Friends. Relaxing. Exhausting. That would describe the weekend in three words. Brittney and I tried to ride the wave of emotions of this being the first two-night (Friday-Sunday) visit.
How did we do without the kids? I think we did okay. We tried to mix the idea of: relax but keep busy type of mentality. We were with friends on Friday evening. Then, we took advantage of the no-kids on on Saturday and relaxed more on Saturday. We RedBox-ed a movie (The Post--great movie!) to watch in the evening after we had a busy day of spring errands and cleaning. It was good, relaxing (yet busy!) and probably a sign of what's to come after the transition. It didn't really hit me how much they mean to me and visa-versa until Sunday morning when we went to pick up Ezekiel for PJ Masks LIVE! in the morning. Even though Ashley was staying with their parents, when we went to pick him up.....she got super smiley/excited and made babbling noises when she saw me. She crawled to me and let me pick her up. It broke my heart when I gave her back to Jackie...that Ashley whined for me...enough to where Jackie laughed and handed her back over to me for another 30 seconds before we left. :) Like I said before, we are buddies. That was the most emotional point for me of the weekend. Ezekiel was his typical chatter-box on the drive to PJ Masks LIVE. We surprised him with going to see some of our close friends, Curt and Kelli--and their two kids. Ezekiel and Julia, one of their daughters--have gotten along so well in the handful of times they've played together. We wanted them to see each other at least one more time. Ezekiel was surprised and happy to see Julia. They made him a birthday cake (remember, we took him to PJ Masks LIVE for his birthday which is this week) and the day started out with a bang. The show itself was okay and as adults, it's easy to take advantage of the full length animated Disney movies that have adult humor or plot lines....because in the PJ Masks...they just aren't there, ha! Ezekiel had a blast. I'm grateful for giving him the opportunity to go. Ezekiel is clearly processing---I could tell all day. From how he was talking so much in the car, to what the plan was after PJ Masks to picking out the same Blues Clues Birthday book we read to him over and over nearly 1 year ago. (Remember, the kid prays: Thank you for Blue's Clues, I don't like Blues Clues anymore, I like the PJ Masks" during his prayer.) The way he hugged Brittney today after saying our prayers felt different--it was a bigger hug. Our little man has a lot going on in his little brain. Today, I'm thankful for Julia---who gave Ezekiel some of the best memories he will likely have with us. From playing countless minutes (hours?) of tag together at our house, their house, swimming in the community pool of Julia's, to playing basketball today with them---he will have good memories with her. Seeing Julia upset at when we had to go--and not Ezekiel--showed so much maturity in him. I'm sure part of it was also that he was headed to another cool thing (PJ Masks!) and she wasn't. However, her being sad tells me how much she (Julia) values him as a friend. It's also a good and difficult lesson of what having foster kids can do to your friends' children. That's my foster parent lesson for today: a foster kiddo who transitions away does impact your (and the child's) friends in ways that you cannot forget or downplay. It's a loss for them, too. It will be a loss for Julia--in her own way. It also puts Curt and Kelli in a potential awkward situation. We've created a friendship between Julia and Ezekiel---a friendship that Julia will ask about---and one that isn't super easy to answer for her. While we will continue and remain in Julia (and our other friends' children's lives)---our kiddos won't. That's complicated, unconventional, and different for children and it's important to realize. That said, fellow foster parents, my message is clear: do not shy away from creating play dates with your personal (college) friends kids and your foster children. I think our friends would agree with this advice, too. Some of my favorite memories of Ashley and Ezekiel are with our college friends' children. I sign off tonight exhausted after a busy day to/from St. Louis. I also sign-off proud of Ezekiel and how he's matured since joining our home a year ago. Until next time, thank you for reading! Craig
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Can you believe it's May 4th? I can't. We're at approximately 19 days until Trial Home Placement. Lots of emotions. First, two short stories about the kids.
