Velken

I got served. It says I need to "produce, at the time and place specified above, the following documents or tangible things: any documentation/recordings you have provided to Family Protective Services." Does this mean emails, monthly reports on the kids', or just paper copy stuff? And can they only take my documents from me if they put me on the stand or do I have to turn them over to the attorney who subpoenaed me? And does this include anything ever, or just since this became a court matter? (The trial is against a family member, kids are involved, and they were in family base living with us for over 6 months before it became a court matter). I want to be helpful, but her attorney is a slimy weazil and I'd rather give the papers to the kids' attorney. Also, can I blacken things out such as my mother's address, social security number,and phone number if it is in the papers and she isn't relevant to the matter? I had to give CPS details of where I planned to vacation and I'd prefer to keep her info out of this.

My cousins are living with us, and the 2 yr. old has an issue with the textures of different foods. The things he'll happily eat without an adult coaxing him are pretty few. He is eating meats now, but when he moved in he would only eat hotdogs or bologna. My sister suggested hummus and avacado, so I'm needing more ideas if anyone has any. He doesn't have issues with breakfast or lunch foods, just dinner. Mainly veggies and meats. Any suggestions from people who have lived this would be great. He's improving, but I want the best variety for him I can get. Today I found out he'll eat salmon on toast with cream cheese, so encouraged by his progress!

Alot of the neat recipes I'm finding use hot bath canning instead of a pressure cooker. If it says 10 minutes for a pint to hot bath, can I do it in my pressure cooker for the same length of time?

( I posted this in Law and Ethics too, cause not sure which would be best.)

My cousin had her kids back for two months, then CPS took them again. The 60 day hearing is coming soon and there have been 2 home studies done on family members. If the Judge chooses to place the children out of foster care and into a relative's home, what is the expected time for that to happen? We know our home study was positive and it sure would be wonderful to have the children placed the same day as the hearing. We cared for them (CPS placement) half of last year, haven't seem them in two months, and miss them. Just wondering what to possibly expect with all this.

My cousin had her kids back for two months, then CPS took them again. The 60 day hearing is coming soon and there have been 2 homestudies done on family members. If the Judge chooses to place the children out of foster care and into a relative's home, what is the expected time for that to happen? We know our homestudy was positive and it sure would be wonderful to have the children placed the same day as the hearing. We cared for them (CPS placement) half of last year, haven't seem them in two months, and miss them alot. Just wondering what to possibly expect with all this.

My cousin has 2 small children and is due soon with her third. None of the dads are in the picture. She had her kids taken away by CPS twice in the last year (there is allegations of possible Munchhausen's) . We've done all we can , but she's interested in handouts, not a hand up. At this point, there is a trial set for next week to decide if the charges have merit or are dismissed. Even if they do, she has nowhere to live with the kids. She has stayed with us for a few nights here and there, but we live on base and long-term local guests are not allowed. To be quite frank, she's bipolar and I cannot take living with her for more than a few days. So at this point, it looks like the court will grant my husband and I legal guardianship (the mother put us in for a home study and its close to being completed). We've been watching and helping with the kids since right after the second child was born. The kids lived with us half of last year and the older child went with me and my kids when we traveled to my home state for a month last summer to visit the kids.

So here goes: what should they call us? I'd love to say she'll get her act together in 18 months and successfully petition to get them back, but her poor choices haven't gotten any better in the last year and my husband and I are prepared to raise the children to adulthood. The eldest calls my husband Daddy because she has no daddy in the picture and she hears our children call him that. She's been trying to call me mommy for awhile now, but I kept gently correcting her and calling myself Cousin (name). We moved here a year ago and became heavily involved after we moved. I don't want to push my cousin into hysterics, but if we are going to be their guardians, is it awful to just let her call me what she wants to? We love these kids like a parent and are bringing them into our house to be raised with our kids. The second born is barely talking, so I'm sure the younger siblings will do what the older does. The eldest is 3, if age matters.

The seat belts don't tighten down firmly like in a car or a minivan. I need to be able to secure 2 infant car seats well enough that they don't move. Just to give an example, I had my cousin in an infant seat and as I turned a sharp corner, his car seat tilted and scared me badly. I need a way to crank the seat belt down tight and not be scared of having him with me again. Any ideas?

Does the parent still see the child until both are released?

We are near the end of a CPS case where we'll be getting Guardianship of my cousin's 2 children. She's due in the spring and the caseworker said the child will not go home with it's mother. What can I expect to happen with the child going into our care after the birth? She's not capable of raising them, but she loves the kids and will stay in their lives. I'm hoping this won't get nasty at the hospital.

My cousin isn't stable and CPS became involved almost 4 months ago. My husband and I have had her kids since July. It's gotten to the point with CPS that she's running out of time and options. She has agreed to give us Legal Guardianship (without CPS forcing the issue). The cheapest lawyer I've found so far is $200 per hour and a $1500 retainer. I'm mad that we are agreeing to provide for her kids and this is just another way she is draining us. My husband is the sole breadwinner and we have 4 kids of our own. We do ok, but by no stretch of the imagination are well off. Is there any other way to pursue this where we aren't paying out thousands of dollars to get the right to give the kids stability? We love and want the kids, I just hate that it involves a price tag!

