I can't believe how beautiful our new foster child is.  He's absolutely gorgeous!!

Our new foster son's name is Billy.  Billy Ray.  He's six years old; already he's had a rough start in life.  He has some disabilities that affect his ability to relate to people in an appropriate manner:  he is ill-behaved, difficult to control, gregarious.  A challenge, but one we are willing to try to help him with.

My name is Georgia.  Georgia Faye Bruenstein.  I live in Mount Olive, Kentucky, with my husband, Wilbur, and our family of eight children:  Hannah Grace (14), Hezediah Jordan (13), Heather Nichole (12), Hiram Paul (10), Honore' Marie (8), Hyman Phillip (7), Hunter Ryanne (5), and the youngest, three-year-old Harrington Wilbur.  Now we have Billy Ray, the only one who doesn't have a name beginning with the letter H.  Now we have nine children to watch over:  four girls, five boys, counting little Billy Ray.

We couldn't be happier.  The children just love Billy Ray.  As for Billy Ray, he could care less; he'd much rather relate to the dog than his own foster brothers and sisters.  That's okay:  as long as he settles down, tries to show kindness or love towards our dog and not hurt her, then we're accomplishing something here.

Billy Ray has autism spectrum disorder and possibly learning disabilities.  At the age of six, he is unable to read, write, understand what is being said to him:  it's as though he is deaf (or at least hard of hearing).  I personally think it's downright stubbornness on his part, but we've already made arrangements to have him looked at by our pediatrician, just to make sure that's all that's wrong with him.

If he is hard of hearing, we will have to teach him how to communicate with sign language.  I have a little niece (Tyfanie) who is profoundly deaf, and we learned how to do sign language so we can communicate; it's opened up a new world for all of us.

Billy Ray is the first one of the children who came to us.  All the others are our own.  Happily, all are healthy, no known defects or disabilities.  We are indeed blessed.  I just feel sorry for those little ones who have to struggle with disability day in and day out; people don't realize just how difficult they have it, to try to make it in a world not accepting or accomodating to their various handicaps.

And so many children who are disabled or older than two are languishing in the foster care system, thrown away by society.  I think this is tragic; they deserve to be loved, have a home or family to call their own, just as any child who is an infant or deemed healthy!

We decided to get into foster care to show these children we care.  Billy Ray is our first experience with foster care, and so far he's giving us a run for our money; however, we are willing to try to help him, bring him out of his shell.

We shall see what time brings; it is going to be very interesting, is all I can say!

I will write more as Billy Ray adapts to his new home, his new family.  That way, you can see just how he's doing. 

Take care, and God bless!  He's blessed us by bringing Billy Ray into our homes!

~Sincerely, Georgia Faye Bruenstein.