The bedtime routine for our kids has remained almost completely consistent from the first day we welcomed them into our home. Ezekiel, ever since probably July 2017 gets a bath at 6:30 (Six-Three-Oh-Oh as he said for a long time). After a bath, we read books, brush teeth, pray, and go to bed. Today, I want to talk about the "go to bed" events. It's the same everyday. We tell him goodnight, leave and shut his door. We wait outside the door and he gives one last hug. Since July 2017, I've picked him up and carried him up high---placing him in bed. When he's in the air--like clockwork--every time--he says, "I'm Flying!" (Adorable!) I tell him goodnight, give him a hug, and giggle at his comment, having no idea where it comes from. Then, my heart breaks. During the hug, Ezekiel wraps his arms around my neck and squeezes as hard as he can and says under his breath: "You're Staying Here Forever." Brittney has heard this, and he's said it nearly every single day. Last night, he said it twice as he hugged me. What I found out after he was in bed was that our little man is clearly processing. He asked Brittney on the way home from their visit if he would be going to his new school (for first grade) with us next year. Brittney said that she thought his mom and dad would be taking him. He then proceeded to say: "Will I stay with my mom and dad forever? Brittney responded by saying: "I think so." She said he was quiet. Brittney asked him if he was okay with that and he said: "I think so." I've viewed the "You're Staying Here Forever" comment as a euphemism for: thank you for helping me, making me happy, and making me safe in this time of uncertainty. He's five (6 next week). He can't verbalize or comprehend what he is really meaning with all of the complex emotions involved. I've mentioned before that I've felt God's presence in their case---and this is another example. While these words are Ezekiel's, I've wondered if they are God's words to mean something deeper. I've come to believe those words to mean the impact I've had on him will be staying with him, forever. Ezekiel: That's my prayer for you--I pray I stay in your heart forever. I haven't shared much about Ashley. Largely because she's almost 16-months old, is babbling but not talking and such. A memory I'll never forget about her is her love of eggs. It's goofy because Ezekiel is allergic to them. When we made the transition near the 1-year mark for Ashley to go from bottle/baby food to real food--Brittney decided to try scrambled eggs. It's adorable to watch her eat them because it is the first thing that goes into her mouth and I swear that she just swallows them whole. More memories with Ashley in future posts. Today's a tough day. When I told Ezekiel goodnight last night, I told him that I won't see him until Sunday morning. Brutal. It's our first 2-day weekend without having the kids. 48-hours+. I've done this before when I've been gone to Mozambique or when we were on our cruise last year. Of course, that was different. I decided yesterday that I will likely alter my work schedule a bit in order to be home in the mornings with the kids. Time is ticking, and I'm quickly learning that the 20-30 minutes (if that) I get with them before bed just isn't enough for my soul. I don't want any regrets about missing these last opportunities. Today, I'm thankful for Ezekiel and Ashley's therapists. From Ezekiel's counselor to his former speech therapists--I am so proud of the progress he has made. As I reflect back on the last year, Ezekiel has come so far. From no longer qualifying for an IEP to being able to verbalize his feelings in healthy ways---he has come so far. Since he's always been an extrovert, he was able to build rapport, trust, and learn from his new adult friends who have helped develop his language, emotion, and processing. For Ashley, we've seen her physical therapist be almost as in love with her as we are--celebrating each physical therapy success alongside us. The foster parenting lesson I would share is to live a parenting life of no regrets. As I learn and try to act on what that means in my life--I encourage you to do the same. If your gut says to do something that will grow the relationship of your child or someone close to you--do it! Until next time, thank you for reading. Craig Life happened. I didn't get a blog all weekend posted. I tried and successfully lived in the "present." Between a wedding for a dear college friend in Maryville and playing with the kids when we picked them up on Sunday, it was a weekend that flew by too fast.
