WORDS WILL NEVER EXPRESS THE FEELINGS IN THIS HOUSE TODAY. AT ABOUT 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM OUR ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ASKING US TO MAKE SURE OUR FAX MACHINE WAS ON SO THAT THEY COULD FAX US SOME PAPERWORK. THE JUDGE HAD RULED IN OUR FAVOR. CAITLIN IS TO REMAIN IN OUR HOME, UNDER OUR CARE AS LEGAL GUARDIANS!! THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT COME TO MIND, BUT WHAT WE WANT EVERYONE WHO READS THIS SITE TO KNOW IS THAT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY, WE WANT TO THANK SOME CRUCIAL PEOPLE DURING THIS PROCESS: OUR DEAR FRIENDS THE AGAN'S; OUR ATTORNEY, GALE PHELPS AND HER ENTIRE STAFF WHO HAVE ALL BECOME MORE LIKE FAMILY THAN HIRED PROFESSIONALS; OUR PASTOR, STEVE WHITE AND THE ENTIRE STAFF OF PLAINFIELD CHRISTIAN CHURCH FOR THE PRAYERS AND SUPPORT; LIKEWISE THE MILESTONES SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS AND ALL THE PCC CHURCH FAMILY; GRANDMA MAGGIE, AND FINALLY GRANDPA JOHN, WITHOUT WHOM WE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO THROW IN THE TOWEL LONG AGO.

SEPTEMBER 20, 1999

CAITLIN CAME TO LIVE WITH US WHEN SHE WAS 7 MONTHS OLD, IN FEBRUARY, 1996. ORIGINALLY WE WERE TO PROVIDE DAY CARE FOR HER WHILE HER MOTHER WENT TO SCHOOL. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME HOWEVER, HER STAYS TURNED INTO OVERNIGHTS, THEN SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW, AND FINALLY WEEKS WITHOUT CONTACT FROM HER MOTHER. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD WE BECAME AWARE OF THE ABSOLUTELY DEPLORABLE LIVING CONDITIONS THAT CAITLIN HAD TO ENDURE WHEN SHE WAS NOT AT OUR HOUSE. DRUGS, VIOLENCE, CHAOS, AND FILTH FILLED EVERY MINUTE OF CAITLIN'S LIFE DURING THE SHORT PERIODS OF TIME SHE WAS AWAY FROM US. WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO INSURE CAITLIN WAS WITH US AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND WITHOUT CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR THE MOTHER, TRIED TO GET AGENCIES TO ASSIST IN RECTIFYING THE OTHER CONDITIONS CAITLIN HAD TO ENDURE. FINALLY IN THE LATE SPRING OF 1997, CAITLIN'S MOTHER DECIDED SHE WAS READY TO HAVE CAITLIN LIVE WITH HER FULL TIME. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT ALL THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE WERE STILL PRESENT, OR IN SOME CASES WORSE. WE TRIED OUR BEST TO MONITOR THE SITUATION, AND ENSURE CAITLIN WAS SAFE. DURING THIS TIME WE BECAME AWARE OF TRIPS CAITLIN HAD MADE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM DUE TO INJURIES, PERIODS WHERE SHE HAD NO FOOD, AND TIMES WHEN SHE WAS LEFT IN THE CARE OF SOME VERY IRRESPONSIBLE, AND IN OUR OPINION, DANGEROUS INDIVIDUALS. FINALLY, AFTER CAITLIN BEING AWAY FROM OUR HOME FOR 2 1/2 MONTHS, AND THE HORROR STORIES MOUNTING, WE COULD TAKE IT NOW LONGER.

IN JULY OF 1997 WE INITIATED LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO PROTECT CAITLIN AND BECOME HER LEGAL GUARDIANS. ON AUGUST 19, 1997, THE SUPERIOR COURT OF MARION COUNTY, STATE OF INDIANA, GRANTED US TEMPORARY GUARDIANSHIP, PENDING FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. DURING THIS PROCEDURE CAITLIN'S MOTHER HAD TAKEN CAITLIN AND GONE TO ALABAMA. AFTER THE COURT GRANTED OUR REQUEST, WE TRAVELED TO ALABAMA AND BROUGHT CAITLIN HOME WITH US. SHE HAS REMAINED WITH US SINCE. THE TRIAL TO FINALIZE HER GUARDIANSHIP LASTED ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF. IN FINALLY CONCLUDED ON JUNE 10 OF THIS YEAR. SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE JUDGE TO MAKE HIS RULING. IN THE MEANTIME CAITLIN IS ALLOWED VISITATION WITH HER MOTHER ON ROUGHLY A TWICE-A-MONTH SCHEDULE. CAITLIN IS NOW A NORMAL, THRIVING, 4 YEAR OLD. OUR HOPES AND PRAYERS ARE THAT SHE REMAINS IN OUR HOME WHERE SHE CAN BE SAFE, FREE FROM CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE, AND LOVED AS MUCH AS ANY CHILD CAN BE LOVED.

TO THIS POINT WE HAVE INVESTED COUNTLESS HOURS, THE EFFORT OF A MULTITUDE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THE FLAWLESS WORK OUR OUR BELOVED ATTORNEY GALE PHELPS, AND OVER $55,000 TO ENSURE THAT CAITLIN HAS A FAIR START IN LIFE. WE HAVE BEEN ACCUSED IN COURT OF "STEALING" A CHILD. AS YOU CAN SEE, IF THAT WERE THE CASE THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHEAPER AND COME WITH LESS HEADACHES THAN THE COURSE WE CHOSE. THIS IS ONLY ABOUT ONE THING, A LIFE FOR CAITLIN, A LIFE THAT ANY CHILD DESERVES. AND FACED WITH IT ALL-YES WE WOULD DO IT AGAIN.