7-7 An investigation and a happy ending

Last night we went to bed with two children with raging fevers, and puke buckets next to beds.  NOT a favorite time of mine, this mid-summer flu. . . YUCK 
I had decided last night to call off our home-supervisors visit that was scheduled for this morning, but was having a hard time getting through to her.  NOT her fault, she is WONDERFUL to answer anytime of the night or day, but my dumb phone, erg. Anywho, I couldn't get ahold of her, but the weather was SO gorgeous with the delicious clouds covering the sky. (read that in one of my favorite blogs today, delicious clouds.)  Perfect weather for a cup of hot tea and a little devotional before the kids all started to wake up.  Then came the phone call.  I'm honestly ashamed that that one call made my morning spiral from glorious to terrified.  But there it is. 
"Hi, this is (blank) from (a distant county).  I'm calling in response to 3 calls we received alleging child abuse in your home."  Literally my heart fell into my stomach, THUD. "Oh,"  I say, "ok."  "Yes Ma'am, I have 4 business hours to respond in your home, so I will be heading down there immediately." Wow, you could have knocked me over with a feather. "I will be sequestering and interviewing (interrogating), each of your children seperately, expect this to take about an hour per child." I break out in a sweat.  Interviewing my children? Sequestered?  Picking apart her whole phrase and panicking over each individual part. "That is fine" I hear myself say. "I understand you have a job to do." Where did this calm come from?  I'm panicking inside, thinking of every possible exit strategy. "However, I need to warn you that three of our five are throwing up, and running fevers." The truth, maybe she will feel sorry for me, THREE of them are puking in the back-ground. "Very well," she says, "I hear that from alot of people, and if you won't let me in, I will just return with a Sherriff."  Ugh, "Ok, I'm just warning you, you are welcome to come."  Ta-da!  I didn't sound like I was on the verge of tears!  YAY!
I call our pastor's wife, a favorite in my small circle.  Tell her what was said, and she says, "Ok, let me pray with you real quick."  She prays for peace and I cry.  She prayed that the investigator will have their eyes opened to the truth in our home.  She prays a hedge of protection around our home, and our family.  What a blessing she is in my life!!!!  Another friend sends me three or four of our favorite verses.  A gentle encouragement to trust Him with all of it.  LOVE you!!!
Our Home Supervisor comes, ready to help me tidy up a bit, with calming words, and a gentle smile she makes me feel like it will be alright.  She assures me that this is par for the course, a rite of passage for foster parents. I make us English muffins and preserves, with hot tea.

We wait.

Another phone call, and we find out that our case has been transfered to another county.  So we sit and talk, David comes home and cleans.  He cleans, I eat.   :-D

More waiting.

We order pizza with salad, and those who aren't puking sit and eat and chat and you can feel the tension leaving the house.  David takes all the children back to the room, turns on some cartoons, and the air conditioner and starts quiet time.

                            I cook some more.  :-D   These are a family favorite, and SO comforting. 
                We turn on the TV, and laugh at the antics of another family, scripted and laugh tracked.

I lit all the candles in the family room and dining area.  Not because it's chilly, though the sky is still gray.  But to warm my heart.  To remind myself that this is not a holding cell, with strangers.  This is my home, and I have guests that I want to reflect the Lord to.
8 and 1/2 hours after that first heart dropping call, the investigator arrives.  She is young, wearing comfortable clothes and low tennis shoes.  She looks at Alex, talks to us a little, and decides that there is no threat here.  She will return for the formal interviews of our children that she explains will only be a few minutes, on Tues.  And my heart begins to calm.  God is still on the throne.  He is still the one that sifts the things and people that come into our lives, and tonight I am grateful.  A sweet friend called me tonight to offer a Starbucks run.  SO sweet.  I can not tell you how much I appreciate the wonderful people that God has brought into our lives to come alongside and encourage.

This is Abi Leigh making baby Isaac "laugh like a human".  (her words)  :-D  hahaha

                     This is my husbands way of telling me how much he loves me.  He is my Honey.