Not many events in ones life gives friends and family the opportunity to verbalize in detail their true appreciation for "YOU" to "YOU." I guess in my experiences it is a funeral or after someone is gone their friends and family gather to reflect on their accomplishments, what they meant to you in their time of life.
This experience has given me more appreciation for my circle of friends and family.
To learn not one person but four printed off the application and began the process to formally nominate our family....WOW!! Thank you Patricia, Connie, Linda and Jill. The formality of getting in the saddle to ride this out was last night; Patricia and I got the application officially faxed in to be considered, Connie watched the kids for me while that process went on and on and on. My neighbors all were so open to the possibility and each jokingly claimed their roles to help as I collected names and phone numbers...lol very fun! Linda will be here all day tomorrow to fulfill the photo requirements then Jill will top it off with her creative writing on what a therapist coming into this home would love to see changed/added to enhance the lives of the children therapeutically.
Now, for how I am... emotionally drained for sure. The process is time consuming and has me visiting all aspect of who I am and how I got here. Bringing emotions to the surface as I answer history of "me" questions. More as to "why" and the real eye opener is how much I do in a day .....and I am getting older. That was a slap in the face for sure!
Let me tell you all that if you copied me the letter you sent in I read them all, more than once because most brought tears. I am so touched that you all appreciate what I do, how much I have been able to offer you from what I often see as me giving nothing more than an ear, a little something I learned or experienced just sharing conversation... I love talking or emailing with you.
Then came the letter my daughter drafted...a real eye opener. Her message is the future and what if the worst happened. Learning of the Billings murders this past summer and knowing the family was difficult. The Billings family lived on many levels, parallel to ours. The aftermath is reality for our need for life planning. I remember Mandie's comment of...Mom I was with her during the initial televised interview in spirit (Ashley) It was the weight of the world on her shoulders in a second Mandie felt. No trial for planning, no opportunity to call mom and ask a question as the role took form, no time to look back or make plans for you.... just in a second life changes and all the children are the sole responsibility of another who did not chose this path for life, they love the children and do not think twice but reality is the decision was not theirs...Mandy now feels that their environment was key to success, the fact they had ample room for the children and the other is in 15 years we will have Kaitlyn 30, Steven 28, Jordan 24, Tressa 23, Lucas 21 and Emma 16. Seven adults living in this home is not going to work. 15 years from now what would this home be able to with stand? Things to think about.
The process is heavy on the front, we should have everything in this week and then it is wait....and wait....LOL they will choose from all the families who entered and could be months before we know so it will be best to let it rest once we get through the week...EACH EMAIL COUNTS SO KEEP EMAILING.... it is like voting for dancing with the stars..LOL WE NEED YOUR VOTES!!!
Tomorrow is videoing, pictures required and gathering all the outside information needed.
Thursday the news press is coming to meet our family, ironically the news press contancted us about a month or so ago about restraints in school. The interest has moved into our family.
