My Niece Jessica

This is Jessica. She is our niece from Steve's side of the family. She was taken away from Steve's sister Christy. The reason she and three of her siblings were taken away is a really long story for another time...maybe. She is now 18. She turned 18 January 9th. In 2007 around Christmas time she came to live with Steve and I. She told her adoptive parents she wanted to get to know the family her real family. They agreed to give us temporary power of attorney so we could put her in school here in Texas. She came and we all fell in love with her. She is the sweetest girl. She is so loving, so helpful it was like she had always been in our family. She was with us for two whole weeks. She was just settling in to her new school. Her parents decided they made a huge mistake in letting her come to live with us. They missed her too much. Her Dad could not function without her. He started drinking because she was gone. She told us she did not want to go back. They abused her physically. She had the bruises to prove it. In the end we had no choice but to send her back. We called c.p.s. on the parents, they could not do anything. They were going to charge us with kidnapping if we did not make her get on the plane. So, off she went. I was heart broken. I knew she was not mine, but she filled the ache I had for a baby. Here is the post I wrote just before she left.

A week and half ago our life changed a great deal. A great deal for the better I might add. We took in Steve's niece Jessica. She is 16. She was taken away from his family 10+ years ago, but I am not going into those details. She got here and has been a great source of love, energy, and life into our home. She is a beautiful young woman with a wonderful sense of humor. She has not even been here for two whole weeks, but I love this girl with my heart. Even though I know she is my niece she has stopped the ache in my heart for a baby. But they the ones who just sent her away, the ones who I now know hurt her physically and emotionally want her back now. We had to take her to the ER because she had a panic attack. I watched her sit in a corner and cry and shake and rock back and forth. We have called the authorities in both places here where we live and where she is going back to. We can not hold her here, not against her will. We have tried to change her mind, but she says she has to go back. They said we are not her family. That we did not protect her when she was in our care. But I was not around and my husband was a teenager. What I ask you could he do? Then they turn around and say we must be incredible people to open our home, and our hearts up to her, when we really dont know her. You really can not help but fall in love with this girl. My heart is breaking I cant stop crying. I cant fix this. I just want to protect her and I cant, there is no way for me to do that. So at six in the morning I get to watch her walk out of our life. I don't know when we will see her again, or even talk to her, because we have already been told that we will no longer be able to contact her. All I can do is tell her we love her, and she will always have a home where ever we may be. We have told her we want her to stay, and that she can stay but she doesnt see what we see. All she knows is what they are feeding into her head and that is something that should be done to no one. The only thing I know to do is to pray, and pray, and pray some more. Jess we love you!!!! We want you to stay. We are here for you.

We have hardly had any contact with her this last year. I send her messages through myspace. We found out that they were hitting her again, but this time she defended herself. They called the cops on her. They had her put into a medical center of some sort. It is for troubled youth. She called today. Since she is 18 she can check herself out. She is supposed to stay until March of this year. er parents told  her if she checks out early she is no longer welcome in their home. She told us as soon as I am 18 I will be back. She needs money to get down here. She is in Montana. Patty is going to pay for her flight down here and she is moving back in with us. I am excited about this. I know it will be hard with Mom and Dad here as well. But we have the Lord on our side. It will work out the way He wants it to. If you guys would please pray for us and this situation. I want God's will done, not mine.