shape
carat
color
clarity

My Life Changes Tomorrow...

oh gosh, my allergies are just so terrible, these leaking eyes :cry2::cry2::cry2: Thank you for updating us, today is just not a good day for me and it made my heart happy to read this.
 
The other night when I got home, J shared a video with me that made me smile and that some of you might appreciate as well. She's always watching DIY videos of some type. Then she started looking up diamond rings and sending me pictures of various things. She likes color -- big honker yellow stone with white halo is her favorite thus far.

Keep in mind this was UNPROVOKED actions. Fiancee says she's definitely my kid now, lol.

 
“Can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are”. (Credit to Elton John)

Sledge you and your fiancé are the products of everything that is right with humanity. Who ever is responsible for your upbringings did an outstanding job! What a lucky little girl your daughter is.
 
The other night when I got home, J shared a video with me that made me smile and that some of you might appreciate as well. She's always watching DIY videos of some type. Then she started looking up diamond rings and sending me pictures of various things. She likes color -- big honker yellow stone with white halo is her favorite thus far.

Keep in mind this was UNPROVOKED actions. Fiancee says she's definitely my kid now, lol.

I have seen that chaps videos and he is an artisan crafts person without doubt.
Love that your girl is settling in so well and it’s wonderful that you can bond over bling - tsk tsk leading her over to “the bling side” but hey, it’s beautiful :P2
 
Wow @Bonfire, thank you so much! Truly, we feel like we are the lucky ones.

This morning we go back to court for the perm guardianship hearing. Fingers crossed all goes well. We did receive a notice on Friday that one of the biological grandparents had secured an attorney and they were providing formal notice of such.

I am expecting a fight today. :(2

But we are prepared. We believe we are helping J from her previous environment. We love J like our own, and she loves us. Lastly J being 14 has the ability to choose her guardian, at least in our state. This isn't a sure win but she has signed a form requesting me and my fiancee and it has been filed with the court. Supposedly it has considerable sway with the judge.

Appreciate prayers and good vibes for today. :cool2:
 
Prayers and good vibes and buckets of magic PS dust to you!!!!!!
 
Lots of good wishes coming your way!!
 
Today’s your day! Good vibes heading out to you!
 
Wishing you all the best today!
 
@sledge
I hope everything is ok. I noticed you haven't been on here in a while. Sending prayers your way.
 
OMG I have just read the updates and now I am hanging on the edge of my seat! I sincerely hope that you were able to go out and celebrate after the court on 2/11. Either way what you have done is so very selfless and makes such a positive impact on J, she knows that she is loved by someone out there and it makes a world of difference.
 
Sledge, good luck! I am praying that she gets her wish, forcing guardianship on a teenager would be a bad move for the court.
 
Oh, @sledge, I am so excited for the three of you and hope everything is okay! I do think a 14 year old should have a lot of say about guardianship (or adoption) when the court has taken away rights of the parent. I hope if they give you two guardianship that you will be able to legally adopt her so she has the security of knowing you are her parents forever. She needs some security after what she has been through. Praying for a good outcome!
 
Sending you lots of good luck dust and keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Hoping for the best possible outcome for all of you!
 
Hey all, I just wanted to give a quick update.

Life has been busy with work, guardianship and the wedding which is just a few weeks away! :dance:

Stress galore to be quite honest. Things with J are progressing nicely. We've hit a few speed bumps with attitude, adjusting, etc. But nothing horrible. Really considering her past I think she's doing damn well. We've got her enrolled in therapy and also in some sports.

No happy endings to report on the court side of things. The 2/11 hearing was a complete sh*t show. We formally hired an attorney afterwards. The 3/25 hearing didn't go much better. Apparently the normal judge was out on medical leave and just returned, so it was like starting all over again. :wall:

Hopefully when we go back on 5/2, things will go our way.

All this has thrown a big fat monkey wrench in the original honeymoon plans. But we've adjusted and doing a quick 3-day get away immediately after the wedding. With a little luck, we should be past all this by summer and can then take a proper honeymoon and finally unwind and relax a bit.
 
Hey all, I just wanted to give a quick update.