Now that it's Tuesday, let's get caught up. Ezekiel told his counselor on Monday (yesterday) that he is still comfortable and interested in spending more time with his mom and dad. In practical terms, this is the "okay" to move from Saturday overnight visits to Friday and Saturday night visits which will begin this weekend. Our time with the kids is being limited even more. I had lunch with someone in Jackie and Grant's (their parents) lives who will be able to continue walking alongside them as they prepare for this transition. I shared one of the downfalls of our foster system is the such small amount of flexibility at Children's Division's hand. With evening visits and dinners becoming the responsibility of the parents -- who are still receiving fewer funds for disability and food stamps due to not having the kids living with them -- this is a growing challenge. I sympathize for the parents in this struggle and am grateful for a community who will be able to bless them. We told Ezekiel today right before bed that his birthday present from us is to go see the PJ Masks Live at the Peabody Opera House.....and to get Taco Bell for lunch (his favorite food). He was super excited. My story I want to share with you that I'll never forget about him is this: When Ezekiel moved in with us, he was a huge fan of Blue's Clues. Huge fan--as in--obsessed. We pray before bed every night, and he's a kid who lives and dies by his routine. He began (way back---like a month after joining our home) praying, "God, Thank you for this day. Thank you for Blues Clues. Amen." After a period of time and he got older, Blues Clues interest faded and he became interested in the PJ Masks. The prayer transformed into, "God, Thank you for this day. Thank you for Blues Clues. I don't like Blues Clues anymore. I like the PJ Masks. Amen." After months of that, we've evolved to adding a "Thank you" to the line about PJ Masks---but we still say Thank you for the Blues Clues---even thought we don't like them anymore. It makes me giggle because of the rigidness of his prayer and for how we evolve as we grow. I'll never forget Ezekiel's prayers at night time. How am I doing? This weekend, I felt okay and felt like I had the stress under control. Right now, I'm struggling. The stressers and combination of work, seminary, the things to do for the kids' transition, and trying to do self-care has me on edge and a grumpy. I'm reminded, though, that we all have triggers and can be struggling in this journey of life. A friend told me today his stepmom passed away this last week due to a heart attack at the age of 44. Another friend told me her husband has stage 4 lung cancer. We all are struggling and I recognize this. We all have good days and bad days. We all have limited time on this Earth and I'm going to work to ensure I spend each minute I can with those whom I care and love. Today, I'm thankful for Holly Crane and the Little Indians Preschool crew, who take care of the kids before and after school. I'll forever be indebted to Holly for responding to the random (cold) Facebook message I sent Holly. Finding a preschool that was convenient and fit our schedule in the early weeks was a challenge. A coworker encouraged me to reach out to Holly, even though I didn't know her. I find myself humbled and speechless at the love and care Holly, Tosha, Tiffany, Casie, Amanda, and so many others have given to Ezekiel and Ashley. Ezekiel's friends and people whom he adores are a part of this preschool. Whether it be the "eye" that Tosha and Tiffany get from Ashley sometimes or that one time Ashley blew a kiss to them, I hope that as they look back on their time with the kiddos --- that they smile as much as I do. Thank you for being a part of the kids family---and now are a part of my family. One of the biggest pieces of losing the kids is also losing this support group and people whom I respect and truly adore. Thank you all for opening your hearts to Ezekiel and Ashley. The takeaway I've learned and will highlight today is that each foster case is so different. While having lunch today, I was reflecting on how grateful I was that our reunification circumstances are the way they have been. It's been smooth, we've had no major surprises and we have always agreed with the rest of the team. This isn't always the norm in a reunification process. I do not take for granted our situation and know that our next reunification process could be very different and much more contentious. Until next time, thank you for reading! One unique things about spending a lot of time with any child that is different from yourself is learning their preferences on things. Song preferences is a very unique personality trait of each of us--me included. Those close to me know my love of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band along with my capacity to sing each word to Whoomp There It Is by Tag Team.
