Every day I Blog about my crazy life with all of my children. With this journey we have been on over the past decade we have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people. As many children as we have adopted there are people in my life that I still stand in amazement and feel honored to count them in my circle of friends. We have had many people that have helped our kids become the people they are. The teachers, youth pastors, therapists, doctors and friends.
Mary Haskell who took on being my children's surrogate Grandmother. Delores Stewart who has taken some of my hardest children horse back riding to make them feel loved and valued. Gene Loflin retired principal from Excell campus where many of my toughest children have had to go to school. Vickie Bryant who has spent time with my special needs children and treated them like all the others. Annete Stanly speech therapist who has went above and beyond her speech therapy job to work with my kids on life skills, manners and even teaching my hispanic children how to cook Mexican food. The nurses that have been a part of our crazy family that have come to care for some of our medical needs kids. The coaches Phil Gizzie and others that have coached our hard to deal with argumentative kids. The principals and teachers that have given our kids second and third and even fourth chances to make better decisions. Mr. Bone and Mr Bonin that have been there to help our kids through many crisis talked them through melt downs and advocated for them to get the services they needed. Dusty Ford school SRO officer who has had to make many trips to our home and the school for some of our tougher kids but who I can call even on his day off and he would be there for the kids. Marcus Vail, Racheal Brown, Shayla Shannon, John Stout, Diane Hale and Jordan Weaver just some of the Youth pastors that have introduced our children to Jesus.
Then there are the other families that care for damaged and hurting kids. Sharon and Charlie long who have fostered for over 30 years and have a heart for caring for the mentally delayed children and adopted several. Sherrie and Tim Girrard who take their time to minister to teens foster/adoptive kids every other Saturday through C-3 bible study and video games. Not to mention caring for and adopting several special needs children. Theresa and David Strange who have adopted several kids that were particularly hard cases and have turned out to be successful adults. Pam and Gary Spence who have adopted teens that no one else would take.
Bruce and Denise Kendrick, Vickie and Randy Akins, Allisia and Tommy Huff, and Audra Leal who take their own time to help other families by leading support groups and other resources.
This is just a small group of the people we have been blessed with in our lives and there are so many many more.
Remember that even if you are not called to foster or adopt there are thousands of other ways that you can speak life into these children. It is the help and support of others that have made it possible for us to care for so many children. We look at the successes our children have and it is because someone has taken the time to make them feel loved and cared for that has made this difference in their lives. Cant think of how you can be involved? Just ask me or any foster/adoptive parent.
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