Court went well. Parents were given termination papers and can decide if they want to accept or request a jury trial. Met the babies bio dad. He was respectful and polite towards me but began cussing at the judge and DHS workers from the back of the court room and cussing a scene. He stormed off but not before first telling me “God bless” when I told him I’m just here to take care of his baby and I treat him like he’s my own child. It was awkward to say the least.

Court at 13:30 tomorrow for our 5 month old foster baby. His stepdad held a gun in his siblings mouth (6 yrs, 7 yrs, 9 yrs, 10 yrs old). We’ve been going back and forth on the judge making mom and step dad do services and counseling and other check the box activities in a futile effort to get their kids back. This is the second removal in a year. The ADA finally heard enough in their last forensic interviews and tomorrow they will request TPR (termination of parental rights). We pray the judge agrees and removes these children from their awful, dangerous, neglectful, abusive living conditions and stepfather. All but one of the siblings is in an excellent foster home and willing to adopt their foster children.

I’ve been taking care of the 5 month old, 11 month old, 2 year old foster children along with my 7 year biological son by myself since Monday. Wife is out of town on work. I have an all new respect for single parents of multiple small children. I don’t know why CPS and DHS return multiple young children to single parents with no jobs, no income, no vehicles, no house. Sure seems like a recipe for failure and I would imagine the outcome of many of those cases is negative.

12” in 12 hours. We gotta chill out with the rain prayers. Went from D4 drought to this.

Both of the newest foster kids are sick. One with a double ear infection, and the other with either upper respiratory. Bio son, wife, other foster baby, and cousin (who watches baby while I work - no daycare for babies we get before they turn 1 month) are all sick. Wife is in Chicago for work. Baby boy woke up at 2 AM and never went back down. 2 year old woke up afraid he was going to have to go home. Cried in my chair for a few hours before he fell back asleep. Put him in pack and play. 12” of rain last night flooded the basement. Newest 2 kids will have to go respite for the night while I pump out water and make sure electrical is good.

The doctors suspect our 11 month old foster baby might have cerebral palsy. She can’t crawl, sit up, tongue hangs out, limp arm. The five year old peed and went #2 all over our upstairs, all over our bio sons toys, books, dresser. He wasn’t able to talk in complete sentences and was at a 2 year old level cognitively and emotionally. He unfortunately went to another placement yesterday. Turns out DHS didn’t have a place for him so he is now in a shelter. Watching him leave was really difficult, as we bonded over the farm and tractors, trucks, etc. He was trying to help with his siblings but was very rough. Tested positive for meth at the ER day of removal. The 2 year old foster kid is awesome. Eats anything and everything we offer him, listens very well, and is even almost potty trained. The 11 month old, 5 and 2 year old were all referred for neuro exams. Our 5 month old foster baby has decided he doesn’t want to sleep anymore, so he wakes up at the other kids crying and screaming. Getting revenge for not being the center of attention? Only God and he knows, lol. Take care of your kids or don’t have them. Unfortunately this isn’t our first time caring for kids who arrived due to severe neglect or narcotic exposure.

DHS brought us 3 additional foster kids on Tuesday. They came from a home of literal horrors. 11 month old baby girl who can’t sit up, crawl, say any words, her head is limp. pediatrician suspects cerebral palsy. She has never had solid or purée foods, not even a single time. 2 year little boy who is awesome. He is incredibly well behaved, sweetest kid ever. 5 year old boy who is on a 2 year old level cognitively and emotionally. Flipped the lights off, knocked the pediatricians laptop out of her hands, and ran out the door of the exam room. Unfortunately, he was in charge of taking care of his siblings, and is really good at being their caregiver. They have never used TP, and only showered at grandmas house (who is also in active addiction). Mom has 9 kids. 2 still births. 4 prior termination of parental rights by the courts. The five year old wakes up every night crying for mama. Maternal influence is so important and it just goes to show that little boys will love their mama no matter what. These situations break our hearts but we have a hard time saying no. Kids need stability and a family to love them. Even if it’s temporary. We need to do better a society. The abuse and neglect of children is worse than you could imagine in your wildest dreams.

Foster kid showed up in this. Are you freaking kidding me…size 6T on a 2.5 year old. It is as bad as your imagination can come up with, poor kids. Luckily mom was charged with felony child neglect and abandonment.

I know they dig and tear up the grass but as a native Texan, I give them a pass.

Oink oink. Jimmy and Timmy, coming to a freezer near you in January.

Boaz (ram) (big horns) and Battleby (wether). Two bottle baby pets. Boaz is the sweetest livestock we’ve ever had on the farm. He will drop down like a dog and let us rub his belly. He will go out with the 13 ewe lambs in October. He’s never met them.

Do your chickens roost in trees?

Candy cultist have grown up. Each one is named after a real life cult member. Baron, Nate, Leah, Carrie, etc.

First day in weeks it hasn’t been 100. She sheep, cows, and turkeys are enjoying it.

Got new tires for the ole girl. 33” General Grabber X3. Grandpa bought her new in 79’ and she’s been putting in work on the farm ever since. 108k mi. The tires I pulled off were as old as I am, studdable made in US mud tires, but small. I don’t use her for hard work like grandpa did. He would pull a goose neck with her bc she’s a “heavy half”. We had a water tank in the bed for years.

All the fish in my pond have died. This was a few days ago, now the pond is totally dried up. It’s been in the 100s for weeks and we’ve had no rain. Top 20 driest years but in my 36 years I have never seen the ponds totally dried up. The big one is approx 3 acres. Going to start blocking it off with a dozed so I can dry it out - so eventually we can get a trackhoe in it. I’m giving the cows 1000 gallons of water a day from the spicket.

Super squirrel at church.