Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Adopting!?!?

Well, I had a call today from our Foster Parent Coordinator, she wanted to see if we could do respite for another little girl this weekend.  She is 8, mildly autistic, but highly functioning, we of course said yes!  So we will have her and the 5 yr old this weekend.  The 5 yr old will also be staying all next week as well.

Before the call ended she said, "So, you guys REALLY want to adopt right?"  I responded with "Yes, eventually, that is the plan."    She then proceeded to tell me about two little girls that are available for adoption.  Their current foster mom is only interested in fostering.  She likes getting them to the point that they're able to be adopted and then helping them transition.    The girls are 3 and 4, they are African American, and they're the oldest of five kids.  They have two twin brothers that are two, and they're being adopted by their foster parents.  The biggest thing Social Services wanted was a family to adopt the girls that would be sure they were always in touch with the brothers.   Of course, we wouldn't have it any other way.    They also have another baby brother that is being adopted by his birth fathers family. That baby will probably not have a relationship with the girls.  The kids all have different fathers. 

So I was pretty ecstatic when my FPC told me she thought that my husband and I would be a wonderful match for these girls.  I think she really wants them in a home with no other kids so that we can focus closely on their progress and bonding.   

We will see what happens!  They're coming August 7-14 for respite to see if it is a good match for us and them.   I am cautiously optimistic at this point though. 

More news to come!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Licensed!

Well, yesterday when I checked the mail I had an envelope from DFS.  I opened it, and much to my surprise, it was our LICENSE!   We're approved for four kids, male or female, 0 weeks to 21 years, and it is good through April 20, 2013!  We are also approved to both foster and adopt!

SO YAY!  One less thing to wait on!  It came MUCH faster than I had imagined it would.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Respite's Back On!

Well, the couple that was going to do respite for a second time, had an emergency so the kids came to our house for respite. 

These kids are really good kids.  I feel bad that they had to become victims of circumstance.  The girl is 16, and she is very motherly to her 11 year old brother.  He and she both are very talkative and well mannered.  They haven't had many opportunties in life, especially those most kids take for granted. 

They got here around 10:00am and we hung around the house for a bit.  Then I took them to Chik-Fila where they hadn't eaten before.  They loved it!  After that we had about 30 minutes to kill before the movie, so I told them we would swing by Wal-mart and they could each have $10 to buy a toy etc.  He decided on some sort of Poke-mon toy, she went for a CD.  Then we took them to the movies today, the head index is about 102 here today, so we had to plan indoor activities.  The 11 yr old hadn't ever been to a movie theater.  His sister leaned over during the movie and said, "Thank you so much for being to nice to us, I think this is the best day my brother has ever had in his life".   I was in tears after that, but I hid it well!  Later she told me this would probably be the best time they have in foster care.   Their foster family has four children of their own, so including these two, they don't have much left to take family outings. 

I guess here in our house we take those things SO MUCH for granted.  These kids take cabs/buses when they go places, they don't have a car.  The little boy saw a cab at Wal-mart and he said "Hey it's cab 70, we know that guy, can I stop and tell him hello?"  I didn't let him.   They don't eat out (nor did they have much food in their home) or go to movies, the pool, or the lake.  It saddens me.  I mean in their eyes, they landed in the lap of luxury for the weekend, and in our eyes this is just what we do for fun! 

It really has given me a new appreciation for the things I DO have, as well as an understanding that there really aren't many things I DON'T have.   I have a home, food, clothes, transportation, and more love from my husband and family then I could have ever imagined possible!  For that, I am so very very thankful.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Respite for the Weekend!

Well, I just had an e-mail for an emergency respite placement of a 16 year old girl and her 10 year old brother. Apparently, there was a miscommunication on the dates the respite was needed, and the other foster parents were unable to perform the respite this weekend. It’s from Saturday-early Monday morning.


So I am hoping my flexible and willingness to help will show them WE WANT A PLACEMENT! I told her in my e-mail back that we would do it, then I ended the e-mail with “NOW CAN WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN PLACEMENT??? :) “

I will let you know how it goes!

 ******************Edited to include*********************

Well, we ended up NOT doing this respite placement.  The couple that was originally contacted was able to fix their schedule to make it work!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

New Inquiry!

Well, today I went to a state close to me that has a little more up to date photolistings.   I saw the newest sibling set they had listed and we put in our inquiry on them.   I realized that it has been just over a month since we inquired on the two little girls in the same state.   I am really hoping that we get some information back on either of these sibling groups.  We certainly don't see to be getting much local foot traffic!

On a more positive note, we had some friends over for dinner to celebrate my husband's 34th birthday!  It was a very nice night and we enjoyed catching up.  I always love discussing fostering with people that are not familiar with "the system".  

That is all for today!  I am exhausted and ready to hit the hay!  Tomorrow we're taking my 12 year old sister to see Toy Story 3.  I just wish we had kids of our own to take.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Educated? Or Edumacated?

