A few things

First of all, thank you so much again for all of your continued prayers! You are all amazing, and I am so blessed to be part of this community.

Well, I finally have an update for you all! I got an email from J's mom today, and she told me that they have decided not to transfer the case to my county. Turns out the original investigator has been out sick recently so she is behind on her caseload.

She spoke with J's mom this morning, and she said she is planning to call me this week to set up a home visit. She wants to come and see J's environment here, and I think she has some questions about his activities while he is here along with details of the day when the break occurred.

I have a small sense of renewed anxiety, but I am confident that everything will go smoothly. My plan for the home visit is to make sure that all the outlet covers are in place, put the baby gates in place as they are when he is here, and to have the house reasonably spotless.

I am happy that things seem to be moving forward, but I was kind of enjoying the lull. However, Bill and I have discussed it, and at this point, we are thinking that I probably won't be watching J anymore regardless of the outcome of the investigation. He feels that I have enough on my plate, and since we were only using the money to build our savings, he thinks that I don't need the added stress.

I'm inclined to agree, but we will see what happens. J's mom is due with their second at the end of March, and the two boys will be 11 months apart. I was already planning on stopping since I don't feel up to watching  both of them so it is probably just as well. However, I could see them asking me to watch J on a few days during her maternity leave to help her adjust. I would be willing to consider this, but it's a bridge we will have to cross when we get there.

Well I have started rambling and thinking out loud so I will close with a prayer for our husbands. The following prayer is from the book The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian.

His Walk

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; "it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Therefore, Lord, I pray that You would direct my husband's steps. Lead him in Your light, teach him Your way, so he will walk in Your truth. I pray that he would have a deeper walk with You and an ever progressing hunger for Your Word.

May Your presence be like a delicacy he never ceases to crave. Lead him on Your path and make him quick to confess when he strays from it. Reveal to him any hidden sin that would hinder him from walking rightly before You. May he experience deep repentance when he doesn't live in obedience to Your laws. Create in him a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within him. Don't cast him away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from him (Psalm 51:10,11). 

Lord, Your Word says that those who are in the flesh cannot please You (Romans 8:8). So I pray that You will enable (husband's name) to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh and thereby keep himself "from the paths of the destroyer" (Psalm 17:4). As he walks in the Spirit, may he bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). Keep him on the Highway of Holiness so that the way he walks will be integrated into every part of his life.