May is Foster Care Month

For Immediate Release April 28, 2010 Presidential Proclamation-National Foster Care Month
A PROCLAMATION

Nearly a half-million children and youth are in foster care in America, all entering the system through no fault of
their own. During National Foster Care Month, we recognize the promise of children and youth in foster care, as well as former foster youth. We also celebrate the professionals and foster parents who demonstrate the depth and kindness of the human heart.

Children and youth in foster care deserve the happiness and joy every child should experience through family life and a safe, loving home. Families provide children with unconditional love, stability, trust, and the support to grow into healthy, productive adults. Unfortunately, too many foster youth reach the age at which they must leave foster care and enter adulthood without the support of a permanent family.

Much work remains to reach the goal of permanence for every child, and my Administration has supported States that increased the number of children adopted out of foster care, providing over $35 million in 2009 through the Adoption Incentives program. We are also committed to meeting the developmental, educational, and health-related needs of children and youth in foster care. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided a significant increase in funding for the Title IV-E adoption and foster care assistance program. States can use
these funds to ensure those placed in foster care will enter a safe and stable environment.

In addition, we are implementing the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act. This law promotes permanency and improved outcomes for foster youth through support for kinship care and adoption, support for older youth, direct access to Federal resources for Indian tribes, coordinated health benefits, improved educational stability and opportunities, and adoption incentives and assistance. Former foster youth will also benefit from the Affordable Care Act, which, beginning in 2014, will ensure Medicaid coverage for them in every State.

This month, caring foster parents and professionals across our Nation will celebrate the triumphs of children and
youth in foster care as they work to remove barriers to reaching a permanent family. Federal, State, and local government agencies, communities, and individuals all have a role to play as well. Together, we can ensure that young people in foster care have the opportunities and encouragement they need to realize their full potential.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2010 as National Foster Care Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities to honor and support young people in foster care, and to recognize the committed adults who work on their behalf each day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Galatians 6:9

Everyone second guesses themselves at one time or another. I have often said if someone paints the picture of their homelife and it comes too close to looking like the Brady bunch then thats the people you really wanna be careful of because some one is lying. Everyone has their ups and downs. This week the Brewer house has been plagued with mishaps. I believe with all that is in me and my boys have so much potential to be leaders and strong men of faith in God that I know Satan is going to work hard to try and get his claws into them. That is why I work as hard as I can to try and keep them covered in prayer all the time. Satan must have put in overtime this week. My kids were a mess this week. One of them was tossed off the school bus for acting up, another one was fighting, and then came the back talk. It seemed like I was doing nothing but passing out punishments all week. It got the best of me a few times. I confided to someone on Monday that I wondered if I was doing these children and good at all. He looked back at me and said well if your wondering if you doing a good job then you must be....otherwise you wouldnt care. I silently hoped he was right. Now I know boys this age will go through hormonal rages of puberty and we just have to let them get though it. But I really felt bad. Tonight my oldest son and I went to church and just before we left the pastor....who by the way didnt know me at all walked up to me and quoted Galatians 6:9 to me:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
When he said those words to me I cant begin to tell you how refreshed I felt. It was like someone just picked me up and dusted me off and said to keep on keeping on. It was amazing. God is really something isnt he? He knew what I needed....sent someone my way to pass it on and now I am eagerly ready to try again. God has charged me with an amazing responsibility to nurture these boys and I want to do a good job.....I cant wait to reap the harvest.

The Kindergarten Performance

Today was Morgans first school performance. I always love to go to the kindergarten performance because there are so many new moms in the crowd that when the kids come out on stage they all race to the front like the paparazzi chasing Princess Di. I have had a few kindergarten performances under my belt so I thought to myself I would be sitting in my seat laughing at all of them. Boy was I wrong. My daughter was on stage. When she came out on the stage and I saw her little eyes scanning the crowd looking for me I hopped to my feet so she could find me and raced up front with my camera in hand. Its funny how I felt when she came out on the stage. She wasnt my foster daughter...she was mine. It is funny how that made me feel. I love my foster children so very very much but there is something special about knowing its YOUR child. And when she opened her little mouth to sing with the rest of the children I couldnt help but get a little misty as I sat there and thought about all the things this beautiful little girl has been through to see her now is just a miracle. Its the working of God in her life. I was overwhelmed. I am so grateful to have been chosen by God to be the mother of this little girl. Tonight I got to reap some of the benefit of the sacrifice we make when we become a mom. Sure she may cry to try and get her way sometimes...she might make a mess when I wish she wouldnt....but who cares...all that seems so trivial when you see them in their first little kindergarten performance and you sit and think about all that this child has the potential to become. God has charged me with an awesome responsibility. I didnt deserve such an awesome blessing but he gave it to me anyway....thats why we named her Grace...Morgan Grace...Grace means unmerited favor from God.