This week we had to let one of our employees go. It was due to an unfortunate act of irresponsibility, and I feel bad for him, but at the same time, I hope he learned the lesson.


So now we have to hire a replacement.


Working in local government doesn't have the best pay in town, but our company makes up for it in AMAZING benefits (better than State employees have) and overall they give you many chances to do your job before firing even becomes an option.


My task for today is to go through applications (no resumes because that would be too much effort) and find a few suitable replacement options.


When I blog I don't always use proper grammar. This is a place for me to jot down my thoughts and feelings. I do my best, but I don't always catch the small stuff. However, my resume and work applications have always been a perfect example of the level of education I have. Apparently, I am one of the few people in this town without a college degree that can still spell and punctuate properly.

Aren't we failing our youth by not teaching them the things they truly need to succeed in life?

My eyes and brain are literally hurting me after reading these applications. Out of 101 I have found three that stood out as someone I would want writing up work orders for me.

I wonder if the majority of our problem is texting and the internet? We have this new (sometimes incoherent) form of “short hand” that in my opinion causes children to be confused between what is proper and what is improper.

My friend’s daughter had her Facebook status as: “Skewlz out 4 da summa…” the other day. I posted back to her and said, “It looks like to me you didn’t pay attention the whole year”. She then replied that it was “shorter” than typing it out. ARE WE THAT LAZY? School is out for the summer, is 13 characters (including spaces) longer than what she wrote. It pains me!

It makes me a little bit sad for these people. Then I think about the children I will have in my home. The homes they will come from probably don't place much value on education. I just hope I am able to instill the desire to learn in them while they're with me.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Weird E-mail

I just got an e-mail from my FP Coordinator where she asked the following questions:



What are the schools in your school district?


Elementary
Middle
High

Any animals in the home?

Any other languages spoken?

Any medical trainings or skills your have?

Religious preference?
 
Kind of weird questions to ask considering I already answered them in our homestudy survey.  The ONLY thing I can think of is that WV requested our homestudy for those two little girls I inquired on months ago!
 
Who knows if I will ever find out the answer. 

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Martian Child Review

The book was FANTASTIC!  I loved it!  The movie... well it may as well not have been based on the book.  It was a cute movie, but it didn't even follow the story line.  Pretty weak in my book (pun intended).

So, if you're planning to see the movie, just buy the Audio Book instead on Audible.com  it was worth the $10 and almost 5 hours of listening entertainment.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Martian Child

I've FINALLY gotten around to reading (a.k.a. listening to) the book Martian Child.  So far, it is REALLY good.  We also decided to sign up for Netflix this past weekend, and my copy of the moive Martian Child came in the mail yesterday.   I think I will listen to the book first.  It helps pass the work day.  I have almost cried about 10 times and I'm only an hour into the book. 

I am still having a VERY hard time with the fact that I had two calls two weeks ago, and now... nothing... nothing at all!  I am sure I will get a call when I least expect it.  It sucks having to keep my phone on my hip at all times and anticipating a placement everytime it rings!

I guess all of us foster families understand that feeling.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Why Are Manholes Round?

To preface this question, I will say that I work at a Sewage Treatment Plant.  I work in an office, not in the field, and honestly, it is the GREATEST job I've ever had.  I love my co-workers, and I can tell you more about sewage treatment and our sewer system than most people.  It is a very interesting job. 

My husband on the other hand is a Computer Software Developer.  Years ago Microsoft began asking the question "Why are manholes round?" during their interview process.  That has in turn caused my husband's developer friends to ask the same question of me when they find out I work in the Sewer Department.

So, to any of you planning to interview at Microsoft, there are a few different answers to the question, but the answer that is mostly the right one is that manhole covers are round so that the cover can't fall into the hole.  Other acceptable answers would be because humans can easily access the manhole do to our "round" mid sections, and since the weight of a cover is around 100lbs (or larger) the round shape makes it easier to roll the cover away from the manhole during maintenance. 

This has nothing to do with Fostering,  but I felt the need to blog something.  I'm getting a bit agitated that I turned down two placements while on vacation, and now my phone isn't ringing at all.  I guess it will happen soon enough!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Respite... Again!

Well July 2-11 we will be doing respite for a 5 year old little girl.  My case worker assured me that would in no way effect our actual fostering.  If they get a placement, she will still call me to set that up, which is good, because otherwise I probably wouldn't have agreed to doing the respite. 

That's pretty much the only news I have on the foster front!  :)

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

MY BABIES!

I have four dogs, three are rescues, two of which were "foster failures".  Over the summer of 2008, my husband and I fostered for the rescue we adopted our Schnoodle from.  That summer we had 72 dogs and/or puppies in our home.  Some stayed for hours, some for days, and others for months.  We really spent time working with the dogs to show them there are people that love them, and part of that was finding them good homes so that they could be part of a forever family.

