Goin' to the aquarium

Telling her new friend that she's dressed in her LSU outfit again because LSU was going to the College World Series!!!

Seeing the sea turtles!

Trying to convince the shark that "tigers" are better.

Got to see real sharks!

And fake sharks.

She loved watching the sharks the most. I think we have the next Jacques Costeau on our hands!

And we got to see turtles!

The sharks going crazy during feeding time

At first she wasn't quite sure about it, but she got to touch a SHARK!!!

Misc pics...been busy!

Got to steal this picture from "Nana's" camera!!! ( this was from the day she got here)

Boudreaux has a new friend.

Saying Goodbye to "Papa" at the airport

I've never seen such a happy scrunchie face before!

First thing in the morning, "Miss Bedhead" checks to see if Daddy likes his father's day gift.

it's nice to have big friends and little friends ....and getting to color on the neighbors dock for fun.

Miss "No fear"

And nana waves goodbye! What a great day at the pool.

And one little friend was being a frog on the lily pad.

Our friends came to the pool with us too!!

Was she afraid to go down these slides?// Umm....NO!!

Nana helps learn how to swim!

Mime "comes alive" to give Madi a piece of candy!

And wow....this balloon turned into a basket !! All for her!

We got to go see the sunset.....but it was all cloudy, so at least we got to see the street performers.

At Margaritaville....just hoping she wasn't looking for the lost shaker of salt.

Big day taking "papa" (grandpa) out on the town before he had to go back home. First we stopped by Daddy's work and got a poster of the Blue Angels. What a photo Op.....Daddy's own parking space! And of course we had to be dressed in LSU, it was game day for the Mens college world series!! We learned how to say " Geaux Tigers!!"

makin friends

Having 2 pools in her yard might not be enough, good thing the neighbor has a pool too. And barbie likes to drive by to go to the "car wash."

Michael Phelps watch out....Madison has goggles too

Trial run before her friends got to her "Come meet Madison party"

daddy makes a surprise visit in the pool

Already wet, might as well check it all the way out

"Mr. Chris, throw me again!!"

Presents?? For me?? Hey Mommy....when's my next party??

Awww, he handed her his present!!

Goin fishin"

Lookin for the big fish so she can tell "nana" where to fish

Wow....a whopper!!!

Cuttin bait and wondering why do the fish eat other fish??

Daddy would throw the line out and Madi would reel in the fish....but a good fisherman fishes barefoot.

ta-daaaaa...she's here!!

Madison got here on the 8th as planned.....too bad her luggage didn't make it with her. The airline had "Lost" her and her grandparents luggage. But the travel gods were with them that day and the luggage showed up at about 11pm that night. Whew!! After a long day of getting to "Flo-wa".....it didn't take too long to get to sleep. Problem was when she decided to wake up at 5am. We tried getting her to back to sleep with no luck. She asked when she was going to meet her new friends and I had her look out the window to see it was still dark outside and her new friends were still sleeping!!! Nope, that logic didn't work either.

After having to wait just a wittle wonger.......the little pool was blown up and someone was a pretty happy girl!! Lots more pictures to come if I can find the time to get them posted!!

Happy Birthday Madison!

Madison turns 4 today. Dennis and I are a total ball of emotions today. We're disappointed because we couldn't spend the day with her, excited for what tomorrow brings, and helpless knowing that tomorrow will be a difficult day for Madi's foster family.

And here I sit stuck....I usually don't have any problems writing, but I'm at a loss. I just feel so guilty being so happy and excited knowing that Madison will be here tomorrow. But there is going to be a lot of tears and heartbreak on the other end. The only saving grace I have is knowing that one day we will be able to tell her just how important these people were in her life, what they have done for her, and how much happiness she brought into their lives. At her young 4 years, she doesn't know just how much of a difference she's made in other people's lives.

A new year in her life will begin. Please say prayers that Madison will be able to live with us forever and that she doesn't have to endure the trauma of moving anywhere else again.

Madison and Morgans journey thus far...

