Happy 3rd birthday Waylan!

Today we celebrated Waylan!

Happy third birthday!!!!

PC Rocks painting event...

PC Rocks held a special needs

painting event

at Veteran's Park.

The kids really enjoyed this event!

I wasn't sure if Blaze would like painting

because he still kinda funny

about touching wet sticky stuff..

But, he surprised me!

He LOVED it!

They painted rocks to hide through out

the county for others to find. 

They enjoyed some playground time too!

 Ada  with our friend Ansley.

Happy Adoption Day Zachary!

Today is a great, big,

special kind of day!

Today we celebrate the adoption of

one awesome, wonderful, amazing kid!

Happy Adoption Day Zachary!

It has been a long time coming but we finally finalized our adoption! Zachary spent his first 2 years in our home as a foster child. Then he was returned home. Then he came back into care and spent another 2.5 years in our home. Finally on June 22 he is officially ours!! We are so excited!!!

 One happy daddy!

We also told him that he could keep his name

or choose a new name.

We told him as long as it wasn't something silly.

He chose his new name to be..

Zachary Chase!

I am one happy mama today!

After court we took the kids to

Monkey Joe's to celebrate!

Zachary's Adoption Time Line..

Zachary's Adoption Story

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Way back in August of 2010, a precious little boy was born.

At 6 weeks of age, that little boy was placed in our arms for foster care. 

For 22 months, we took care of him. Loved him with everything that we had. We loved him like he was our own, because he was for a little while. 

After 22 months, DFCS returned him to his mom.

With a heavy heart we handed him over and prayed for the best for him and his mom.

After being returned home, his mom let us see him off and on for a few weeks (up to Dec of 2012).

Then the calls and visits stopped. For 2 years, we wondered what happened to the little boy that we all loved so dearly. We heard rumors, but never really knew. Then one day the phone call came. His mom needed us to take him for a little while. The state safety planned him with us for 30 days.  At the end of the 30 days, I requested that the state either return him to his mom or pull him back into foster care.

The first of December 2014, DFCS decided it would be in his best interest to pull him back into foster care...so they did.

He became our foster son for the second time. As time passed, it became clear that things were not getting any better, so the state filed for termination of parental rights (TPR). We had the TPR trial on 02-26-16. The evidence was enough that the judge did not need time to make her decision, so she ruled from the bench. TPR was granted that day.

This is where our adoption story begins....

02-26-16

TPR was granted on mom.

Now we wait 30 days for a possible appeal.

09-22-16

TPR was granted on the dad.

Now we wait 30 days for a possible appeal. 

11-30-16

Today. I got the call from the life history book people asking me questions all about us and Zach. A life history book must be completed before we can go any further with adoption. Hopefully, she will have it complete very soon and we can move forward with our adoption! It would be awesome if it could happen in December, but if not, hopefully right after Christmas. 

We let Zachary choose his own name.

 He has decided that he wants to be..

*Zachary Chase*

12-28-16

Our case worker called today and let us know that we need to set a day to sign the adoption forms for consideration to be Z's forever family!

01-13-17

We signed the intent to adopt paperwork today!!!! One step closer for us!!! Next we will meet with the state for the official presentation. This will be when they officially let us know that we are approved as his adoptive/forever family and they present us with a life history book and more papers to sign. A life history book is a book all about him from his birth, any medical info or family history, and all about his life in foster care (which I already know because I've been his foster mom twice). Our case worker hopes to have everything done and ready next week! Yay!!!!!!

02-24-17

The state needed updated physicals on the kids. Today Jacob had his, so I turned it in! That was the final thing they needed)they said)! Crossing my fingers that everything in the homestudy is now updated and complete! Now, the next step in the official presentation! It couldn't happen soon enough. The wait is ridiculous! It's so frustrating! Every time you think you are there something else pops up. 

03-24-17

Today we FINALLY got the official OK to contact our lawyer. Zachary was officially presented for adoption. We signed all the remaining DFCS paperwork on him today!!!! Next week we will be contacting a lawyer and hopefully get our court date set. We are so excited!!!!!!!! It's been a looooong frustrating 6 years, but he is worth it! One step closer to forever!!!!!! 

05-16-17

We finally met with our lawyer and signed the papers requesting a court date. Going to court is all we have left and Zachary will be ours forever! 

05-25-17

We have an adoption date! June 22nd!!!!!!!!! 28 days to forever!!! We've waited a long time! 

One of the first posts I ever posted about Zach - I'm going to love you like mine

June 22nd

Happy Adoption Day

Zachary Chase Howell 

He is 

finally ours!!!!!!!!