More news on Braxton ****

Well, since March of this last year we have been waiting to see if we would be able to adopt Braxton. This is when his birth parents rights were terminated. His birth father actually signed his rights off so that we would be able to adopt. His birth mom appealed the judges decision. I just found out that a decision from the judge on the appeal will be entered some time by the first of May NEXT YEAR. That means that IF we are able to adopt him, then he will be over 4 years old by the time that happens. I am soooooo sad, I just want to cry right now. I completely understand why his birth mom appealed. I know that she wants Braxton to know that she fought to keep him because she loves him so much, but this has all just been killing me. I love this little guy so much. I wish so bad that his birth mom would write to me so we could see each other and so she could see Braxton. Just thinking about him being taken away from us makes me feel like my heart is being ripped out. I know that that has already happened to his birth mom and I want to do anything I can to ease her pain. I am so okay with open adoption. I feel like a child needs to have SOME kind of contact with members of their birth family so they won't have all of those questions and feelings of loss that most adopted children have. I wish so bad that I could talk to Braxton's birth mom and tell her how much I love her for allowing us to keep Braxton in our home. She very easily could have had a family member take him and I am sooooooo grateful to her for not doing that. She has tried so hard to get her life back together and we pray for her continually. It is just that waiting for Braxton to legally be a part of our family, without the threat of losing him has just taken it's toll on all of us. Especially me. I love Braxton more than words could say. None of our lives would be the same without him.

During harvest break and TJ and Tyra were home and Braxton was at preschool, TJ kept saying, "Mom, it's so quiet when Braxton is not here. I don't like it." Just yesterday Tyra had dance and when she got home she gave Braxton a big hug and told him how much she missed him while she was gone. He told her he missed her back. It was so sweet. These are the moments you wish you could have on video. Every time Tommy comes in from the office he plays with the kids. Well, now that TJ and Tyra have been in school, he gets a LOT of playing time in with Braxton. Braxton absolutely loves to play with his daddy. He giggles more than any kid I have ever seen, when he is with Tommy. As much attention as he thinks he has to have ALL of the time, I still can hardly stand it when he is gone either. It is way too quiet.

(I moved the rest of this blog to Braxton's page because it was all about him. Click on the title of this blog to read the rest.)