I can’t even remember when all I had to to in the morning was shower and get dressed before leaving for work. Working full time jobs, plus the homestead, and now a son and daughter with all their needs and school activities, make life anything but simple.

That said, simple doesn’t sound very appealing compared to the reward and fulfillment we get from staying busy with the farm and the kids. There is never a dull moment and boredom is no longer even in our vocabulary.

I’m sure we are in better health with the farm than we would be in if we just came home and flopped in front of the TV after work. We do some of that too but not as often as most. I know I am in much better shape. I can’t run as far as I once could. I give out quicker than I did years ago but I attribute that to sitting in an air conditioned office all day and just flat getting older. I can still throw two sacks of feed on my shoulder and carry them to or from the feed barn with out too much problem. If I have a bad day it only takes a few minutes out with the animals for it to all wash away. Well, most of it anyway.

After years of being away from the church we started attending Wallace Chapel Baptist Church full time last year. We are very active in the church for the first time in my life. The only down side is it only leaves me with Saturday and vacations to get things done on the farm. The reward far exceeds any inconvenience. The fences and gates will get fixed, eventually. Holidays are just around the corner. I’ve burned up all my vacation and sick days getting the kids settled but a new year is also just around the corner with a new set of days to work with. I just have to get to January 1^st. In the mean time we just plug along doing what has to be done and patching the rest until later.

My life may not be simple but it has value. I am so blessed to have a wonderful, loving wife, and two new kids.

As of Thursday Sept 6^th 2018 our adoption of JennaKay and Sebastian is final. They are now Newby’s.

We filled the room with family and friends. Even the judge was taken by surprised by the turn out. Our Church Family really showed up. I’d guess that half the people in attendance were from Wallace Chapel Baptist Church.

A big thank you to all who showed up to make an already special event just a little more special.

We filled out the placement paperwork and picked up Jenna-Kay and Sebastian on May25^th. No returns!

I was able to take two weeks off to spend time with them. We spent the first one camping at the lake. It was rainy but we still had fun. The second week we just tried to settle into some kind of routine. I think everyone is adjusting well. As expected there have been a couple very minor bumps. I think Jenna is still afraid something will happen and we will change our mind. We are working to relieve her fears about this but I expect they will linger until the ink is dry and the names are changed on the birth certificates. Until then we will just keep talking and learning how to build our new family.

I truly feel like I have a purpose in life again. I never really thought I would retire and empty nesting really didn’t appeal to me either. My favorite job was Military Training Leader (surrogate parent, counselor, and trainer) when I was in the Air Force. Lisa has always said I should have been a teacher. Politics and bureaucracy pushed me away from the first and prevented me from attempting the second. I love working with young people but not administrators.

I’m no spring chicken but this old bird still has a lot to offer these kids as we provide them with an opportunity to start over. We can’t erase the past but we can provide a loving, stable future and pray they take full advantage of it. All early indications say they are very receptive to being parented. Parenting in the Social Media age is going to be a challenge but we’ll get through that as well.

Life is good.

We had a whirlwind weekend. The girls in the house Jenna lives in threw her a 16^th birthday party at the park Saturday and we didn’t want to do anything to mess that up so we couldn’t pick her and Sebastian up until Saturday afternoon. We took advantage of it to do our every two week feed run. Before that I took Jacob, my oldest grandson to McDonalds for breakfast. Then we made a trip to Walmart to get a picture of Jenna and Sebastian printed out and pick up a few other items. We were running right up to the time we left to go pick them up.

We had a nice trip back home just the 4 of us getting to know each other even better. We asked them to relax and be themselves. No walking on egg shells around us. I told them we were all going to make mistakes and disappoint each other but we would work through it. We also told them to call us what ever they felt comfortable with but we hoped that some day they would grow to feel comfortable calling us mom and dad.

When we got home all the kids hit it off like they were old friends. The most significant event was when Jenna saw the picture of her and Sebastian on the Family Tree we have painted down the hall. I think it really started to set in that we were serious about this, not going anywhere and they did now have a mom and dad to hold onto. It was an emotional moment for everyone.

My youngest son Matthew came out to meet his new brother and sister. He couldn’t wait any longer. We all had a very good visit. The adults all called it a night around 11:00 but the kids stayed up until after 1:00 AM. So glad they hit it off so well.

Sunday was another rapid fire day. It was Mothers Day and I had to be at the church by 7:30, after taking care of all the animals and milking the cow, to help prepare Breakfast for all the ladies at 9:00. As part of the church service all the mothers received a Rose from their children. Jenna and Sebastian gave Lisa hers. Then Jenna was presented one as well because she had been the mother figure to Sebastian for so long. Another emotional moment. Didn’t know we were adopting a song bird but Jenna got up and sang a solo a cappella in front of the entire church to a standing ovation.

