A Window Into Waverley's World

This is Danielle posting.

I had the delight of visiting Molly last weekend and had the privilege of spending the afternoon with her and her precious girls.

Molly shared with me that they recently received notice that their court hearing date had been set.

November 17th.

That is the date in which lawyers for both sides will have a mere 20 minutes to present their cases to a panel of judges... the judges who will ultimately decide Waverley's future.

20 Minutes!

That's all the time they get to present the legal reasons why this well-adjusted, very much loved, sweet as pie, 1 1/2 year old baby girl should continue being parented by the only parents she has ever known in the only home that she has ever known.

20 Minutes!

It seems like insanity, but it is their reality.

As Molly shared this with me, she said something that struck me. She said...

"I don't want 20 minutes. I want them to come to dinner at our house. I want them to see where she lives. I want them to hear her call me MaMa. I want them to at least spend that 20 minutes with her!"

As a mother and a friend, my heart ached for her when she said this. I could hear the pain and fear in her voice.

And in my non-legal opinion, she is RIGHT!

If those deciding judges spent those 20 minutes in Waverley's home, they would get a peek into Waverley's world...

The only one she has ever known.

And this is what they would see...

She has a precious room with a big comfy chair in it.

There are pictures of her hanging all over the living room walls.

She has a big sister who adores her and calls her "honey bee".

Her mother dresses her in precious clothes with a matching bow.

She has lots of baby dolls and 2 big baskets filled with toys.

She calls her grandma "YaYa".

She loves her pacifier and her monkey.

She takes a nap at 12:30 and tells her mother when she is tired.

She is shy, but oh-so-sweet.

She loves to eat and happily sits in her special chair at the table.

She sleeps with a fan and a noise maker so that her big sister doesn't wake her up in the mornings.

Her mother is one of the most patient, calm, and nurturing mothers I've met.

There are bible verses attached to her refrigerator door.

Her pacifiers and sippy cups have a special residence inside the kitchen cabinet doors.

She sleeps for 14 uninterrupted hours at night.

She has a new baby cousin named Iris.

She is loved by so many.

These are just a few of the things that I witnessed as I peeked into Waverley's world last week.

I wish the judges could spend that 20 minutes in the Nagel home.

If they could peek through the window into Waverley's world, there would be no legal argument in the world that would compel them to decide in favor of the birth father's petition!

As we were preparing to leave, Molly allowed me to use the computer in her bedroom. As I did, I couldn't help but notice an envelope sitting next to the computer. The return address was from the legal offices of Kevin Kenney... their attorney. I knew there was a bill inside that envelope. I know the stress that seeing those envelopes causes Matt & Molly.

As I left the bedroom, thanks to the overwhelming generosity of those of you who have helped through your donations, I was able to write Molly a check of a significant amount. Molly was visibly moved. She told me that it was such an incredible relief to be able to pay that bill without having to figure out how to juggle another credit card payment.

So, to those of you who have shared your treasure with the Nagels, THANK YOU! I have visibly seen the relief your generosity and love has provided this family.

And to those of you have continued to pray for the Nagels, THANK YOU! Prayers, above all else, is what this family continues to covet most.

At the end of our visit, Molly shared with me that they do not expect to have a decision from the court before the end of the year. She recalled that their most difficult day in court last year fell right before the holidays. After a grueling day in court, they immediately left for a family vacation to Colorado where they celebrated the holidays.

As tears welled in her eyes, she shared how difficult the holiday season was last year. Trying to balance celebrating and enjoying the priceless moments of the holidays with the fear that those moments may have to last them forever was so difficult. She was visibly terrified of the possibility of having to face that same balancing act again this year.

So I told her we would pray that she wouldn't have to face it again this year!

In the coming days and months, I ask you to continue to pray for the Nagels. Specifically, I ask you to pray that this case would be decided in favor of the Nagels in an expedient manner so that the Nagels can celebrate this holiday season with the comfort and security of knowing that there will be many more "moments" in their future.