When we've had foster children of all ages---we haven't altered our musical preferences but have gotten to know theirs. Adam (our 16-year old) introduced me to Macklemore, for example. We laughed hysterically together at my ability to sing words to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Music is an insight into our souls. If you're wondering what my ability to sing and appreciate The Boss, Tag Team, and Katy Perry says about my soul? I'm still trying to figure this out myself. If you have an answer, please leave it in the comment section. In all seriousness, though, shortly after our miscarriage, Tenth Avenue North (a Christian band) released, "I Have This Hope". Brittney discovered it and made sure I heard it. Its message is powerful--one of not knowing the future but working to not be afraid--and that in the depth or fire--I have this hope that God has the situation in control. It became our theme-song in our trying time and both teared up almost every time it was played. As we learned Ezekiel's (5-year old) song preferences--he made reference that his parents listened to Top 40 type of songs--not Christian music. I'm not sure when Ezekiel heard the song with us for the first time. I'm not even sure if it was the first or fifth time he heard "I Have This Hope" and something that I believe only God's presence could be in began happening. When he would get into the car, he requested to hear his "favorite" song--I Have This Hope. He's now requested/made us play it probably 40 times--or more. Like all of us, our preferences change as we hear the same song over and over. I've convinced Ezekiel to like a Springsteen song due to the drums (success!). In late March--as the case began progressing--he developed a new "favorite" song: Mandisa's, "We All Bleed The Same" He requests it. Belts It. Only allows me to sing the "boy" parts while Brittney sings the "girl" parts when we are all in the car together. If you don't know the song--I encourage you to listen. It speaks to our emotions so much throughout this process. Forgiveness, carrying one another, fighting for each other, that we are all human together--and bleed the same. Talk about a powerful message. The song ends in an inspiring and challenging prayer. Thanks, kid, for the dose of "humble pie" when I have the thoughts of how I want you to live with me forever. The honest truth is that these are the only two songs--in our year with him--that he's called or referenced to be his "favorite." He's had lots of other "favorites" --- as all children do-- but only 2 favorite songs in a year. Music. It is an incredible thing, and I'm convinced God has been speaking to us through music and Ezekiel. (A short post-script): As I had this draft written-the kids came home from a visit. We played outside for a few minutes and "We All Bleed The Same" was playing on our Amazon Echo. He proceeded to sing the rest of the song and said, "This is my favorite." Checking in with an update on the kids: we are all feeling it--emotionally. Ezekiel received two "yellow" lights at school for the first time. Previously, he'd only received one (maybe two?) yellow lights the whole school year. We want to show love, compassion, and consequences that he knows (no technology) from the choices he made. He's dealing with so much. He will be officially told on Tuesday (next week) that these increased visits have resulted in meaning he will be going home with his mom and dad on Tuesday. How is this done? Through their family therapy sessions, Jackie and Grant created a picture book with words that they will read together as a family. We've seen it and it is good and age appropriate. From my perspective, I recognize the insane schedules that are ahead of us in the next several weeks. I'll just be straight: balancing work craziness (big work-related events for both Brittney and I between now and June), family visits with the kids' parents, a seminary class, and home-life responsibilities (hello---it's spring--which means the grass needs mowed every week!), life is just going to be crazy. I'm okay today--but feel the stress of so much to do and not enough hours in a day to do everything that needs done to be adequately completed. Today, I was thinking about my work intern, Madi. She's interned with the Mozambique Initiative for a year and a half--but when we took on the kids--she offered to babysit (and we took her up on it!) as much as we needed. With my colleague coming in just about 2 weeks---she's cleared her schedule to ensure she is able to staff his visit throughout Missouri. Madi graduates next weekend from Mizzou and will be starting a job at a local church soon. Instead of taking time off to enjoy the time off before her "real" job starts--she'll be working a ton and driving probably 1,500+ miles across Missouri in 8-ish days. She's doing this so that I can focus on the kids and the transition. I'm grateful for her and so many others who I will highlight--and those who even don't get named. We couldn't do this without all of our friends and family. A takeaway about fostering that I would share today is not being too hard on yourself. This is probably a tip for any parent---but it's easy to do. It's probably considered a cliche in parenting, but it is worth repeating. Do your best. Love the kids in your house. Spend quality time with them. Don't be too hard on yourself when you get worn down. Until next time, thank you for reading. Craig I want to start by saying how humbled I am at the response from friends and family. Thank you for joining me in this journey.
On Monday, I introduced our journey--ending just after we received the children (who I'm calling Ezekiel (5-years old) and Ashley (4-months old at the time). Now, to bring you up to speed on how we got to today. I want to take you to our first 72-hours--which has defined our last year. Then, I'll breeze through the rest of the year. I'm a person of faith and in full disclosure, I'm in the process to become ordained as a deacon within the United Methodist Church. The kids joined our home on a Wednesday evening. When children are placed in care, there is a FST (Family Support Team) meeting within 72 (business) hours. This meeting was planned for the next Monday morning. It was the first time we were to meet Ezekiel and Ashley's parents. Can you imagine what it would feel like to meet a child's parents for the first time when they were placed into foster care (into your home) about 3 days