I am so glad that you are here for this months Faith Hop... You should have come from Wendy's Blog.... If you just arrived at my blog, you should go to Paper Tree House Studio in order to start at the beginning.If you are wondering what this hop is all about well every month a group of ladies gets together to share what God is doing in our lives and share our wonderful talent God has belssed us with.... This month we are focusing on God's Promises.... and how He is promises to be there for you no matter what you are going through.
Have you been enjoying the others stories about how God is faithful in their lives... well now it is my turn.... I currently live in Norway but before that I lived in Albuquerque New Mexico... we picked a neighborhood on the Northwest side of town in hope that we would have good neighbors and low crime... that was just what the neighborhood was like when we moved in... After a couple months a family with extended family rented the house next store... and to make a long story short.... there were fights, starving kids, US Marshals, drugs, overdoses, police, babies... pure craziness. God told us to love them and show His love to them through it all. The 3 oldest kids started coming to my house to get away from theirs. Finally the family was kicked out after a little more than a year. The kids were left on my doorstep with a note from the mother that asked for them to stay a couple of weeks with us until at least school was out. Summer came and they stayed then school started again and they stayed. We saw the mother about once a week when she could be bothered to show up. During this time my own daughter was born so I went from just my husband and I to having 4 kids. I loved them like they were my own... then my husband got a job in Norway. The mother told us that she wanted us to take them with us.... we got an attorney and she signed them over to us. Then she got in trouble and went to jail... as we waited for our court date... my husband traveled to Norway to do training. I stayed with the kids... for Thanksgiving 2008 I was driving from New Mexico to California with the kids and we had a major car accident in Kingman Arizona... everyone lived by a miracle... one of the boys was thrown from the car and had to be flown ti Loa Vegas to the Children's hospital... one day I can share more about the accident... the same day as the accident the mother got out of jail. Following the accident my family came and got us and took us to California. The mother called and said that she had done a lot of thinking in jail and would miss her kids if they were to go to Norway. She said that she planned to contest the guardianship... the kids stayed in California with my sister while my daughter and I went to Norway to try and find a house for all of us. When my husband, daughter and I returned from Norway to California for Christmas the attorney let us know that he could not move up the court date and we still had to wait until Feb. but the worst part was that since she had filed to contest... the judge would probably not give the children back to her but she would receive visitation which meant that we could live anywhere in the US but not out of the country. There was nothing we could do... and the attorney said we had to give the kids back to the mother. I couldnt even turn the kids over to child protection because they said that she acted responsibly by turning the kids over to someone when she knew she couldnt take care of them.... and now she says she can so she has to be given the chance. God really talked to my husband and I told us that the kids were in His hands that He had given us them for a time and that He would take care of them. I continue to believe that promise... I continue to know that those kids are His and pray that the morals and teaching about God our in their hearts. I will love them forever but God loves them more. We dont really get to have contact with the kids because they never have a working phone. We do talk to the Aunt from time to time on FB but she doesnt do that much with them. So we continue to pray for the kids and miss them. I stand firm though on the promises that God gave us.
Just a note: I wanted to let you know the kids names and their ages just so that you could lift them up in prayer.... Antonia was 12-13 when she lived with us and just turned 16 a couple of days ago... Ramone was 8-9 when he lived with us and he will be 12 in Sept... Anthony was 7-8 and he will 11 next March....
During the hop you will find many chances to win prizes! All you have to do to be considered for one of those prizes is leave a comment and become a follower of the blogs you will hop through. For the Grand Prizes , make sure to leave a comment, become a follower, and "LIKE" Paper Tree House on Facebook. This will allow you to find out about future hops we will be having. Your next stop on the hop is Jessie... and just in case you get lost here is the line up!
