Mommy, where are they? {Part 4}

They're baaaaaaaaack!!!!!!

We were so very excited that our friends {and neighbors} children were finally released from foster care and allowed to return to their own home!!  We couldn't wait to see them!!

{If you're just joining this story you can read where these precious children had been taken to here.
For parts 1,2. and 3 click here, here, and here.}

But just because the children were allowed to return home, didn't mean that everything was back to normal.
On the contrary.
The judge had decided that the children never should have been removed in the first place, but now that Child Protective Services had their eyeballs on the situation, they needed to keep on eye on how the children were progressing in their schooling.
They had to stay in public school.
Until it was determined by all parties involved that the children were on track.

Say what?
So you mean to tell me that if you have a child wander away from your house, and the police call CPS because of concerns they have, you might have your children rounded up into police cars and taken from your home for nearly two months?
You might have to sit in a courtroom twice and have every area of your life picked apart and questioned and your parenting choices scorned.
But, eventually, when authorities determine it was all a big mistake ripping your lives apart in the first place, then return some of your children, they can still demand you school your children their way?  They keep control of your right, your freedom, to school your children the way you feel is best for them??
How can that be??

Here is what the Texas Homeschool Coalition had to say about that!

So, not only do our friends have to live through the trauma of being thrown into the middle of the mindnumbing court systems, their children ripped away from them and placed with strangers, but now that they are back home, they still can't truly have their parental rights back?
And we're not allowed to cry foul?
Not allowed to have anything to say about that?

No way.
Not on my watch.
I was not alone in my outrage.
A group of us, with the help of the Texas Homeschool Coalition decided that we had to do something.
We didn't know exactly what to do, but we had to figure something out to draw attention to this abuse of power and ignorance of state homeschooling law.

We decided to go public with this story.  To bring attention to it. To call those in such places of power to accountability.
Here is the beginning of what we did.

Mommy, where are they? {Part 3}

Christmas of 2013 came and went and the neighbor children {my children's playmates} still were not home.
{If you're just joining the story, you can read what happened to them here and here.}

I had been praying (no, begging) that the Lord would allow these children to be back in their own home, with their own parents, in familiar surroundings, with people who knew what they would love to have under their tree, in their own cosy beds for Christmas.
At the December 16th hearing, the judge would not allow these children to be returned, and now we would have to wait for yet another hearing in three more weeks.
{To read the reasoning behind this decision, click here.}

The next hearing was set for January 7, 2014.
I went to that hearing as well.
At a grassroots level, this whole situation was an outrage to our fellow homeschoolers.
So we decided to publicly, but peacefully, protest what was happening to the Tutt family right outside the courthouse building.

There were a few small media outlets there, and a very small story was written up about them in our local hometown, newspaper.

This time, I was not on the witness list.
This time, I sat in the courtroom.
The entire 8-plus hours.
The Tutt's case had been handed over to a new judge and the only thing she wanted to hear about was the reason for the removal of the children.
We all were hopeful that because she didn't want to hear about the homeschooling that she would see that there was no reason to yank these children from the safety of their own home and continue holding them hostage in the foster care system.
We heard from the police officers from our town who originally took the call about the wandering autistic boy.
We heard from the CPS worker who came out to do an initial investigation upon receiving the officer's complaint.
We heard from the supervisor of the CPS worker who wrote up the document with the language in it that said these children were in "immediate danger" because the Tutt's did not feel it necessary to do yet another psychological exam.
We heard from Christina Tutt's mother, the children's grandmother, who just so happens to be a judge in another county in our state.  A judge.
Then we heard testimony from the biological father of one of the children {Christina's former husband} as well as the biological brother of this child.
But things started to change when the principal of the public school where the children had been placed was called to testify.
And the person that administered the educational testing prior to the children being placed in the public school.
And then the Guardian Ad Litem had her turn.

Wait a minute.  "I thought we weren't supposed to even take the time to hear the arguments about the homeschooling.  That's not why these children were removed.  Why are we talking about the parents educational choices?"

Well, that all went out the window.
And there was nothing any of us could do about it.