My cousin has an open CPS case and recently found out she is pregnant. She has 2 kids that have been placed in my care until the case is resolved. It has been 3 months so far. On my placement paperwork the reason listed is " to assure the safety of both children and to be sure the youngest's medical needs are being met". The medical neglect is documented and proven from multiple health care professionals. She (the mother) is bi-polar and doesn't want to medicate. Pregnancy can literally kill her (serious problems with last pregnancy), and yet she's pregnant again. She's quit her job and has no stable home (she bounces from friend to friend). We (her mom and sis, me and my spouse) think the case is pretty solid against her and are praying she doesn't get them back. She needs to get herself healthy and she's not anywhere near that at present. If that happened, they would be adopted by us and she'd still be in their lives. Since the case is currently open and they know she is pregnant again, will they take the new baby away from her and place it with me so the siblings stay together? We've had the background check, fingerprinting, etc that was required to be their safety placement. And if the baby is placed with us, will it fall into its older siblings case or will a second case (with its own time line) be opened to address the new child?

If you adopted kids and they were named after a popular teen book's characters, wouldn't you be tempted to change the younger kid's name just so people wouldn't always think of that book instead of them as people? I mean, please agree with me that its weird that siblings are named after a couple that dated and fell in love in a book. Incestuous much?!

My cousin had her kids taken away over a month ago. My husband and I agreed to be her safety placement (with the rest of her immediate family's approval). She is bi-polar and off her meds. The kids were taken away for medical neglect and for their overall safety. CPS has taken away the older child twice before. She has no stable living situation and tends to bounce around between friends every few days to few weeks. The CPS lady told me she'd have to have a psych evaluation completed and parenting classes before she could possibly get them back. At this point, its 2 weeks past the 30 day evaluation and she nor I have been contacted about the next phase. The CPS lady did have us sign updated paperwork that tacked another month onto the time they could be staying at my house, but not hearing anything else. Any insight on what could be going on? Could this mean they are going to take them away, or that they might be giving her more time to get stable? Please don't comment about her, I know this situation sucks. I just want advice on what might be going on with the case. The family is hoping her rights will get terminated and my husband and I will be allowed to adopt. We hope so too, but more importantly we want what is best for the kids. They are my cousins, several generations apart.

Our 2002 Chrysler needs more work than I care to put in it, so looking to buy something new. We are a family of 6, plus two animals and we do alot of traveling. I need something that can hold us, pets, luggage, and not be super squished. I was looking at the Honda Odyssey 2010 and the Chrysler T&C 2010 with swivel seats (be nice for the kids). I looked at the Kia, but it has no grocery space at all in the trunk. So thought on the Honda and Chrysler, or suggestions on something else would be great!

This past December, my favorite Aunt (only 57) who I (and my kids) are close to died suddenly. Its been hard to cope with, and I'm still taking things day by day. She and one of my children share a birthday. When my daughter was born, my aunt was there too. We did a cake and everything. Thinking about their shared day hurts, especially since one of them is gone. I'd love ideas on ways to remember her as we celebrate my daughter's 8th birthday, things that bring smiles instead of tears. I don't want her forgotten, but I don't want to be crying all day either.

I've been looking online, but haven't found the designer.

A family member is wanting to divorce her husband, but hasn't told him yet. There are 2 children involved. They live in Alabama, but she wants to move back to Mississippi with the kids. She has no family in Alabama and needs her parents' help (who live in MS) to get on her feet. find a place to live, etc. She's tried for years to make things work, but it just seems to get worse.

Should she separate, move to MS, then file after she's met residency requirements? Would it look bad on her for doing so? She's got no one to help her if she tries to live on her own in AL (I'm in another state from her and the in-laws aren't people she wants to get help from). She's scared that if she stays around for the divorce to finalize, he and his family will make her life miserable. Another thing, any idea what the standard visitation is if the parents live 4-8 hours from each other?

I started feeling contractions around 24 weeks. Ok, no biggie. Then at 32 weeks I was in L&D 3 times that weeks with contractions 5-10 minutes apart (the first time it took 2 shots to make them stop). This is baby #4 so I know its normal for my body to contract more and earlier, but I'm now 36 weeks and I'm trying to not go crazy. Anyone else with daily contraction issues? Sometimes they'll start at 5-10 minutes and last for several hours, just long enough to get my hopes up! I have no issues with going to 41 weeks. I'm just frustrated over daily (and close) contractions that are teasing me!

I was upstairs trying to take a nap today (30 weeks pregnant) when I heard a knock at the door. By the time I got a robe on and downstairs, there was a realtor imputting a number on the lockbox. I asked him to come back at a later time because I was exhausted and trying to sleep. He said he called, he'd only be a minute, and tried to make me feel bad for not letting him in! After he left I checked my cell (no calls) and with the house's realtor (no calls). So needless to say I'm very upset and disgruntled that this guy thought he could just breeze into my (rented) house with me trying to sleep upstairs!

I've had many people look at the property so far, calling days in advance or calling from the front yard. But at least they called and were polite to me! Don't I have every right to deny someone entrance into the house if its occupied and they didn't call ahead?

I just got an e-invite for a baby party celebrating the birth of a child named Mylee. I'm in shock that people are using this as a real name (Nevaeh bothers me too)! Anyone else know people that are actually naming their kid this?

I'm trying to find the pronunciation of Eadoin, Emrys, Eoin, Erian, and Eire. They are Celtic/Irish. I've found several references to people with these names, but I can't find how to say them correctly. Any ideas?