Here are the brave women that dared to share their stories:
Paper Tree House - http://mypapertreehouse.blogspot.com/
Jennifer E. - www.createoften.blogspot.com
Candy - http://www.sweetstamper.com/
Amanda - http://asjmade.blogspot.com/
Nicole - http://scrapmethis.blogspot.com
Jessie - www.scrapbookingmiami.blogspot.com
Diane - http://dianemarra.typepad.com/
Lynne Kirsch --- http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Phillips - http://messmuddleandfun.blogspot.com/
ScrappyZeni Pradel --- www.scrappyzeni.blogspot.com
Grand Prizes:
Stamping Things: The Topper Ink Pad Holder (http://www.stampinthings.com/stamp-pad-holder.html)
Paper Tree House Studio: Exclusive PDF file tutorial for Mini-Book Taught at CHA.
K Andrew Stamps: Stamp Set
Tombow: Grand Adhesive Set
Have a wonderful blessed day!!!!!
This must have been a very difficult time for your family and those poor children. God brought them to you and took them away when He did for a reason....keep strong in your faith that He has His hand on them, those children know have a chance to witness to their mother about the Glory of God that you taught them...maybe that was the plan all along. Thank you so much for sharing what had to be a very hard story to tell.
ReplyDeleteOh my dearie! What a heart wrenching story! Thank you for sharing that with us. I know God will give you the peace in your heart. Plus, now you are able to pray for those children and with that prayer they may come to know Jesus and be with you eternally in heaven. What a thought!
ReplyDeleteoh how your story touched my heart. I have a story much like yours. God is still working on mine, and he is healing my heart! Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteIm a new follower
kacee
youhadmeatscrap.blogspot.com
I can relate to your story as I had custody of my brother's children for awhile more than a few years ago. Although I had to give them up, I know that God placed them with me so abusive situations could come to light and they could be placed in homes where they could heal and become whole stable children again. It hurt me so deeply but I know that the Lord used me to facilitate this change. Thank you for sharing this and helping me remember the good times.
ReplyDeleteHappy Scrappin'
Sue B
http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
Thanks for all your kind comments... still 3 years later it is hard to think about... and maybe my heart will always be a bit broken but I trust God and believe that He knows best!
ReplyDeleteOh Nicole, I have been on the edge of my seat to hear the end of your inspiring story - and know the faith you must have had in the system and His will be done - what an inspiration you are and a true testimony of his love to care for and love and nurture those babies for a little while - I know you will make a lasting impression on their lives forever, just as He does to us for those that believe! Your page is just adorable - TFS! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThat just brought tears to my eyes. I can't imagine losing children that I had come to think of as my own. It's so great that they had you in their lives and that they still have you praying for them. The LO is beautiful.
ReplyDelete~Thanks, Esther
esthert119(at)yahoo(dot)ca
Those children were lucky to have you when they needed you:) You and your husband have a great hearts. god bless you.
ReplyDeletemexicopetshop at hotmail dot com
Your story immediately brought the scripture.."Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
ReplyDeleteYou know ..all God asks is for us to plant the seeds and he will handle the harvest, but no we want to get in there, get our hands dirty, try to manipulate the soil, sun and water..He doesn't want that from us..He merely asks us to plant the seed and take our hands off of it and He will reap the harvest.
The worst part of your story is that you had to go soo far away and leave them behind. If you were here in the states you could at least check on them, but that can't happen now..You have done your work for the Lord and one day you will see those kids again..I know because I was a foster mom to 19 teenage juvenile delinquent girls and one boy. Once they leave there is no guarantee to see them again and a few I have not but those kids are going to remember who rescued them and loved them and taught them about God.
You have probably heard the saying
Friends for a reason
Friends for a season and
Friends for a lifetime.. Those kids fit all of those categories and you know in your heart that you and your husband did all that God asked you to do..You are good people
transport7800@aol.com
http://mawmawsthoughts.blogspot.com/
follower
Wow I can't say how sorry I am that you have had to deal with this, I have seen many family's go through what you are going through. We are part of His House Children's home here in miami and I have seen the heart brake you are facing. God has his arms around them and I pray that he watches over them.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless
Jessie
Dios guiarà cada paso de estos niños para que sean hombres y mujeres de bien ... hermosos trabajo
ReplyDeletecariños desde Chile
Gracias por compartir parte de tu vida con nosotros!!! se que Dios es fiel y el cumple sus promesas. Oraremos por los niños!!
ReplyDeleteBendiciones debora
http://manosurbanasscrap.blogspot.com/