Life has been busy with work, guardianship and the wedding which is just a few weeks away! :dance:

Stress galore to be quite honest. Things with J are progressing nicely. We've hit a few speed bumps with attitude, adjusting, etc. But nothing horrible. Really considering her past I think she's doing damn well. We've got her enrolled in therapy and also in some sports.

No happy endings to report on the court side of things. The 2/11 hearing was a complete sh*t show. We formally hired an attorney afterwards. The 3/25 hearing didn't go much better. Apparently the normal judge was out on medical leave and just returned, so it was like starting all over again. :wall:

Hopefully when we go back on 5/2, things will go our way.

All this has thrown a big fat monkey wrench in the original honeymoon plans. But we've adjusted and doing a quick 3-day get away immediately after the wedding. With a little luck, we should be past all this by summer and can then take a proper honeymoon and finally unwind and relax a bit.

Wow... what a roller coaster ride! I hope you do enjoy the three days you have for yourself. Sending happy vibes for the upcoming wedding.
 
Any court proceedings are always a s-show when it comes to custody hearings and dealing with irrational people who probably can't control their emotions.

Luckily you have a beautiful family and a wonderful wedding with the woman of your dreams to look forward to! I can't wait to hear how many new happy memories you make over the next few weeks!
 
Hey all, I just wanted to update this thread as it's been a bit. My silence hasn't been a result of nothing happening. Quite the opposite really.

Got married. Did our 3 day get away. Came back to chaos at work. Way more court and lawyer stuff than I will air here. In that process, the court assigned J her own personal attorney. In the end that helped quite a bit as our last session in court all 3 attorneys met with the judge and the judge forced them to resolution.

Finally, after 7 months of bickering and court appearances, the judge granted us permanent guardianship of J at the end of June. Oddly enough the day after her 15th birthday. Lots of other details I probably shouldn't share here were put in place as well, but all very favorable to is and J's desires. Overall, it was a win!

Afterwards we went to TX and took one of her friends for her birthday. Did a special waterpark as that was her desire.

Came back to more chaos at work. Planned our honeymoon trip to the San Juan islands in WA state for the end of July. Continued chaos at work. Notice a theme? LOL.

The morning before we jumped on the plane for our honeymoon, the chaos and hard work paid off. Two major contracts was awarded to my company for around $467 million! This didn't count another $25 million or so we picked up in the 2 months prior to all this.

I just got back from San Juan this past weekend. Saw a family of killer whales, including a baby estimated at 1 year or less. So freaking cool!

While we were at San Juan, J went to the Grand Canyon and Arizona with a close family friend and her family.

Now we are prepping for school. Life has been moving fast this year. But in a good direction I suppose. :cool2:
 
Great to hear from you @sledge and despite the chaos, glad to hear the situation with J has been sorted.
 
I’ve only just seen this thread and it’s been lovely to read @sledge so pleased things are going so well 8 months on!
 
I’m so happy for you @sledge...I missed seeing you on here and was wondering how things were going. I have guardianship for my son because he has autism and an adult...The paperwork and the forms, accounting reports are unbelievable. I even have to have home visits...It’s to protect them...so I know why...but it’s a pain in the neck..I hope you won’t have to do it for J.
 
I have missing seeing you too! Glad it was all because of good things - albeit busy - happening in your life!!
 
So glad everything is going okay @sledge :kiss2:

Life sounds chaotic right now!! I hope the court drama buggers off soon, and the work drama sorts itself out - then it sounds like all good things!!
 
Great to read an update, Sledge. Glad to hear that things are going well, and hopefully all the busy is of the good sort.

We love hearing from you about the goings on. :)
 
I've missed seeing you around... sounds like you've been busy! In some very productive things! So glad to hear everything is going so well!
 
@sledge Congrats on the ‘wins’ with regard to the family/custody situation, work and R&R! I was wondering where you’ve been & glad to read all is well ... albeit a little chaotic! :wavey:
 
what a wounderful thread but i need a few tissues
thanks so much for shearing sledge
best wishes to your little family
 
what a momentous year! Congrats on weathering all the change and best luck for whatever comes next!
 
what a momentous year! Congrats on weathering all the change and best luck for whatever comes next!
 
Good to see your again @sledge ! Your life does sound chaotic but everything sounds like its going really well for you! That's great news!
 
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Top