Abby's 1st Birthday

I think I know what Abby's party themes are going to be most every year...Easter!  We put together a last minute get together at my house for her birthday. I went to the store to buy a cake mix to bake her a cake and all the Easter decorations and candy were being clearanced.  I bought decorations between $1-$4 to have for her "get together".  Even the Easter cake mix and frosting were being clearanced.  Here are pictures of her on her birthday. 

Our baby girls

Abbygail - 3 months old

Baylee - 9 months old

I'm having fun dressing up two baby girls with dresses, bracelets, and hairbows.  I haven't been able to dress little girls alike until now and I'm loving it.  The girls are just 6 months apart and we get lots of weird looks when we go out into public.  One of the first questions people ask us is "How far apart are they?" and then we watch as they try to figure out the math in their heads.   

Her name is Abbygail

I've been thinking a lot recently about getting a job so I can have some extra cash for our family...but mostly just for fun money for me and the kids.  I don't know if I should go full or part time... I don't know how much I want to make or how far I should drive, and with all these questions I went to Christian this past weekend.  Christian just said okay but ultimately left the decision up for me to make.

Tuesday morning I had finally decided that I would start searching for local jobs close to home.  As I'm sitting down to the computer to look at Queen Creek employment opportunities, I get a phone call from my foster parenting case worker.  Christian and I have taken our names off the list for foster parenting until at least June so we could have a little break after Alynna left.  I thought our caseworker was wondering if we had signed up for our annual parenting classes...nope!  "How would you like a brand new baby boy?" She asks me.  "I know you're not on the list but I thought I'd just ask you first. He's 2 weeks old, tested positive for Meth and is being discharged from the hospital today."  I told her I needed to talk to Christian about it and would get back to her.  After talking/debating with Christian whether this really was a good decision, he left it up for me to decide.  So I said a prayer to Heavenly Father and said I would love to have a little baby but I needed to know if I should tell the case worker yes or no and if this was a wise thing to do.  I'm thinking about all the things that are so coinsidental like; Dane potty training so quickly which means we won't have 3 babies in diapers, and I don't really believe in coinsidences so thought maybe I wasn't supposed to be looking for a job.  I had felt pretty good about all of these things and didn't receive a resounding no or any negative feelings as a result of my prayer so decided that I guess that meant my answer was yes. 

So I told the caseworker yes and then waited all day to hear back from CPS for when the baby boy (not named yet) would be discharged from the hospital.  And I waited, and waited, and I finally get a phone call that a family member has stepped up to take him home so he won't be placed with us afterall.  Which I felt  fine about, and I had to laugh because apparantly Heavenly Father felt I needed to be prepared but...my answer wasn't a yes or no...but a  "wait". 

Then I wake up Wednesday morning and I'm feeling a little confused because I really thought I had gotten an answer from Heavenly Father that I probably shouldn't be looking for a job.  But baby boy isn't coming to live with us so I guess that was all me so I should start looking again.  Then, as I sit down to my computer to look for jobs I get another call from my case worker.  "Are you ready?" she asks me.  Ready for what? and I'm thinking "ready for my foster parenting classes in May?"  Yeah, I'm ready.  "Good, she says because there's a 2-day old baby girl, whose tested positive for meth and needs to be placed in a home.  Are you ready for her?"  Okay, I say.  And I'm thinking to myself, is someone playing a trick on me? 

This morning, I started putting away baby boy clothes and pulling out the newborn girl clothes.  Christian and my mom are totally on my same brain wave...we'll see if a family member steps up for this baby girl. 

Fast forward to right now (2:00PM)...I have lil' baby Abbygail, 6lbs 4ozs, asleep in the baby swing downstairs.  I picked her up from the hospital today at 12-noon.  I don't know how long we'll have her, maybe just a few short days, or maybe a lot longer.  I've decided though that I need to continue to be a stay-at-home mommy.  I guess that's where I'm supposed to be.

Isn't she cute?  I've always loved the name Abby.

Hahaha, that last picture really cracks me up.  Such a cute baby you are, Abby. 

Here are some more pictures of me and Baylee waiting this morning to see if we really were going to bring home a baby girl today.  This is my happy face, because I'm happy to have such cute little girls to dress up.  Melody is going to be really happy too when she gets home from school.

**It's now Friday morning and I thought I'd update you.  Looks like a family member has been located and will be taking Abby home.  I'll find out more later today.  I knew that was a likely possibility yesterday before I picked her up so I have been waiting to hear more.  But I got to snuggle another cute baby girl for one night at least...we got to snuggle at midnight, 2:AM, and 5:AM.  Thanks, Abby, for the consecutive 3 hours of sleep...that really helped.**