As I close this post, I am reminded of a "moment" that occurred during my visit. I overheard my 4 year old having a very serious conversation with Waverley's big sister, Harper. It went something like this:

Noah: "Sometimes I talk to God at night."

Harper: "I do too."

Me: "When Noah is scared at night, I tell him to talk to Jesus and ask Jesus to make him brave."

Harper: "When I'm scared, I say my verses....

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.... Joshua 1:9"

Noah: "We have Joshua too!"

This is the kind of home where Waverley is being raised. Her 3 year old sister recited that verse to me without hesitation or mistake! I was impressed... to say the least!

As the reality of the court date draws nearer, I know that Matt & Molly have many reasons to feel terrified and discouraged. But as they are lovingly teaching their daughters, they will be strong and courageous, for they know that the Lord will be with them wherever they go!

Please continue to pray for their strength and courage! And continue to check in for more legal updates and opportunities to help with their financial needs.

With gratitude,

Danielle

K State Ticket Fundraising Auction

FOOTBALL TICKETS

FOR AUCTION!!!!!

2 Tickets

K-State v. Texas A&M

Date: October 17th

Time: TBA
Place: Manhatten, Kansas

The tickets are located in the south end zone

Section 16

Row 24

Seats 19 & 20

Want to enjoy the game?

PLACE YOUR BIDS NOW!!!!

To bid on the tickets, please email danielleholtzman@cox.net with the amount of your PLEDGED bid.

If another bidder outbids you, you will be notified via email with an opportunity to bid again.

At the close of the auction, the tickets will be sold to the highest bidder.

Bidding Closes on Thursday, October 15th at 7:00 pm

The winning bidder will be notified and the tickets will be mailed or delivered to you.

We request that the winning bidder make a payment via the secure PayPal donation button available on this blog within 24 hours of being notified of the win.

100% of the proceeds will be donated to the "Help Matt & Molly" Fund!

The Waiting Game & Stay Tuned

The Waiting Game

From Molly

Well, as we expected, the entire month of September has passed and we have not heard one tiny word from the courts on when our lawyers will go before them to present the case. So we are settling back into waiting.



We are in an odd, suspended time where we are trying to relax and enjoy this time where there is no legal activity or looming court dates but where we feel uneasy that nothing is happening. It is impossible to relax completely or breathe easily, but at the same time there is comfort that nothing is going on for the moment and we can try to put it out of our minds and enjoy the quiet. I have a hard time finding good things that are stemming from this situation.


However, I do appreciate that I have an awareness of just how precious each moment with my girls really is. I am grateful for the unique perspective that this time is fleeting, and that they will quietly and quickly grow up. I am jarred daily by the reality that it is possible that I could just have these days with Waverley to remember her by forever, and so while it makes me feel an insane panic, it also makes me immensely thankful for each sweet second I have with my girls.



Even when we win this case, which I am fully anticipating that we will, my girls aren't going to take a break or slow down. So I smile and thank God whenever I get a reminder that this life is short and sweet and that these are some of the best moments I'll know:



~ Waverley trying to run down the hall naked before her bath
~ And finding it hilarious when I chase her down
~ Her wild curly hair and playful grin peering up at me over the side of her crib when I
go in to get her in the morning
~ The adoring looks that she gives Matt as he talks to her and teases her
~ The face she makes when she is proud of herself
~ The way it sounds when she yells my name
~ The way she kisses her stuffed monkey every time she sees him like she is having the
best reunion, even though it's only been a few minutes since she last had him!




This is a hard time in our lives, but it is also a happy time. We are deeply blessed, and God is Good.

Molly

Stay Tuned

From Danielle

Please stay tuned and check in soon for more updated fundraising opportunities.

The Nagels continue to be blessed by your generous support and fervent prayers.

I have received donations for K-State Tickets, Home Cleaning Services, Adorable Custom Made Girl Clothing, "For the Love of Waverley" Hairbows, Jewelry Party, Tastefully Simple Party and more!

