This Is The Story- Part 4

 Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Yesterday's post was hard. I cried when I wrote it, and I cried when I went back and re-read it over and over again. It doesn't bring up any good feelings. But the Lord's glory is revealed in today's part.

On Thursday, we were supposed to hear from DCS. So we waited. And we waited. And while we waited we prayed for Camden. We stopped praying for our family. Up until this point we prayed that DCS would go away and we would be just like any other patient at LeBonheur- there to get the help they needed until it was time to go home.

We prayed that Camden would rest. People were constantly poking and prodding him. I was tired of seeing him be woken up. He needed to rest if he was going to heal. And you don't hurt while you sleep so I wanted my baby to sleep.

Oddly enough, this day was the day that the x-rays stopped, and he had a long bone scan in which he was wrapped up like a mummy and slept like one too. He smiled at us after his nap. At that moment, I was reassured that the Lord was with us in Room 1023.

The day ticked on and we heard nothing from DCS. We didn't know if no news was good news or if they were lining up foster care for our child. Because foster care was mentioned. We went to bed that night praying for a miracle the next day. We had no hand in this. We were at the mercy of the system. A system that is full of sinful people who look at cases like ours and do what they need to do and move on. We were just a number to them. Not the Russell's. The youth minister and the special needs teacher. Nope. They didn't care about our hearts. They just "wanted to do what was best for the child." So we prayed and went to bed.

On Friday we woke up with a renewed spirit but with nervous hearts. We first saw one of Cam's doctors and she told us that they would be discharging us. I was excited but I knew that we couldn't leave until we had heard from DCS.

And we did.

The two women that we had spoken to days before came into our room with their supervisor. They sat us down and let us know what was going on. I will explain it the best I can.

They said that since Nathan had "harmed" our child and the doctor believes that it was a case of abuse, he could not be alone with Camden. They told us that they were recommending that Nathan have no contact with us at our home for 72 hours. They also said that this recommendation would go in front of a judge that day and he would vote on what he thought we should have to do. After the 72 hours, we would go to court, plead our case, and then get another verdict on what would happen to our family.

After their talk they left for court and we were to wait for them to return with our fate.

Of course, I crumbled. 72 hours no contact with my husband. My infant had 7 broken ribs and he couldn't be around to help. I needed him and he needed me! So we did the only thing we knew to do. We prayed. We hit our knees and begged the Lord for mercy on our family. My prayer the whole time had been that the Lord wouldn't allow our family to be separated. If ever I needed him to answer, it was now.

While they were gone we took some advice, got on the phone, and hired two lawyers. We knew that what we were about to face was bigger than we could handle alone.

About 4 o'clock there was a knock on the door. It was Mr. Supervisor here to give us the outcome.

He said-

The judge over turned the 72 hour recommendation and instead put into place a restraining order on Nathan. That restraining order stated that Nathan was not allowed to be alone with the baby and that he was to be supervised if ever with the baby. I did not count as supervision. But the judge did approve my mom and Nathan's mom. That meant that if Nathan wanted to come home, my mom would have to sacrifice and move in with us. We had a court date set for April 16. She would have to live with us until then.

But we didn't complain. Nathan was getting to go home with us. We were leaving the hospital as a family of 3. Well now 4 including Mom!

The Lord answered my prayer. He heard me.

They unhooked Baby Boy from all the wires and his IV. We checked out of the hospital and went home.

But thats when the trial really started for our family. I will make the details as short as possible.

We spent a lot of days in limbo. Our attorneys worked fervently to end this period of supervision as soon as possible but it still took forever. The court system brought in a Guardian ad Litem. This was the person who would represent Camden in the court. She would decide where Camden would go if it was decided that he couldn't remain with us. The district attorney was called over and over for an answer on if she was going to prosecute Nathan or not. Because there were two cases going on at the same time. One with the Department of Child Services and one with the state of Tennessee. If the state decided to prosecute and they won, Nathan would be a registered child abuser. In Tennessee, this is on the same list as sex offenders. I could see our life unraveling before our eyes.

We called and scheduled for a second medical opinion in Nashville. We did everything we needed to do to be ready in case we needed to go to court. We prayed all day every day.

The prayers were heard.

On March 24 we got a phone call from the lawyers. The DA had decided not to prosecute. The charges against the state were dropped and there was no chance that Nathan would be on any list.

About 30 minutes after that we got another phone call. The DCS social worker got word from the DA and they were also dropping all charges. The case was unfounded. There was not enough solid evidence to prove that any type of abuse happened.

The Lord heard my prayers. And again, he answered.

We went home to celebrate. My family was still in tact. Shaken, bruised, battered, weak, weathered, and weary, but we were in tact.

We were a family of 3 again. No one was coming to take my baby. He would remain at home with me and his daddy where he belonged. Because no one can love him as much as we do.

Our first picture as a family of 3 again. 

I still do not know why we had to go through this. I ask the Lord all the time for that answer. And I may never know on this side of heaven. But I know that I am a stronger person, wife, mom, and Christian because of it.

But the awesome part of the story is it doesn't end there. The Lord, in all of his mercy, chose to reveal Himself even more.

The last and final part tomorrow.