Porters Portals

I attended a State meeting yesterday in regards to our youngest foster daughter and let me tell you, I was exhausted from it. It is a huge emotional roller coaster. Through the first part of the meeting my hands were shaking so bad. When I get upset and want to talk about what is on my mind and know I can not....I shake. Holding all those emotions in makes me shake. What was so emotionally upsetting?....Well as you can probably guess (and I am sorry) I am not able to share any details. It's confidential (blah)! But I can hedge around it. The bio is attempting to get back on track again after being derailed for a bit. One thing she has done is gained employment. It's the type of employment she has gained that blind sided me and I believe, if I am reading her face correctly, blind sided the caseworker also. Then to add salt to the wound two of the paternal (yes the bio dads) family was there and totally supported bio mom in her employment as did bios attorney. For anyone who know...

There is a blog I read occasionally called Kelly's Korner . On Fridays she has different entry's from guest bloggers . Such as people sharing different rooms in their homes. I have enjoyed viewing but never felt compelled to participate. Even now I am starting to chicken out but I am going to try and make myself. Why you might ask...it's for those who are not 20 something and getting married, for those who are getting REmarried , those who are older when they get married, and for those who are full figured and wearing a wedding dress and lastly for those who don't have $1,000's to spend on a 'day.' I was a single mother of 4 for 7 1/2 years when I married my Huz . We married January 15...um no that would be 16 th 2005. That is a story...for another day. When my husband and I decided to marry he wanted a wedding. I did not. I just wanted a ceremony. He wanted to have the caboodle. I wanted it nice and quiet. I agreed to a church wedding as a way of testimony...

We had BG's birthday party on Saturday the 18th. She had a GREAT time though she was nap deprived. She loved the hub-bub of it all. She LOVED the birthday song. Here is the precious one.

Our precious baby BG turned one today. She had a rough start but she is great now. She is full of life. She is strong willed, stubborn, independent, and precious. I am so thankful to God for choosing us to love and care for her. Last year when we were finally certified to foster, we had two children placed. 2 months later I suddenly felt the urge to rearrange my daughters room to fit a small crib (with the blessing of my daughter of course). The next day our certifier was due to arrive and conduct a final inspection. I showed her the crib and told her I would be willing to take a baby. She said great but to be prepared because they hadn't received many babies in the last few months. I said that's fine, just as long as you know the offer is there. Not more than 2 hours after her visit she called and said "Malissa, you won't believe this but we have a baby needing placement." wow...my head just swirled. "She said she is 2 mths old and is in the office right now...

I meant to ge t this posted yesterday but ran out of time. Yesterday marks the one year anniversary of two of our foster kiddos. We sure have come a long way in that time frame. They are great kids and have been great kids from the start but they were sad, nervous, not sure about anything when they came. We were their second placement due to a BAD placement the first time so that made their anxiety even higher. But they have blended into our family. They have so many that love them. The oldest, MK, has even began to show me affection. I was pretty much last on her list to that. I understand though, she didn't want to appear to be a traitor to her Mom. They love their parents and their parents love them. Now that they have a stable home to be and they have regular visits there is a peace that has just settled within them . I am so happy for them. I am so thankful God chose us for them to come and live with. It doesn't seem it has been a year...we all have learned so much. Contin...

One of the attractions in the Pacific Northwest created worldwide news almost 30 years ago. Mt. St. Helens erupted. It was a major event in our area for weeks and weeks prior to May 18th 1980. When it exploded 57 people were killed, 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railway, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. The side of the mountain exploded out at speeds over 300 miles an hour. Blowing debris and hot gases towards everything in it's path. A column of ash (looking similar to an atomic bomb blast) shot out of the mountain and then drifted East. Darkened the sky and ash covered Washington, parts of Oregon and then slowly made it's way around the world. Though the devastation happened within minutes, the entire eruption lasted 9hours. At the time of the eruption I lived in Milwaukie Oregon and and attended Milwaukie Middle School. I remember the ash. I remember scooping some off our deck and keeping it. I remember helping my sister to wash it off her driveway. I remember b...

The 4 th of July was great. Thanks to Walmart all my family had matching shirts ($3 bucks a piece...what a deal). We had family and friends! We barbecued chicken, hotdogs ( Costco hotdogs at that mmmm !), and hamburgers. We had 3 different size pools set up (it was a HOT day) and fun was had by all. Here are some random pics from our day. Happy Birthday America. I pray God's blessings on this Nation. I pray that God's chosen will be faithful to Him and tell others to turn towards him so that we would continue to be blessed. God Bless America

"She's my yankee doodle sweetheart , she's my yankee doodle girl. A_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ came to town a ridin on a pony, she is my yankee doodle girl!!!" She wasn't born on the fourth of July, but just a few hours shy of it....BUT she is my firecracker...that's for sure. I adore my middle girl. She has such a good heart. She is loving and kind. She is imaginative , helpful, creative, talented, funny, and beautiful. The meaning of her 'real' name (she goes by a nickname) means 'Like Spring' and she is. She is new and fresh and bright and beautiful. I am so thankful for her. So today she became an official tween. Though she is young, she is much taller than me. She is also taller than her older sister. I took her, her sister, and her best friend to the Mall at Jantzen Beach yesterday for a birthday surprise. The surprise was actually a Manicure and Pedicure. She was soooo excited and enjoyed every minute. She was just glowing. She was able to sho...