Those fundraisers and auctions will be posted by the beginning of next week, so STAY TUNED!

An Encouraging Legal Update!

We are in a slow moving legal process that does not ever seem to gather much momentum for anything other than more waiting!


However, we did receive some word this week from our lawyer, and for once, it was something to be excited about! We received the brief that a kind lawyer from the The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys wrote supporting Waverley's case. This generous group wrote this brief on our behalf as an outside party that has an unbiased opinion on the original verdict. They did this work pro bono!


The brief's position is that the lower court's ruling was constitutional and upholds the law, but it also promotes being able to use "best interest of the child" as more of a deciding factor than is currently the case (as dictated by Kansas law).


The brief states, "AAAA takes the position that children should be recognized as individuals possessed of their own interests and rights including the right to be part of a stable and permanent family or custody arrangement and the expectation and sense of security of remaining part of that family unit once it is established."


The appellate court can consider this brief, and it could be used to change Kansas adoption law to incorporate more "best interest and rights of the child" into the courts' rulings.


We are endlessly grateful that this Association thought we were a case worth fighting for. They take on only a limited amount of cases each year.


Matt and I will forever remember Martin Bauer, the author of this brief, as a champion for our daughter. He is really the first person who has been able to actually advocate for Waverley, and not just argue for or against the birthfather parenting.


It was such a relief to read his words as he argued our daughter's case. I felt exhilarated that finally, Waverley had a voice in this matter!


We praise God for Martin Bauer! His words felt like a balm on all of the pain that this case has caused our family. I would describe the trial as out and out nasty, and the birthfather's lawyer was very hateful towards Matt and I in court and in correspondence with our lawyer since the trial ended. Since that is not at all relevant to the case, we had to let that go. Reading this brief felt like a reward for trying to take the higher road.


We have tried to accomodate the birthfather as much as possible during the case and do the right thing. When things were difficult and ugly, one of the verses we looked to was verse Exodus 14:14 which says, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."


I know that the Lord was fighting for us when Martin Bauer submitted his brief!


Some of the following are excerpts from other rulings or briefs he has quoted; some of the words are his own, but here is a brief synopsis of his 22 page brief:


[A}as a matter of simple common sense, the rights of children in their family relationships are at least as fundamental and compelling as those of their parents. If anything, children's familial rights are more compelling than adults', because children's interests in family relationships comprise more than the emotional and social interests which adults have in family life; children's interests also include the elementary and wholly practical needs of the small and helpless to be protected from harm and to have stable and permanent homes in which each child's mind and character can grow, unhampered by uncertainty and fear of what the next day or week or court appearance may bring.

AAAA asks this Court to recognize that this child has a constitutionally based liberty interest in the protection of his established family, a right which is at least equal to, and AAAA believes outweighs, the rights of others who would claim a "possessory" interest in this child.
The time period for assessing the birth father's alleged contacts with the child must be adjusted to a narrow perspective due to the child’s age. As noted by the Kansas Court of Appeals, an infant's needs and a child's prospective are very immediate... A child cannot wait to grow up to test if the father will or will not make promised or desired changes. The father's past and present condition must be the basis of the court's decision, not promises of future changes.

The self-evident foundation of these two statutory standards for termination of parental rights is that if the birth parent does not have custody, the child is bonding with the persons who have custody and every day that passes, the bond increases. The non-custodial parent cannot just sit back and see what happens until some unknown point in time in the future and do nothing until someone else forces the issue... Here DM (the birthfather) abrogated his role of father despite his financial resources.


A child cannot wait for some future date when the birth father might be prepared to parent the child... filing an objection to the adoption and awaiting the outcome of the case does not satisfy a birth father's post delivery obligations. Neither provides any form of support, yet the need for support continues.

