

Please stand with us in prayer as we complete my job interviews, DH's overtime, makeup school work (DH, Red, and I), foster training workbooks, our family profile, household projects, and the kids' room. And especially pray that we get most of it done before DH is deployed in April, so I have helping hands to get it done sooner, instead of struggling to finish by myself before our deadline.

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

3/8 Through

     I've been a little delinquint on updates as of late. DH and I have been doing hundreds of pages of foster training homework. We're on book 3 of 6, and had the third of eight classes the other night. By Wednesday, we will have turned in all our consent forms for multiple background and list/record checks, and we'll be fingerprinted. We are rather fond of the group of foster parents in training with us, they are a wonderful and animated group of couples. We all have no problems asking our social workers and supervisor both hard and hilarious questions.

     One thing we've been asked to question in the process of becoming foster parents if whether or not we will just apply for foster status or if we will dual apply for fostering and adoption, in case we were to adopt in the future, it would save us some time and paperwork then. I've always known I wanted to foster and adopt, and fostering now would be such an incredible blessing, but I feel that we are already stepping out in faith and I am afriad applying to adopt too would tip the scale and I'll fall on my face. Crazy, irrational fear? Maybe. DH thinks so, but I just can't help the uneasy feeling in my stomach. So, right now we are just applying to foster, but we are staying open minded to all the possibilities God may have for us in the future.

These verses especially touched my heart this week, as I was in the Word -> Isaiah 43:4-7 (ESV)


4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
people in exchange for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

What a wonderful God we serve!