before? I felt a sense of anxiousness combined with wanting to assure them of who I was and that as each hour passed with the kids, I fell more in love with them. On Sunday (the day before our FST meeting, 3 days after having them in my home, our friend, Karen (who I mentioned yesterday) called. She informed me that she knew I was to guest preach at St. Luke UMC the next Sunday--and that she preached that day. On that day, the congregation prayed over parents who just had their children taken into foster care and the ages matched. Should I preach that next week? Should I disclose this to the case manager? Is this God giving an opportunity to lower walls between us and their parents? After discussing the situation with a superior in my office, we decided on that day that it would be best if I did not preach--not knowing what the situation would be. At the FST, I was given the opportunity to introduce myself and I used the knowledge that I hoped would help with the tension: that I work for the United Methodist Church--and they had been attending a United Methodist Church. When I described this, and that Brittney was an Occupational Therapist---I felt some tension lift. I felt as if God was saying to the children's parents: It's going to be okay, Ezekiel and Ashley are in my hinds. What I am now learning is that God was also saying the same thing to me: Craig--trust me and the kid's parents. I have Ezekiel and Ashley in my hands. The response from their parents (who I will call Jackie and Grant) was positive enough that the first visit away from Children's Division took place that next Sunday---at their church---while I preached. We've felt God's presence in this journey that day. To be honest, our first month with the kids is almost completely out of my memory. I remember the challenges of enrolling them into the best daycare for our lives, introducing them to our friends and family. Boundaries were learned by everyone. Both Ezekiel and Ashley enjoy the rigidness routine that we created. After having the kids for about a month, I had a work conference and we took them and stayed in a hotel together. I smile and laugh at the thought of what we did: tried to create the same bedtime routine. We read to Ezekiel, told him goodnight in his bed, walked the two feet to our bed and crawled into it--fully clothed--hoping he wouldn't catch on. Ten minutes later, we got up and he was asleep! We had no hiccups until late June---when Ezekiel disclosed some disturbing accusations. I still hold the guilt that I was on a 17-hour flight returning home from Mozambique when he disclosed the accusations to his counselor and then again to a deputy sheriff at my house. How did I feel? Helpless. Angry. Flustered. The dad-instinct of wanting to protect my child kicked in high-gear. I wanted to protect my little man who I had grown to love from experiencing something like that ever again. After investigating and a forensic interview, the accusations were not corroborated but the speed of the case slowed for the next several months. From say September 2017 - December 2017, things remained pretty consistent. School, parental visits, counseling, physical therapy for Ashley. From December 2017 - March 2018, visits began increasing in length, and the case progressed. Brittney and I observed visible changes in parenting behavior and lifestyle changes in Jackie and Grant---for the positive. Beginning in March 2018, we knew that the case was progressing and we would likely get to the scenario we are in today--weekend overnight visits have begun, the children see their parents 6 out of 7 days--and our evening/weekend time with the kids is shrinking fast. We will likely transition the kids home near or at the end of our school year, which is now less than 30 days away from happening. One of the questions I get asked the most right now is: do Ezekiel and Ashley know they are going back home in the next month? The answer is tricky--a solid, "Maybe." We have not told or talked to him about the reunification. Even just two weekends ago, we were asked: are you my parents? Jackie and Grant are creating a visual book (age appropriate) for Ezekiel to explain what is going to happen. This will be presented and read to Ezekiel during family therapy and was either done yesterday or will be done next week (is my understanding). The follow-up question is often: Will you see them when they are transitioned? This is really up to us and Jackie and Grant. From our perspective, we would love to still see the kids---and I hope this reality is realized, at least for a while. In a nutshell, that's been the last year and where we are at. From here on out, I think I will organize the blog in a specific way to help me organize my thoughts but also to ensure I cover the topics I need to cover: 1) Share a story that I will never forget about from the children 2) Share any update in the case or change in the kids' behavior 3) Perform a check-in with my emotional health 4) Highlight someone in our lives who has been a support for the kids. Foster parents cannot "go-it-alone" -- and we are grateful for the countless people who have walked alongside us during this journey. 5) Share a lesson or "takeaway" that I have learned while fostering these children. Until next time. Thank you for reading. Craig In this blog, I hope to chronicle the journey of reunifying our two foster children, who have been in our home for nearly a year (11+ months). It is our anticipation that within the next 30 days, my life will change a lot: Saturday-night overnights will become Friday-Saturday overnights, Kindergarten will end, the kids will move, and silence will fill our house once again.
