Mulan has been here for 15 days is it is going really, really well.

I feel that we are coming to the end of the honeymoon phase, but she is responding so well to our positive attention and love that I don't think there will be many unusual issues.

I may refer to this sentence later when explaining my stupidity.

Her case makes me hate the department more than ever. Our precious girl could have been adopted years ago and began a normal life, but desopite being sent to her home 21 TIMES. she didn't escape her situation until she was 16. She has overcome more than I will ever know and I am filled with pride and sadness. Pride that she has come from a girl who was wasting her life and drowning her sorrows in drugs, to graduating with As, Bs and 1 C  and entry into college. I just hope we can continue to help her be the best version of herself. There is so much potential that she hasn't tapped into and I can't wait to see what she makes of the rest of her life.

Snow White's case is going to TPR!!!!!!!!!!

Advisory hearing is August 10th. This is just to notify the parents the circumstances, and then there will be two more hearings and then, God willing, Snow White will be free of them. They have continued, despite the extra months given to them, to use drugs, stalk Brother's caregivers, and refuse treatment from the department.

Bio mother had a major mental meltdown at a previous visit and now all visits are going through a visitation center. We will see how long that lasts.

Grandparents are still wanting to adopt, but the judge has denied them placement and told them that they were more than welcome to go through the adoption process through the department (the department already said that they would fail their process).

There are more court dates, counseling appointments, and logistical issues that ever, but all is good in our home for now. We have a summer of relative peace before the storm begins. PLease begin praying for Snow White. She does not know that TPR is coming, and it will be a blow.

Mulan

No she isn't Asian.

But she is strong, unconventional, and full of faults and potential.

She is 17.

She is going to be the newest member of our family!

Yes we are (sorta) adopting a 17-year-old. The sorta comes in to play because she will be 18 in August and Mulan doesn't really want to go through the process since it will essentially be a piece of paper.

What she does want it a forever family, and she chose us.

We met her while volunteering at a nearby group home for girls. All of the girls there are amazing, but most will end up back with their families...and Mulan just "fit". As usual, hubby recognized our relationship for what it was long before I did. I thought that she could never see us as parents as I am not yet 30. I thought that she would want to move into an apartment like the other 18-year-olds in foster care. I thought she would never want to take another chance to get hurt again.

But, as I often am,  I was wrong, and this precious girl wants a family just as much as a 10-year-old would. I am nervous about the challenges of parenting a teenager, and I am not extremely confident in dealing with issues like boyfriends, driving, and curfews. But I am comfortable in the knowledge that this is all in God's plan, and that this precious girl will end up making my life what it is supposed to be.

My first forever daughter. I still can't believe it.