It's so unfortunate that Dennis and I can be looking forward to something so special that is coming from the sad expense of someone else. In just a few short days from now, Dennis's sister will be going to the airport to watch her daughter get on a plane to come live with us. Do we feel sorry for her? Of course we do. But it was her decisions in life that brought us all to this point, so our sympathies can only run so deep. I know that may sound cold, but so many opportunities have been given to her to do the right thing and get her children back, and she has chosen not to do those things. We can only hope and pray now that she chooses to start again to get her own life together.
Madison and her brother were taken from their mom a year ago. You might say, "Oh, a brother, but you said you were just getting Madison?" Yes, she has an older brother that is extremely autistic. As much as I would like to make my life's motto work here ( Because you can) I also have learned in life to know where your limitations are. I don't think we could have provided him with the care that he needs. Because they were raised at the hands of a drug addict and were also neglected and abused, both kids have behavioral issues and emotional scars that will take years to correct. We think individual attention will be the best for them. Although we won't have him with us, we will always be looking out for his best interests any way we can and of course, Madison will always know who her big brother is. Angels are taking care of him right now....what else could I call 2 people that are also taking care of 2 other special needs children? He is responding to their care and is slowing coming out from that deep shell he had been in.
Both of the kids had been removed and first placed with an older Foster Mom and were with her for about 4 months before the woman decided she no longer wanted to be involved in foster care. At that point, the kids were split up and placed in seperate homes. Morgan is in his 2nd foster home and Madison is now in her 4th. We first called the Lousiana state office Aug 2008 to inquire about what we needed to do to foster or adopt Madison. The case worker told us it wasn't possible and that (and I quote) it was too much paperwork. Although our blood was boiling at his answer, Dennis's sister was going through her first drug treatment facilty and we decided to see if she was on the road to recovery. A few months later, she left the facilty without completing her treatment and we knew it was time to do something. In Dec we went to La. and met with the case worker and his supervisor to start the fostering process. ( Hmm...so it WAS possible for us to do this!!)
For those of you that don't know, even though she is a blood relative, we had to take foster parent classes and become certified. The law is such that they will no longer place a child in a home just because it's a relative. ( We were told this is because sometimes the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, and this is for the safety of the child) I can't say enough about the workers we met here in Florida. They provided us with in home training ( very rarely done) to help expedite the process. We started in Jan and completed all the requirements in March. The days that followed were an absolute nightmare. Each time we thought we were going to be getting her, something else was told to us and one day stretched into the next. The ultimate emotional rollercoaster.
So where is Madison now? After being with 2 other families that.....gave her back to the state, 2 moves that happened within 2 weeks of each other, ( I don't like it, but I'm not here to judge) she is now with a family that also has angel wings and halos. She has been with them for 6 months and has done more little girl things then she had done in her whole 4 years. ( She'll be 4 on June 7th) Even her extended foster family has taken her under their wings and for the first time, she has felt loved and cared for. I know things weren't easy for them at times. And I know there were some special times of love and laughter. I know all this because I think Dennis and I have made friends for life, because when it comes time for Madison to leave them, it won't be a good bye forever, it will be...."Until I see you again."

The Countdown begins

Mon. June 1st....last Monday before Madison gets here. It's hard to believe that in a week we will start our new journey.
I suppose I should explain why I titled this blog "Because you Can." Most of you know I had a son that battled and lost the fight to Cystic Fibrosis when he was 19 yrs old. What he never knew is that he gave me words to live by. For the most part, he was able to lead a relatively normal childhood. His passion was baseball and he was so fun to watch. The hardest thing for me as a parent was watching him when he was a freshmen in High School and just found his next passion...playing football. To see him struggle with those infamous 2 a day practices was heart wrenching. He had such a hard time breathing at this point in his life and watching him coughing and wheezing when they ran them hard always brought me to tears. He was able to play in a few games and then there were just too many hospitalizations that ended the season for him. His sports days were over. That following spring, I was playing in a women's softball league. I had had a long day at work and was "whining" that I was tired and didn't feel like playing that night. That's when he spoke words of wisdom to me and what I now try to live my life by. He said (very sternly) Mom....you'll go play tonight and do you know why?? BECAUSE YOU CAN.

Watching any child suffer is hard. Watching your own child can take you to the brink of insanity. But you find ways to be strong. Sometimes humor was the best thing that got us all through. Even up to his last days. He was quite a character and "cuttin-up" was his specialty. So if at anytime I seem to be making light of a situation, all I can ask is not to judge, because as the saying goes, "You've not walked in my shoes."

I hope that what I have learned from him can help me be a better parent to Madison. One day when she's old enough, I'll be able to tell her the stories of her "Big brother Craig" and the hero that he is to me.

I also hope in making a journal of our new chapter in life ahead of us, we can all learn that anything can be done when you have your health to do it. Don't take any day for granted. When you feel too tired or stressed to do something.....do it anyway......BECAUSE YOU CAN.