At the end of the evening, the Tutt's had won only a partial victory.
The judge ruled that based on the testimony she heard, that there was indeed concern that a young autistic boy had wandered away from his current home with a young brother, but that this and the other things mentioned were not cause for these 7 children to be forcibly removed from their home.

But.
Though only 4 of the 7 children {those who were either biological or their adoption was final} were to be returned home, they would have to stay in the public schools until further notice.  No more homeschooling until everyone involved was satisfied with the educational progress of the children.

How is that even legal in our state?
It isn't.

You can read the full details of this hearing and the legal ramifications for all homeschooling parents in a report by the Texas Homeschool Coalition found here.

You can read the thoughts of others on this case here, here, and here. 

Mommy, where are they? {Part 2}

Ever since my dear friend's children were taken by CPS, I've learned something.
{To read the full facts of this story, click here.}

Nothing in the justice system ever happens quickly.
Their case was absolutely, terrifyingly, no exception.
They didn't get to see their children on the next day, or the next day, or even the next day!!
The children were taken on November 21, 2013, and they had to wait a full 2 weeks, until December 4, to even get a hearing with a judge to discuss what happened.
Two weeks.
Two weeks of having no idea where your children are, who your children are having to live with, what those people are like, and what is happening to your children!
13 full days and excruciating nights.
On that day, another full hearing was scheduled on December 16th and the judge basically ignored their pleas to have their case moved to another court where they had good rapport with the judge as he had presided over their adoption cases.
Another 12 days.

I went to that hearing.
I was on the witness list to testify on behalf of the Tutt's.
As a witness, I was not allowed in the court room, so I sat out in the hallway in a waiting area with other friends and family members.
As the hours ticked by, we got the distinct sense that things were not going well for them.
12 hours later, not having the chance to testify, I watched them emerge from the court room and Christina collapse to the floor in distress.
I then learned that what was supposed to be a sharing of the facts of what happened the day the autistic child wandered away from their home quickly spiraled down into an attack on every single detail of the way the Tutt's parent their children.
Everything was picked apart, questioned, and in some ways, mocked.
Ultimately, the determining factors on which the judge made her decision came down to their choice to homeschool their children.
During the 3 weeks between the time the children were taken, and the December 16th hearing the children were forced to undergo educational testing.
They were in state custody, so they were supposed to be in state school, but they didn't know what grade to put the children in.
When the results of the state testing came back, it revealed that several of the children were quite behind.
No matter these children were under duress, nor had they ever had tests like this before since they were homeschooled, nor had they been studying the state's curriculum to understand the material covered in the tests.
In basically one day's time, we went from questioning how well these children were supervised and cared for (which was quickly determined to not be a problem) to the children being held hostage by CPS because they were homeschooled and deemed not "up to par" with other children their age.
To make matters even more frustrating and frightening, this is not even a legal reason to remove children from their home in our state.
I will never forget driving home long after dark had fallen that night.
I wept for the children.
I wept for their mother and father.
I wept because in the face of injustice the truth was not enough in this case.
The Tutt's right to parent their children as they chose to was put on trial and they were loosing their freedom to do so.
The children were not released on December 16th as we were hoping and praying.
Instead, yet another hearing was scheduled for January 7, 2014.
They had missed Thanksgiving together as a family, and now they would be apart for both Christmas and New Year's.
I couldn't bear the thought of their Christmas tree with all the presents under it for the children that were staying in stranger's homes.

To read what the Texas Homeschool Coalition was doing to bring attention to the injustice of this family at this point in the story, click here.

Mommy, where are they?

At nearly the end of 2013, an event took place in the lives of our neighbors and dear friends
which had a profound impact on our family.

So profound, in fact, that it changed us very deeply.
Watching it all happen was very difficult and a great burden for me.
So difficult, in fact, that it moved me to a very quiet place in my heart.

I could not find the words to write about it.
All words seemed incredibly shallow and unable to fully express the horror of what we watched unfold.
I stopped writing all together.  It was easier to get caught up in the tsunami of life.

But now, nearly 14 months later, I want to share.  To remember.
I want others to know what is happening in our country.

What could possibly happen to your neighbor.
To you.

