National Adoption Day is Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is National Adoption Day, and we are so lucky and blessed to be adopting our baby girl tomorrow!!!  We can't believe the time is finally here!  It has been almost 2 years (minus a few weeks) since we brought her home from the hospital.  She is definitely worth the wait!  Foster adoption is a long and sometimes frustrating process (I've found out most of the time), but for these children to have a forever family, no amount of time is too long to make sure permanency occurs.  While a happy day for our family, my heart aches and breaks for those children who are still waiting for their forever home.  Especially the tweens and teens who sometimes wait much longer than the little ones.  Have YOU ever considered opening your heart and home to a waiting child?
Many Blessings to You wherever you may be in Your Journey,
The Queen Mama

Finally, A Verdict!!

Finally, a verdict! Both parents signed their consent to adoption, meaning they voluntarily signed away their parental rights to their child.  The judge has signed the decree and changed the goal.  Our foster baby girl is finally FREE FOR ADOPTION!!!!!!  Praise God, Hallelujah! Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes, sent to me and/or said in your heart!!!  Our journey is coming to a close.  A few more months til finalization.   The bio parents of this child that we have had since birth have told us they support us and are fine with their decision to consent to adoption.  I praise God for answered prayers not only for us and our beautiful girl, but for the bio parents that they are at peace with their decision and can move forward with their lives.  The bio mom has been clean for almost a year and bio dad is taking several classes in prison to improve his education and life.  I sincerely pray they succeed!!  I can't wait til I can tell all of you her adoption is finalized.  In the meantime, I pray for you on your journey, wherever that may be, and if you have any questions or need a good listener on your foster adoption journey, just email the Queen Mama at fosteradoptionmommy@gmail.com.  I'd love to chat!
Blessings,
The Queen Mama

Are You Following My Crazy Foster Adoption Ride?

My last post was about Bio Dad's termination hearing-still no ruling!  Now, an interesting twist-after signing his rights away, then rescinding, then going through with termination hearing~now he wants to sign his rights away again!  His lawyer filed a motion to stop the ruling on the termination hearing, and let him sign over his consent to adoption.  No one is sure how this is going to work-if it will work-what the judge will decide.  If they allow this, then does he still have 30 days from the time he signs them to appeal again?  How can he stop the termination hearing if it's already been presented, argued, and just waiting for the judge's signature????  The hearing for Bio Mom's consent signing is about a month away.  We will see if that happens amongst all this case chaos.  (as it has already been postponed once.)  Handing all the chaos over to the Lord and finding serenity in prayer!  Are you following along on my journey?  Click Join My Journey on the home page!
May You Be Blessed!
The Queen Mama

Still No Termination Ruling!

Well, it's Memorial Day weekend and still no termination ruling for bio dad.  It's been about a month.  The caseworker is wondering the outcome as well so the case can move forward, and said she may contact the judge personally instead of waiting for the answer to come down through the paperwork trail.  On another interesting note, the bio mom's lawyer called me a few days ago wanting to know if I would agree to a post adoption contact agreement.  He hadn't even spoken with bio mom at all about it, but I know she wants visitation, so I told him NO to visitation (bio mom has no bond with baby-we brought her home directly from the hospital at birth, and bio mom has had very little visitation -by her own choice.  She is also a drug addict and a convicted criminal.)  I did, however, tell him we would consider letters and possibly pictures.  This becomes a court ordered agreement, enforceable by the courts. 
So, today I will focus on being thankful for the many veterans in my family (my husband, stepdad, brother-in-law uncle,), and remember the many vets in my family and this nation who have passed on (grandfather, husband's grandfather, and many more), who gave their time and sometimes lives for my freedoms in this country.  I will count all our blessings, and give my worry up to the Lord.
May you be blessed,
The Queen Mama