Brooke, our Basset Hound/Poodle mix came to us at 4 months as a foster.  I knew immediately, she was meant to stay.  She was already spayed, but it was obvious from day one, she had a very "motherly" nature about her.

Brooke LOVES her toys, and she is extremely protective of them.  She carries them outside to "potty" with her.  She keeps all of the other dogs away from them.  It is cute, but annoying at the same time, because she will about rip the head off of any other dog that approaches the "babies". 

Here are a few pictures I took tonight.  Forgive her "shaggy" look.  She is due for a groom next week. 

Monday, June 7, 2010

DAYCARE!

Well, we don't have a placement yet, but thankfully with being home now, I can at least say yes or no when we get the call. 


I am so happy to be home.  I called over to a daycare that is virtually within walking distance of my house (minus the 4 lane highway) and they were so nice and helpful.  They have cared for foster children before, and the Director was very detailed in the information she provided.  The other great thing is that the school bus for our zone picks up and drops off at the daycare.  They open at 6:15 and are there until 6:30.   I hope not to have to take advantage of those hours most days, but it is nice to think I will have an hour or so after I get off work at 3:30 to come home and clean up a little before the kids are home. 

So now the wait for the phone to ring begins again!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Another Call!

Well, I woke up this morning to a voicemail from Social Services seeing if we wanted to take a placement of a 12 year old girl, and her 9 year old brother.  I called the worker back about 5 hours later, she sounded half-asleep, must have been on call last night.  I explained I was out of town so we wouldn't be able to take that placement.  She thanked me for calling back though. 

Honestly, I don't know that I am ready to take on a pre-teen.  I would prefer to stay in the lower range of our age group.  A 3-7 year old sibling group would be a better fit for us right now. 

I go home tomorrow, and hopefully we will have kids soon after!

Friday, June 4, 2010

One Year Ago....

Tomorrow will be one year since I decided I wanted to become a mom.  My husband and I began our relationship not really wanting children.  I think some of it was based in our own insecurities early on, then throw my PCOS and infertility into the mix, and it was just easier to say we didn't want kids than to explain the who, what, when, where, why, and how. 

We tried the good ol' fashioned child substitutes, God-Children, nieces, nephews, dogs, and cats, but as anyone who has tried that knows, it just doesn't last very long, because as much as my pets would love a bedtime story and to be tucked in, I am not that crazy!  :)

I decided I wanted to be a mom when I looked across the room and saw my amazing husband holding my niece at her 7th birthday party, tickling and picking on her.   After that, I knew there was NO WAY I could go on without at least trying to get pregnant and/or adopting.

To be honest, before we tried to have one of our own, we discussed fostering on many occasions.  Then we said, we would just try for a bio, and if it didn't happen with oral medications, we wouldn't go any further, and we would switch to adoption.

So here we are, a year later.  Many tears shed, many smiles cracked, and more in love than I ever imagined we could be.   Hoping to adopt from foster care.

We can't wait to welcome children into our home and show them all of the love and guidance they so dearly deserve! 

Also, I think the dogs are really looking forward to the extra attention!  Let us pray that attention is ALWAYS positive!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

House Rules

My husband and I are fairly laid back, but we wanted to have some house rules we could use for almost all ages.  While here visiting my family in Florida, I saw they had this awesome "Our House Rules" tapestry posted on the wall.  It was a gift to them from my uncle.  I haven't live at home for 8 years now, but I was the oldest, so they still have kids at home.

It says: 

Dear Family, we are Blessed to be together in this place...But you must do your part so we'll have Harmony in this space.

If you make a mess, clean it up.
If you slept on it, make it up.
If it barks or meows, feed it!
If you turned it on, turn it off.
If it cries, love it.
If you want to borrow it, ask first.
If it rings, answer it.
If you opened it, close it.
If you wore it, hang it up.

Here is a picture. 

Now, some of these rules don't really apply for our house, but I like the idea none the less.

So here are Our House Rules:

If you make a mess, clean it up.
If you turn it on, turn it off.
If you take it out, put it up.
If you break it, admit it. 
If you borrow it, return it.
If it is yours, take care of it. 
If it belongs to someone else, ASK before you use it.
If you don't know how to use it, leave it alone and ask for help.
If it will make someone happy, do it. 
If it will hurt someone's feelings, keep it to yourself.
If it barks or meows, feed it and love it.
If it is empty, tell us so we can refill it.

I am sure we will find more "rules" and guidelines once we have kids, but I think these rules are great for any household.

Ready to head home!

I don't go back to Virginia until Monday, but I AM SO READY!  I miss my husband, I miss my dogs, and I missed out on a placement of two little boys today.  They are 3 and 4 but they needed us to take them tonight.  As much as my husband is ready, he isn't ready without me there yet.  So we had to pass on the placement.  I know there will be others soon. 

So that's where I am at for today!