Your love is way too much to give us lesser things..

Tiffany turned 18 Friday. We went to Bonefish to celebrate and we had a really nice time. All she wanted was money to help fix a few things on her car, so her gifts werent super exciting. But she does have her car a visit to the mechanic scheduled so she is happy. She is going to register to vote this week, and she is doing really well. She was on the honor roll again this 9 weeks. We are very proud all the way around.


Cates is beautiful and happy. She and I are both thankful she is able to stay with Lauren four days a week and Aunt Tina one day. Cates mama was just not ready to send her to daycare (although I am a believer in daycare and know it promotes social and educational skills). She will go soon enough.. just a few more weeks in someone's home is giving me peace. Praise God for good friends. I am thankful for my quality of friends, and recognize that is much more important than quanity. Pray for Cates reflux to ease. It causes her such pain, and I will be glad when she grows out of it.

Andrew's adoption celebration was so special. We were joined by 75 friends and family members to share the joy of his new last name. We appreciate so much everyone who came. Tim's refereeing friends and family came, my school's PTO President, several sweet DHR ladies, Andrew's daycare teachers, and church and community friends. We had a sweet slideshow and everyone who attended wrote him a note about what he has meant in their lives. Love like we have for Andrew is precious and rare. With great pride I celebrate him as my little boy.

Tim is continuing to work so hard for our family. We are all so thankful for him. Thankful for his work ethic and the love he has for us that drives him to be such a wonderful provider.

I am back busy at school. I loved my time home with Cates, and look forward to our summer together. But I am glad to be back with my school children too.

We are blessed and very aware that all gifts come from above. I love the verse of the song that says.. " Your love is way too great to give us lesser things." Because His desire for us far exceed any we could have for ourselves and the ones we love.

beautiful tiffany.

This was written by our sweet almost 18 year old foster child. Her words are beautiful and so telling of the heart of a teenager in foster care. This is an essay she wrote for a scholarship.

The first day I heard the word hope was my dad using it saying "I hope y'all don't get taken away". As a little girl I struggled to understand why there are things like abuse, hunger, lack of love, and lack of supervision.
I have faced many obstacles which have given me the dream of becoming a social worker for DHR. I understand what it feels like to come from nothing and be thought of as a nothing.
No one in my family has finished college. I want to break the chains of my family. I want them to see me as someone who didn't let their life story end. I want to motivate them, and others in the world.
There are so many children in foster care. Many of them need someone to say "hey, I have been there". I want to be that someone. The someone who does everything in their power to provide needs, happiness, comfort, accomplishment of goals, and safety in their lives.
The reason I am an applicant for this scholarship is because I can't do it alone. I believe this scholarship will help me achieve my dream.
I hope, pray, and dream of being someone who helps others. I have realized being in the system has made an impact on my life and I believe there is a reason I became a foster child. It is my dream to work with children and parents for everyones best interest. Please help my dreams come true.

Andrew's Mama

Andrew Croley. My heart. When I laid him in his bed last night I couldn't help but have a few tears. Probably because I am a cryer, but it was the first time I had ever laid him down as mine. Not DHR's, not someone else's child I was caring for, my very own little boy. What relief. What a testament to the power of prayer. What an example of God truly having a plan. Not a "here let Me give you your way right this second" kind of plan.. but a plan for the faithful to journey through with a beautful ending (and well beginning).

One prayer I had all along was to make our family strong in order to deal with any negative opinions about us being different races. My how that prayer was answered. Not only have we only recieved love and support from our family and friends we have met or heard about so many others who are in the process of or who have recently adopted children of different ethnicities. Grandmama and I were talking yesterday about how common it is becoming. I praise God for increased tolerance and love. I love when people ask about Andrew, because I love telling the beautiful story of God's plan for his life.

I always think about the first day I went to court for Andrew when he was just three days old. And a lawyer there asking me how we were doing.. I said we are wonderful.. he is precious. He looked at me kind of mean and said.. well lets all just be honest he has a long road ahead. And I remember my stubborn self thinking.. he doesnt have to.. he isnt sentenced to sad life at 3 days old. And I think God heard me. And I think my stubborness and our families love and DHR's desire to work the very best out lead us to where we are today.. I am Andrew's mom. And I praise God.