I miss updating... I really do... but life with 4 littles still has me not knowing if I'm coming or going most days! Yes you heard me right, not THREE littles... FOUR! How'd that happen you ask?? Well God has a sense of humor! Just when we thought we were finally getting our act together with 3 littles, God said guess what, change of plans!! We had our littles older brother for the Summer. He's been through a lot for someone so young (8 yrs. at the time) and after several failed adoption placements through no fault of his own he was living back with his Aunt, and becoming quite a handful. Hubby and I talked about the fact that she was at the end of her rope, and at 8 yrs. old he just could not be out of options. Soooo we decided to have him for the Summer and pray about how God may choose to use us, or not. Long story short, we know God brought this child full circle back to us, and here is where he belongs. We will be adopting again :) Adoption is never a speedy process, but we know that's where we're headed. Missouri requires 6 months of guardianship and a home study before adoption, so that's what we're working on now.
Me... I'm homeschooling four littles, well officially three but Chloe insists on starting early so I accommodate her, lol. We are still growing the homestead. We have chickens, rabbits and we've added turkey's! Interesting creatures, very aware of their surroundings. With Nathaniel & Keegan I was the "karate mom" shuttling them 1, 2, sometimes 3x a week to various martial arts practices, and orchestrating/doing F.A.I.T.H. homeschool group activities. With our newest littles we are doing a homeschool science/art/music/cooking co-op and running to speech/occupational/family therapy every week.
Hubby... Still working at MoDot, but looking forward to a transfer in November. We're excited he'll be moving to the St. Clair shed, it which will shave about an hour and a half off his daily drive to work time. Yay!! More time with us! He also finally got his official "man cave" which he is excited to have. He's already created a "home Dojo" in it, and is working on the "shop" part now. It gives him a place to work out and spend time with the kids. I even have a corner for storage, weeee!!
Nathaniel... loves his job at the Mace grocery store. He's thinking college in the Spring of 2016 now that's he's had a little time to save up some money. He's taken to collecting old time pieces, mainly pocket watches, and become friends with an older fellow who repairs the for a living at a jewelers in Sullivan. Nathaniel offered to apprentice under him to learn more about his hobby, and the fellow happily accepted. Nathaniel has also found he really likes attending the "Old English" country dances they hold monthly, and goes with a group of friends.
Keegan... has officially graduated high school, and is also working at Mace and enjoying his first job. He seems in no hurry to drive and takes full advantage of his brother (and I) running him wherever he needs to go. He will also start college in the Spring. Keegan's been my right hand guy when home, helping with the children, homestead and house. God has truly blessed me with two wonderfully giving teens. I'm still a little melancholy about them moving on to the next phase of their lives and seeing less of them. Thankful they're loved by their bosses, and given Sunday's off so we still have a day of family time with everyone home.
Micah & Noah... have come a LONG way from the little boys we met and fell in love with 4 years ago. Micah is an easy student, takes pride in his work and is doing really well in school. He loves to build things and creates very elaborate, well thought out creations with his Lego's. Noah is very artistic and LOVES to draw and cut paper, he makes the most unique 3D creations with his imagination! He's come a long way in school and is finally starting to enjoy the process instead of feeling frustrated by it. We're definitely still dealing with past issues and the feelings that come with them, but the future is bright and God has been good.
Joshua... (formally Jesse) is settling in and seems genuinely happy here. I don't think he's felt that way in a really long time. Happiness and learning to trust that happiness is, and has been a new experience for all of them. When Joshua was "just visiting" for the Summer, it was obvious that he was torn between two worlds. The unknown world, his world... and the one his brothers and sister live in. A peace seemed to settle over him after Charlie and I asked him if he wanted to be part of our forever family. He was given the same choice as his brothers to choose a new name with his new life, and honestly... at almost 9 yrs. old, we didn't know if he would choose a new name or not but it was his decision to make. After a week or so he started to try out new names, and finally decided he really liked Joshua Patrick Corbett. School is till hard for Joshua. He is where the others were when they came to us, hurried, busy, scattered, lost... but in time he will learn to trust the process, and eventually even enjoy it.
Chloe... is smart, she LOVES school! She will be my easiest student by far, and my biggest challenge to parent EVER! Chloe is a force to be reckoned with, lol. Helping her to channel that "unbendable will" in a positive way without one of us breaking, will take me to places as a parent that I've never been. I'm standing on scripture that promises the Lord will provide where He leads! She is our sunshine on her good days, and a storm to be weathered on the bad.
I won't lie, it's been hard bringing these littles back together for healing. We have days where the endless bickering may actually drive us insane. When the yelling, screaming and crying make me SOOOOOOO thankful we live in the country where there's nothing but livestock to hear it. This path we are on, allowing God full access in using us... has stretched us as parents, and as individuals in ways we didn't know we could be stretched. It has humbled us, stripped us, and truly taken us out of ourselves. It's been raw, painful, and things words can't even describe... But it's been amazing, enlightening, beautiful... Holy... to watch Him at work in their lives. He has provided in miraculous ways, literally MIRACULOUS ways so many times throughout this journey with them. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever to anyone who's been a part a part of this... that this has been a GOD THING! We have been incredibly blessed by truly humble people that have prayed on us, loved on us, helped us, and more importantly allowed God to use them. They are such a sweet part of our journey, our story that we are writing together as our family grows. I pray God's blessings be generously poured out on them, for they have stored up treasure in Heaven that will last forever. You know who you are, and we are eternally thankful for each and every kindness you've bestowed on our family.
With truly humble & happy hearts...
The Corbett Family
Charles, Sherri, Nathaniel, Keegan, Joshua, Micah, Noah & Chloe