Mommy Daughter Day

Today was Mommy and Daughter day at the Brewer house. Morgan is just 5 years old so therefore she doesnt do all the activities that her older foster brothers do...but she goes to all the practices and games and so forth. So I wanted this to be about her. We made plans to go out just her and I. She was so excited about it and she kept reminding me that is MOMMY DAUGHTER DAY. I think she liked saying those words as much as I liked hearing them. As soon as church was over and we got the boys all situated with daddy we took off. The boys were all mad because they wanted to go too. I had lunch with my daughter and then we went to Chuck E Cheese and played games. After that we went shopping for a Mommy daughter day outfit. It was so much fun just her and I. I thought it was cute that she kept mentioning the boys and wondering what they were doing. She loves them...they are her brothers. She mentioned to me after we left Chuck e Cheese that the next time we go she would like to bring them to play too. My daughter is a talker....anyone who spends five minutes with her will tell you she is a huge talker. But I discovered something about her today.....she has a kind heart, she thinks of others, she looks for things to say to make you smile. While we were going down the road right out of the blue she proclaimed to me that I was the best mother in the whole world.....I asked her why fully expecting her to say because your taking me to Chuck E Cheese....instead she said because you take care of me and make me smile. I am Morgans mom....I cant tell you how those words make me feel. It couldnt feel any better if I hit the grand slam lottery.

Wrinkle in the Road

Its been a mess around here lately. Ever since R has come to the realization that social services in making plans to move him to an adoptive home hes began to act up. I feel like I am handing out punishments all the time this week. Then to make matters worse he got kicked off the school bus. He deserved it. So I have been making him do chores to earn money for gas to take him to and from school. Then while all that was going on N decided to have a tantrum. He is a lazy student and he doesnt like to be corrected for anything. It comes from his old way of thinking that he is an adult. He was pretty mad at me for fussing at him for his poor grade. It was probably the maddest he has ever gotten with me. I didnt yell or anything at him I just didnt say anything really. I decided to let it go and let him sink or swim with that grade with just the reminder that if the grade is poor he will go to summer school. So thats been out week for the most part. Handing out punishments for bad behavior. I shouldnt feel badly but I do. I love them and like seeing them happy and I like being the one that makes them happy. But I want them to grow up being happy productive self sufficient adults there will be some bumps in the road. And that is what they are really...bumps. Later on when I was washing dishes N came up to me and kissed my cheek and said Im sorry for being mean. They are my boys and I love them.

Middle School Mom

So I guess I am an official Middle School mom. Today N left for spring break camp for 2 days. I have always had a good close relationship to N. When we got to the bus and he was about to board it for camp I could tell he didnt want to kiss me in front of all his cool middle school friends. I guess I could have been one of those cool moms and let him shake my hand and go but instead I decided what the heck...I grabbed him and gave him a huge hug and kiss and told him I loved him with all my heart and to call me if he needed me immediately and I would race to his side. I could tell he blushed. But its all good. I knew he would eventually reach that ripe ole age of preteen when he would be embarassed by me....I know he loves me. And although he might have blushed with a little embarassment in front of his cool friends in his heart he knows I love him and would walk through the fire for him. So thats why I am sitting up so late....One of little ones is out of the nest and I am wondering what he is doing tonite. I know he is safe at camp....after all its sponsored by the Police and Sheriffs department.
R found out that the adoption party he was having to go to was cancelled. He was elated. His adoption case worker stopped by to see him and to help him begin the process of building a book about himself that would later be used as tool for potential adoptive parents. R is not fond of social workers and he tried with all that was within himself to express his feelings to her today. He is such a confused little boy. We have decided to leave it in Gods hands knowing that whatever is in his will for R will be the best. Time will tell.
So I guess I will go try to lay down again. Tomorrow is soccer game day.
Nite nite

Spring Break

Lots of things going on at our house lately. First we got past that very long drawn out court thing we had to sit in. It was bittersweet but left a print on my soul in ways I find hard to put into words. So much has been said about this mother and I know and I think in her heart of hearts she knows she isnt ready to care for these children. She will be in my prayers.
Then we had Easter. I was really looking forward to Easter this year. All my boys got suits for Easter and my little girl looked like a fairy princess and I could tell she felt like one as well. It was fun planning for it. We had a nice dinner and an Easter egg hunt after. Even my mom went to church.....faint. My friend came over and spent some time with us and went to church and it was nice having company for the holiday because it took some of the sting away of being ignored by the rest of my relatives.
The children had a blast and that made it a wonderful day for me. Now that that is all out of the way its time to get back into the mode of soccer and practice and games and all that fun stuff. My oldest will be leaving this weekend for a few days at Spring break camp and I am not sure how I feel about it but I know I will cry when he gets on that bus to make that ride 10 miles down the road. Its a mom thing....I love them and like keeping them around me so I know they are safe. I am not one of those over protective moms but I just enjoy my kids.
This coming weekend also one of my other children will be getting picked up to attend an adoption party. He isnt real thrilled about it but I am trying to make it as easy as possible for him. Social services seems to think that he would do best in a home where he is the only child....I disagree. He has done well where he is and the therapist seems to think so as well. But I have given my word to the department that I would work with them on any decision they make and I will do so....even if I think its a dumb one.
So now we are in Spring break full mode....and I can see the kids are getting a little bored with it already.
Thats ok .....I have a surprise for them tomorrow!

TPR

Termination of Parental Rights court proceedings is a sad event ... and thats all I am going to say about that.