On a quiet morning in November 2013, I was at my dining table, with my mother-in-law, homeschooling my children.
We had just finished up breakfast, and reading through another chapter in a storybook, when I heard a rapping on my front door.
Before I could even get to my door, I seem to remember my friend, Christina, just step inside my living room in a bit of a panic.
"This is an emergency.  CPS has just taken all my children away."
I still get the chills when I think back on that moment.
"What?!" I gasped.
"They just came to my door and said I had to let them go.  They shuffled all the children into police cars and they are gone!"  she said waving her arms and fighting back tears.
I instinctively threw my arms around her neck and hung on, I think more for me than for her, honestly.
"Go!!"  I said.  "Go after, them.  Do you need anything?  What can I do?"
"My phone needs to be charged," she said hurrying back to her van.
"I'm going to call Trevor!" (her husband)
And with that, she jumped in her vehicle and was gone.
And with that, her 7 children were gone.
For the next month and half.
They missed Thanksgiving and Christmas and the New Year together.
One child they haven't seen again.
Another child still remains in foster care.
STILL to this day.

But let me back up to when the children were taken.
You must understand the back-story.
It is not an easy one to sort out.
There are lots of facets to it.
Of course, one would ask, "What did they do that CPS would take all the children?"
Time does not permit me to go into all the details.
But the Texas Homeschool Coalition was notified and they stepped up and went to bat for this family in a BIG way.
You can read the facts of the Tutt case here.

When Christina left to go after her babies that morning, my heart broke.
These were friends of my children.
My children had played in her home, and her children in mine.
The oldest girl is so much like my own 10-year old and they love to play together.
She is so brilliant and responsible, and loves her family.
She doesn't fear much of anything, and is willing to try most anything new.
But she knows how "the system" works.
Because her family has always (for her entire life anyway) helped under privileged children or children in crisis, Emma is very aware of CPS and how things work with them.
It was a nightmare for me to think how frightened this child was to be snatched from her home and not allowed to see her mother for several weeks, and to be put into the very "system" that her family preferred to keep children out of, yet had worked amicably with for years.
And how terrifying for Christina to know that all these children would be biasedly questioned, and put in the homes of complete strangers who know nothing about the likes and dislikes of her children and would be subjected to all sorts of intrusive physical exams and educational testing.
We all knew that.
But there was absolutely nothing we could do.
And we were all horrified by that thought as well.
What had begun as a simple welfare check on a wandering autistic child, quickly turned into an attack on and stripping of their parental rights in Nazi-like fashion.

To be continued.......

To read more about this selfless family and their background, go here.

Happy 7th Birthday!!

Yesterday we celebrated our first birthday of this new year.

I confess that I had mixed feelings about this birthday.
7 seems like the age that little ones really move away from being so little and needy.
For some, it's more like 6, but in the first grade, they are reading better and gaining more overall independence.
Some of the anxieties associated with childhood fears lessen in intensity, and there is less noticeable childhood illnesses.
They are getting bigger and stronger overall.
They are able to understand more complex concepts.
Last year, in March, this little precious trusted Jesus and accepted Him as her Savior.
We talked about this decision for many weeks before she fully understood her need to ask Jesus to forgive her sins and to receive His free gift of salvation.
She is becoming more sensitive about living in such a way that pleases Jesus.

Because we are involved in a brand new schooling program this year, we took a big 'ol cake
to share with all our new friends at our break time!!

My other 3 girls had their ears pierced by 7 at the latest, so I asked Aryn if she would like to get her ears pierced this year for her birthday.
We had talked to her about that possibility last year, so she had quite awhile to think about it,
and she unhesitatingly responded with an enthusiastic YES!!
All my other girls had a friend go with them, so we made that arrangement for a friend to go this time as well!!

After opening a few more small presents at home and sharing a light dinner together, it was time for some homemade cupcakes and our favorite ice cream!!!

We are so thankful to celebrate yet another year of life with this precious, vivacious, sparkly little girl!!  What a joy and privilege it has been to watch God work in her life, and to watch her love for the Lord grow and develop.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for her life!

Learning to serve together: The Union Gospel Mission

This last Thanksgiving my husband had to work all day.