Finally! Someone was fired up for Wavy!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

At this time, we do not expect to hear from the court for some time. The next word we have from them will be a scheduled date to have our lawyer and the birthfather's lawyer argue their sides before the Appellate Court. We will most likely not have updates on Waverley's case for awhile.




As for Waverley, she has decided at 14 months that she is ready to walk! She is mostly trying to walk on her tip-toes. Her wipe outs are catastrophic! She is covered in bruises. However, she is always game for another go. We are proud of her!


She has also mastered blowing kisses. She puts her hand to her mouth and makes a loud smacking sound.


Waverley is absolutely precious to us. Every day I am grateful for the combination of her sweet and tender spirit with her love for being thrown around and chased. She has the warmest heart and a love for rowdiness. We could not delight in her more.


Thank you for letting us share these things with you. It is amazing to have a forum to tell people how beautiful your children are!


Love,
The Nagels -- Waverley's Family

Molly Goes to Work, Legal Updates, & Prayer Requests

Coffee Anyone?

Molly started working at Starbucks this past week. We felt that with with our mounting legal fees and Matt's new job, the time was right for me to begin supplementing our income.

With hours that work really well for our family, it feels like a pretty sweet deal. I start work at 5 a.m. and am home just a couple of hours after the girls get up in the morning.

Our generous and wonderful extended family watches the girls while I am at work. We are thankful for this opportunity that allows me to make some extra money without incurring additional daycare costs!

Harper thinks that my new job is pretty cool and is envious of my green apron! In addition to the usual pretend cooking she does, she has added making "big cups of coffee." Waverley just likes it when I bring home the vanilla milk!

**********

A New Milestone for Waverley

Waverley put two words together for the first time this week.

"Pat Mama," she said with a smile as she leaned out of her seat at the table to pat my arm as I brought her dinner to her. It was a really sweet moment.

But then again, this girl loves to eat, and she might have just been happy to have her food!

***********

Updates on the Legal Front & Prayer Requests

Our lawyer and the birthfather's lawyers have submitted their briefs to the Court of Appeals. At this point, a panel of three judges will review transcripts of our court dates, all of the evidence presented, and the briefs.

At an unknown time in the future, our lawyer and the birthfather's lawyers will go before this panel of judges to answer questions.

From there, more time (of course, always more time!) will go by for deliberations and then a verdict will be reached.

Our lawyer brought up several times in his brief that the duty of this court is not to make a new ruling based on what happened during our trial, but rather to decide if the favorable ruling was made in error. We are very happy with the quality of our lawyer and the work he has done for us.

As we go through this time of waiting, we would be so grateful for your continued prayers. We firmly believe that it is through prayer alone that we won our case in the first place.

Please pray that the judges would not be able to overturn this ruling.... that it would simply be impossible for them to do so. We don't care how this happens! We just pray that they will decide that there is no viable option but to uphold the ruling Judge Sheppard made in our favor.

We also ask for prayers for our lawyer during this time... that he would have the answers to the questions that the judges need to hear, and that he would have a supernatural wisdom and discernment when he stands before them.

Finally, please join us in praying for our girls. We do not want Harper and Waverley to pick up on the mounting tension in our home as our court date approaches. We saw clear signs of stress in our daughters as we rode out the last round of this legal battle. We are praying they will not pick up on the worry and fear that we have a hard time keeping at bay.

Lastly if you are so inclined, we would so appreciate your prayers for our family in general... that we would be strong and courageous, not afraid or discouraged, remembering that the Lord, Our God, is with us wherever we go. Joshua 1:9 promises that to us. We pray it would resonate within us as we clearly see that God is in this with us and for us.

Thank you so very much!

Everything Rides on Hope Now... A Note from the Nagels

A Note from Matt & Molly....


The first morning the blog was up and running, I got out of bed and checked my email. Danielle (the creator and author of this blog) had emailed me that fifty people had already been on the site since she posted it at 1:00 that morning. Someone had even made a generous donation!

I quickly went to the blog and saw that the count was at 62. I just sat there with my hands over my mouth. How could that many people care about our family by 8:00 in the morning?!

