Gods picture is SO MUCH bigger than mine :)

sorry for the long delay...

but life has been...

 CRAZY, OVERWHELMING AND UNPREDICTABLE!

i had no idea...

how much i lacked trust,

how much i liked comfort,

how much i liked knowing the plan,

how much i trusted my resources,

and how much i wanted my way,

until...

i understood nothing,

i was removed from all my comforts,

i no longer knew or understood anything that was going on,

i had no resources to fix the situation,

and i absolutely could not have my way!

welcome to this part of our journey :)

i couldn't have dreamt this up... it is ONLY GOD!

so last friday we got weekend visitation with the girls again.

sat we took all the kids (except Jordan who was nursing a cold)

to the water park. 

sunday we spent the day playing, went to church

and then had to return the girls to the shelter... emotional!!

right before drop off... we were praying to be reunited soon...

early the next morning we go the call...

we were granted visitation again...

this time for the week...

we could pick the girls up as soon as they got out of school...

so we got them around 5! Go God!

tues we made the 2 hour trek to school...dropped them off...

then took Erik shopping to buy some soccer jerseys :) 

then made the two hour trek to pick them back up!

wed was a FULL day!

it was (Erika) Chloe's 15th b'day!

as well as Erik's adoption hearing!!"

so we left early in the morning and took

Chloe, Erik and Emily to the bakery for b'fast.

then got the girls to school... (Chloe had 3 tests),

we then shopped for Erik some shoes...

and got him a haircut (which he didn't like :)

and got to the courthouse at 10:30 a.m.

we were prepped by our lawyer for the hearing...

Cindy picked up Chloe at 11:30 and brought her too.

the hearing went well...however no ruling!

we were told possibly in 48 hours.

we spent the entire afternoon in a lawyers office

drawing up a power of attorney for me to finish

the process after Scott returned home.

then we finally made it back at 7:30 with pizza hut in

hand for a surprise party for Chloe!!

i wish the party would have completely lifted her mood...

but it didn't... the girls want to come home too!

around 11:30 p.m. while trying to reassure Chloe

 of our commitment to her and Emily,

we heard a gut wrenching yell...

as i ran out the door i wasn't sure what i'd find...

it was Gracie balled up on the trampoline...

so...

into the car Cindy and i went... to the ER...

Praise Jesus... it was all minor... no breaks!

we made it back by 1 and put all to bed :)

Gracie has been in the house nursing her leg since!

we got special permission to keep the girls out of school on thursday...

for Erik's going away party!

it was very emotional and moving!!

then we got the call... so we left the party...

ran home to change and to the government office we drove...

our lawyer got us a meeting...

with some officials thursday to hear the kids opinions!!

GODS PROVIDENCE BLOWS ME AWAY!!

afterwards we took them to mcdonald's...

by then it was 6 p.m. and Emily was worn out (and by the pic... so was i)!

the sentence came out yesterday...

it is official... he is Erik Mark Newsom...

it will go in public record on monday!

there is a special called meeting on thursday about the girls!!

God is on the move in much bigger ways than i could have dreamt up!!

please pray that HIS PLAN is clear...

that we are obedient...

 and brave enough to walk in it...

 whatever it may be!!