I had a lovely friend in town visiting us, and I wanted to do something fun with my children.
Because we had been talking about gratefulness and being thankful for all we have,
I wanted them to have a real-life activity for them to live that out.
A place where they could see beyond their own little bubbles to a culture that is hurting and in desperate need.
So I began looking for shelters or soup kitchens that we could serve at.
It took me three tries, but I finally found an opening at the Union Gospel Mission in Dallas.

They serve meals to homeless men and offer emergency shelter for the night.

We went and served Thanksgiving dinner to over 100 men and my children LOVED it!!
They begged to do it again on Christmas Day.

When I called to get our names on the list, he told me they had more than enough volunteers for Christmas Day, but they could really use help on Christmas Eve.

So after opening our own gifts earlier that day, we piled back into our van and headed over to Dallas for an evening of fun and service!!

Because my husband had to work very early on Christmas Day, he stayed home with our two youngest who really are too young for the kind of work we were doing.

Our four oldest really enjoyed the challenge of loading the trays quickly and working in assembly line fashion.
They also got a kick out of the guys who work in the kitchen full-time.
On Thanksgiving, we all served the trays to the men who came in, and the girls helped make sandwiches for their sack lunches the following day.

It's quite sobering seeing the faces of the men as they trudge into the dining area.

Some of them look very frightened (particularly the young ones), some very haggard, and some very distant.  They come there from another organization downtown for an evening of emergency shelter with the caveat that they sit and listen to a presentation of the gospel first.  They are given a choice to respond and receive Christ, but it is not required.  They just must be willing to hear.
They receive a hot, wholesome meal, one of 500 clean beds, an opportunity for a hot shower, breakfast at 6 am, and a sack lunch to take with them when they go back to the other organization at 6:30 am.
I haven't been able to think of a better way for my children to learn to appreciate what they have, feel useful in serving those who need help, and to live out the purpose of Jesus coming to earth in the first place in bringing grace to all mankind.

"For I was an hungered, and you gave me meat:
I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:
I was a stranger, and you took me in:
Naked, and you clothed me:  I was sick and you visited me:
I was in prison, and you came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying,
'Lord, when did we see you an hungered, and fed you?
or thirsty, and gave you drink?
When did we see you a stranger, and took you in?
or naked, and clothed you?'
And the King shall answer and say unto them,
Verily I say unto you,
In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brothers,

you have done it unto me."
Matthew 25: 35-40

"What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is without clothing and is in need of daily food,
and one of you says to them,
'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,'
and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body,
what use is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead."
being by itself.' "
James 2:14-17

Christmas 2014: Christmas Eve Celebration

Ever since my husband began working as a police officer nearly 9 years ago, he has never had to miss Christmas Day with us.
Until this year.

We were sad that we couldn't celebrate together on December 25th, but decided the next best

thing would be to enjoy Christmas on Christmas Eve.

So we piled everything into our vehicles and traveled 3 minutes to my MIL's Senior Living Apartments.  They have several lovely, big rooms available for parties.
We reserved one last year, and it worked so perfectly that we decided to have our festivities there again this year.
I went over a bit early to get tables moved and our brunch food warmed and plated, so I took the opportunity to snap a couple impromptu pictures.

We are hooked on "Hot Chocolate Bars" now, and set up our drink station complete with some amazing Sparkling Apple Cider!

Before we exchange gifts with each other, we always have a short devotional time where we walk through some Scripture passages that climax what we've been reading and experiencing the entire month, and remind us of the Greatest Gift ever given.  We review that material gifts are not our reason for celebrating and that we should be ever so grateful for whatever we receive!!

This year, instead of each child buying a gift for each of their 5 siblings, we put them in groups of two and they exchanged gifts with each other.  I chose the sibling groups based on who I felt needed a chance to do something kind for the other......those who had particularly struggled throughout the year to really get along.

Now that our children are getting older, we are experiencing some really fun moments with them.  They understand our humor better and throw out some real zingers themselves.  This year, we played a new game (Buzzword) together and really belly laughed at some of the answers these kids came up with!
We had so much fun together this year, and the memories of it will be those I will cherish for many years.