I invite you to join me as I hope to write at least every other day. I hope to share the emotion that I feel, experience with me the joy they have brought to our home, celebrate their transition home, and grieve with me in the loss. First, I need to set the stage. I will change the name of the children and parents of our foster children in order to protect their identities. As I've explored blogs, readings, and asked foster parent friends, I've learned of a few things: 1) there is no easy answer in dealing with the loss I'm about ready to have 2) give myself time to grieve 3) there's not many resources or stories that document the reunification process from a male perspective So---thank you for joining me on this journey. I'm going to begin by describing our early foster parent journey that led us to these children. The months of April and May for the last decade bring back so many memories, and are significant months. From college graduations to the conclusion of legislative sessions. Big? Yes. But little did I know about what these months would mean to me in future years. This time of the year in 2014, my wife, Brittney, and I completed our STARS training with Boone County Children's division to become foster parents. Before even completing the training, we had a 'kinship' placement of 3 children (twins who were two years old, and their 4-year old brother). Talk about being thrown into the fire. From borrowing a van to leaning on our community of friends, we quickly learned the ropes of fostering---by experiential learning. We quickly learned the importance of flexibility and uncertainty. After being told to take care of the children for a minimum of a year, the children were moved to be with siblings within three weeks of moving into our home. After that transition, Brittney and I weren't scared---we kept the children alive, and our hearts grew in ways we didn't know it could. We began to get calls for children, we took a few children on emergency care/one-night commitments. We did respite-care for other foster families and ended up having one of those respite teenagers (16-year old, I'll call Adam) move back in with us for 11 months. (August 2015-July 2016). This 11-month stay was challenging and full of ups, downs, and changes: I changed careers. My wife became pregnant. Then, at 12-weeks, suffered a miscarriage. A week after the miscarriage, I had a work trip to Mozambique. Our church-plant closed just before we took Adam into our home (3 months prior) and we were looking for a new church family. On top of all of that--learning how to be a 'parent' when there is only 11-years between you and your child. After Adam transitioned from our home, we took some time to refocus and on self-care. We began receiving calls from Children's Division again in January of 2017. I have shared and heeded a dear friend's advice: it's okay to say "no" ten or twenty times. There's a need, and it's most important to get the right fit for our home. We said "no" a lot. More than I would care to admit. We didn't feel like it was the right fit---and we were probably scared to say "yes" after all we had been through in the previous 9-months. On May 10, 2017, at about 1:30PM, I received a call. I remember where I was and what I was doing--just like it was yesterday. I was sitting at our breakfast nook, working on my seminary homework. The Children's Division worker described their latest need: a baby who was 5-months old and her brother who was 4 or 5. They just came into care and they needed a place to stay---that night. Holy smokes. 5-month old baby--and you give me 3 1/2 hour notice? I called my wife, gave her the details, and assured her that Children's Division said they could bring a pack-and-play for the baby to sleep in. Then, about 3 1/2 hours after that call, the journey---in which we are winding down---began. At almost 5PM on the dot, a handsome 4-year-old boy (who I'll call Ezekiel), and his sister, (who I'll call Ashley), came into our home. Ezekiel celebrated his 5th birthday the day before coming into foster care. Ashley turned 4-months on our first full-day with her. If you don't know anything about the foster care system, I'll let you in on a little hint: the information you get about children who just have come into care is very limited. Information about allergies, sleeping habits, expectations, behaviors, favorite foods, favorite interests----are very limited. Basically, as a foster parent, you are going into parenting almost completely blind. I don't think there's anything like it in the world. The unknowns can and will drive you crazy. How long will they be with me? What happened to put them in this situation? If it doesn't work out with their parents, could I adopt--or would family come out of the woods to take them? What if they punch holes in my walls? We were anxious, nervous, excited, thrilled, and had thought through nearly all of the "what-if" scenarios. When you say "yes" to taking any foster child, you don't know the answer to any of these questions. I know it drives my family bonkers, but the reality of any child in foster care being in a foster home is always fluid--and that's really hard for anyone outside of fostering to fully understand. Most importantly and timely--we had to address the purely logistical questions: setting up daycare, (hello---Brittney and I both work full-time!) summer school program enrollment, helping the kids feel comfortable, trying to create a bond with Ezekiel, trying to create a routine for the baby--among major changes and trauma that they've experienced. On top of that, we begin learning together with the kids' caseworker, Jessica, who was new with Children's Division when the kids were taken into care---and actually, these kids were her first case that she would be working on from beginning to end. Jessica, along with us, were literally drinking from the fire hose during the first three weeks of Ezekiel and Ashley being in our household. The whirlwind slowed down a bit after the first few weeks, and Ezekiel and Ashley began integrating into our lives. We began integrating into theirs. Visits began taking place--and we worked to bring down (as much as possible) the walls between Ezekiel and Ashley's parents and us. In the next blog, I'll bring you up to speed on the children's situation from June 2017 and hopefully get to where we are today. From there, I hope to explore my feelings, share stories, and learn together -- as this journey of reunification process begins. Thank you for reading. |
AuthorHallsville resident. Foster Parent. School board member. Politico. Jesus Follower. Cardinals Fan #MizzouMade Archives
February 2019
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