Matt and I called each other and texted excitedly all day, marveling over how many people had looked at Waverley's site... we even had followers!

Our mood could best be described as giddy!

We had to permanently install a box of Kleenex by our desk! The nicest comments you could imagine got posted on the blog. As we read them, our eyes filled with tears and we felt carried by your prayers and your support.

I saw the numbers climb exponentially...

85...

124...

I freaked out when the count was in the 600's!

Who were these people that cared about our family enough to read our story? It occurred to me that if this many people were reading our story, it was possible that same amount of people were praying to God on our family's behalf!

I felt buoyed up in hope.

999 hits!

I laid my head on the desk and listened to the first song that plays when you go to the blog...

If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

The prayers, love, support, contributions, and offers of fundraisers from all of you feels like a huge piece of that shelter right now.

We stand in awe that both people who love us, and those that don't even know us would consider joining our journey and commit to praying for us as we continue down this uncertain road.

We are so deeply encouraged.

Knowing that you are praying for us and for Waverley is a huge gift to us.

And a gift to her!

We won't ever be able to communicate how much your support means to us. There are not words for this kind of gratitude. It is just resonating inside of us and giving us such a sense of peace and an unspeakable hope.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

We are so grateful for your continued prayers.

Please keep checking in!

Love,
Matt and Molly

*****************

An Update from Danielle...

I thought you might like to see another picture of the two sweet sisters, so here it is....

To those of you who have emailed me regarding fundraisers or bracelets, please forgive me if I have not yet responded to you. Thankfully, my Inbox has been quite full recently! I will respond to each of you personally, but in the meantime, please know that if you would like to reserve a bracelet, you can make a donation via the PayPal button on the blog. Then just email me at danielleholtzman@cox.net indicating how many you would like to reserve. I plan to have an update on the bracelets soon!

And if you have generously offered to do a fundraiser, I am THRILLED to accept your offer! I will be responding to those offers individually as well!

And to you readers... stay tuned because we have some GREAT fundraisers being planned!

From my own heart, THANK YOU to everyone who is praying for Matt & Molly, sharing their story, spreading the word, and helping to alleviate their financial burdens. It is quite amazing to watch the numbers increase and the prayers begin to be heard. I know the prayers are being heard as I witness our dear friends being filled to the brim with an overwhelming peace and immense hope!

As I've shared before, I feel confident that with the prayers and support of so many, this sweet family will stay intact!

SHOW MATT & MOLLY YOUR SUPPORT... and help raise money!

How neat would it be if Matt & Molly could actually SEE how many people are praying for them and supporting them on their adoption journey?


Well, now they CAN!


Introducing....


"FOR THE LOVE OF WAVERLEY" Bracelets



These bracelets are in the process of being made! They will be light blue in color (Molly's choice to represent Waverley) and have a debossed look (similar to the ever-so-popular "Livestrong" yellow bracelets) that says...


"For the Love of Waverley"


If you would like to SHOW your support to Matt & Molly as well as help with their financial needs, reserve your bracelets today!


We welcome a suggested donation of $5 per bracelet, but any amount you feel you can give will be graciously accepted.


If you would like to purchase a "bulk" of bracelets to sell to your church members, family, or friends, that can be accommodated as well.


We want to light up the greater Kansas City area with an ocean of light blue bracelets SHOWING Matt & Molly how many people are praying for them and supporting their needs!


AND... for those of you that purchase bracelets, please email me a picture of you and/or your group showing off your bracelets. I will be starting a Photo Gallery on this blog showcasing all of the bracelet-wearing supporters!


To reserve your bracelet or to purchase a bulk grouping, please contact Danielle at helpmattandmolly@gmail.com . 100% of the profits from the sale of these bracelets will be contributed to the "Help Matt & Molly Fund".

Thank you in advance for supporting this inaugural fundraiser and for doing your part to SHOW Matt & Molly your support!

With gratitude,