Bio Dad's Termination Hearing No Ruling

Like I said before, nothing surprises me this second time around in a foster adoption case.  Bio Dad's termination hearing was held last week.  Bio Mom's hearing for her signing consent to adoption was supposed to be held the same day, but the judge decided to hold it off to a later date, because Bio Mom didn't show up. 
So, first things first...Bio Dad's mother a.k.a. Grandma showed up at the courthouse.  She came right up to me in the hallway and introduced herself.  I was very warm, nice, and gracious.  She told me she had filed a motion for grandparent visitation and was petitioning the court for custody.  I asked her if she realized we had had Sweet Pea since birth straight from the hospital.  Yes.  I asked her if she would like more pictures of her.  She said yes, started crying, and walked away.  Now, I do know that I would feel the same way about my grandchild.  That I would want her, but this Grandma has criminal and substance abuse problems of her own, not to mention enabling her almost 30 year old criminal substance abuser son.  (giving him a full crack-pipe for his 16th birthday, for instance.) 
During the hearing, with Bio Dad in his orange jumpsuit and handcuffed and shackled, with an armed sheriff standing directly behind him, and another standing at the side entrance, his lawyer whips out about 5 certificates for different programs Bio Dad has completed while incarcerated.  Sweet Pea's legal team was consistent with pointing out he had only ever seen her twice in her first 2 months of life, and has made no effort whatsoever to have any contact whether it be visitation, telephone, letters, cards, etc.  Bio Dad took the stand and said he felt that his daughter should be with him because he is her natural father, or with her natural grandmother.  He requested a visit with her that day, and judge said no.  She said she is very busy, wants to review the case, and will give us her decision in about 2 weeks.  TWO WEEKS!!!  This system is so hurry up and wait.  How everyone involved suffers for 2 weeks wondering the outcome.  Sweet Pea's lawyers say it is pretty cut and dried.  However, I won't rest easy til I get the final decision.
On a lighter note, one of the caseworkers dropped off Sweet Pea's Life Book the other day, and it is so sweet and special, and our adoption profile is complete.  The adoption caseworker said we are just waiting on a date, and everything's a go, so I feel pretty confident that they feel pretty confident. 
Please pray for this sweet baby girl that God entrusts her care to us, and for her bio parents that they may know God's love, and get their lives together so they may move forward and live productive, happy lives.
Blessings,
The Queen Mama

Bio Dad's Termination Hearing Just Days Away~Nervous!!

The termination hearing is just days away.  Caseworker called me today to tell me that Dad will probably appeal if his rights are terminated.  It could be months longer...Caseworker, GAL, and Attorney feel the case is a no brainer.  I do too, however, as a pre-adoptive foster parent, you know crazy things can happen.  Rulings can be delayed, or given contrary to popular opinion.  I sit here looking at my Sweet Pea whom I brought home from the hospital, and the thought of her leaving our family makes my heart hurt and my stomach sick.  I am praying that God sees fit that she stay here with us.  As Bio Mom broke off her relationship with Bio Dad and signed her rights away, I think Dad is grasping to hold on to what he feels is his.  I know his mother, who is an alcoholic and convicted thief, is encouraging him to do so, even though he has not made any effort whatsoever since Sweet Pea was born to see her or communicate with her.  I know my family would do the same, so I do not hold ill will toward them.  I just pray that the judge rules as to what is best for this child, which is a safe, loving, stable, non-addictive, criminal-free home. 
Blessings to you as well, wherever you may be in your journey.
The Queen Mama

Adoption Profile Paperwork Almost Done

I finally got all our references for our adoption family profile.  Now I just need to write our autobiography and fill out the rest of the paperwork, gather financial info, etc.  We are still waiting for the PTR -parental termination of rights hearing, which is at the end of the month.  But, the agency is getting everything ready prior...we were told the adoption of Sweet Pea could take place in just a week or two after PTR, so we have to be ready.  I can't believe the time is so near.  However, I am worried that bio Dad will appeal his termination hearing, which he can do, just for the heck of it.  He is still in jail.  We shall see.  I am willing to wait it out.  Sweet Pea is worth every bit of angst, turmoil, and unease this foster adoption roller coaster can give me.  Bring it!!!!!!
Blessings,
The Queen Mama