After church we went to Lisa’s mom’s house to meet her and an aunt and uncle who were there and Matthew and his wife Julie. We had a nice visit then we had to take them back home. 2 ½ hour one way plus we stopped to eat. We dropped them off and I gave them our phone numbers and assured them this WAS real and it WAS happening and if any doubts crept into their minds before we saw them again Friday to find a phone and call us. It was a long quiet ride back home after a loud laughter filled ride up. Even the grandkids were missing them already. We got home about 10:30, to bed by 11:00 and back up at 5:00 to start the new week. We are tired but wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. Friday can’t come quick enough for any of us.

I haven’t anticipated the end of school for the summer this much since I was in school. A long, long time ago.

The Staffing meeting was originally scheduled for the 10^th. Lisa noticed that the young lady’s 16^th birthday was on the 9^th and brought it to everyones attention. Asked if they might be able to move it up a couple days so that if it went as expected the kids could be notified about us and be shown the family scrapbook on her birthday. The ladies went above and beyond to not just move the staffing so that the kids could be told but that we could actually meet on her birthday.

The staffing meeting was held on Monday. Everyone was in agreement that we would be a good match and the kids were told that afternoon. We all met at the Birmingham Zoo and “good match” was an understatement from the start it felt like four peas in a pod. It was just right.

We brought cake and birthday presents for both since we just missed his birthday. My mom also sent gifts for both. I think they were a little overwhelmed. Very appreciative. The perl necklaces, bracelet, and ear rings were a huge hit. She put them on immediately.

Once inside we all had lunch including the case workers. Then we walked through the zoo, just us and the kids. I’m sure the ladies were somewhere observing but I never saw them. We walked and talked and the kids rode the camel and fed the giraffe. All was perfect with the world until Lisa’s insulin pump quit. I hated to tell them we had to end the visit early. I know they were disappointed but they understood and took it well.

We still had about 3.5 fantastic hours with them.

After we left the zoo we stopped by 2 different pharmacies to see if we could buy insulin and needles to get Lisa a shot just to make sure her sugar didn’t get too high before we made it home. While in the second store Lisa checked the pump again to show the Pharmacist the error and the pump had reset itself and was working again. We considered rejoining everyone but were afraid it might act up again so we just continued on home to be on the safe side. Better safe than sorry. Don’t need an emergency room visit.

We will pick them up this weekend for a weekend visit and then start doing what is needed for a placement as soon as school is out.

While it’s not final our hearts are sold. Here is the new Newby Family.

Jenna, Lisa, Ned, and Sebastian.

Well it’s been an emotional roller coaster but we may have finally found a match.

From the beginning I had my eye on a brother and sister sibling group. Once we completed the classes, were approved and could actually inquire about children we were interested in they were on hold. We focused on another group but were told we were not a match. Disappointed we bombarded the system with inquiries but this brother and sister were now listed as pending placement. I was happy for them. We focused on another group that was new to the list of available children. We were told they might not be a good fit but the final report wasn’t finished and would be a few more weeks while information was gathered. We waited. We pestered the case workers. We waited some more. Then we got word that the brother and sister’s placement didn’t work out and they were available again. I was heartbroken for them but excited about the opportunity. Lisa and I stayed up late talking about it. The next day we exchanged emails with the case workers and they thought we might be a good match so we asked them to do what needed to be done to make it happen. We gave them the names of our case workers and now we are waiting for a staff meeting to be set up. If all goes well we get to meet these two wonderful people in person.

I can’t even imagine how they must be feeling after the placement failed but we are anxious to wrap our arms around them and help them work through it all.

Please keep us in your prayers.

It is with great sadness that I write this. We lost our sweet Aunt Dru a 8 days ago. She was 93 years old and will be missed by all who knew her. She is no longer in pain as that was her normal condition over the last few months. There is no doubt that she is in heaven with her friends and family that preceded her. If Aunt Dru didn’t have a place in heaven waiting for her, the rest of us don’t even have a chance.

I love and miss you Aunt Dru.

I fully expect to never again see most of the family who were at the funeral as well as those that were unable to attend. Aunt Dru was the last person who connected the three branches of the family and the only reason that most ever got together. Family would gather at her house from all parts of the country on her birthday and some at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and on Independence Day. Over the next few months as the family goes through the painful process of sorting through her things, deciding what to keep and what to part with may be the last time we have together. It’s just the sad reality of families being spread across the country and none interested in the country life. There is a very small chance that the property will remain in the family. Most likely it will be sold off like all the rest. I just pray it goes to someone who wants it for the farm/homestead potential and not a developer who just wants to turn it into trailer lots or a subdivision of tiny lots.