Still here in Muddling Through As Best I Can

I’m not sure how we made it through this past week intact but somehow we managed. Bradley and Shea were laid to rest together this saturday past in a beautiful double ceremony. At the moment I am doing well, as are the kids but that seems subject to change at a moments notice. Now we move on to the next impossible ordeal. Shea had, in the past made it very clear that should anything happen to her that she did not want her mother Pamala to raise Sienna. Shea’s childhood was not idyllic, her mother being emotionally unstable.
In the past year that Brad and Shea lived with me, we’ve only had Pamala visit three times total, and Never for more than overnight. Somewhat in her defense, Pamala does live in South Dakota which is a long way, but point is that for the last year she hasn’t been around.
We now find ourselves in a three way custody battle over the girls.
My eldest Brandon has filed petitions of adoption for both of them, seeking to keep them in Texas and together(Pamala has only filed for custody of Sienna, not Raina).
Jesus, the biological father, has not seen or attempted to see Sienna in over two years; has not paid child support or even called or sent messages via facebook to check on Sienna. In addition, he has on file 3 protective orders for family violence as well as arrest warrants for various other offenses, including drugs.
Pamala is with her 7th husband in twelve years and moves from state to state every few months. This past year alone, she’s lived in Louisiana, Idaho and now South Dakota.
I just don’t believe that is the best place for a toddler and a newborn.
Pamala is otherwise a decent person, but she is my age. By the time these girls are in their late teenage years, we’ll be in our late sixties to early 70’s, and on fixed incomes, trying to corralle two teenagers.
I think age appropriate parents, who are stable both physically and financially are best for those children; and Brandon and Jillian love those girls dearly.