Pink is in the Air!

If you've read this blog for any length of time, then you know that I feel 100% called to my job. I work in a school that has a very "needy" population. Among hunger and poverty, we also see kids and families that find themselves in foster care. All of our children absolutely tug at your heartstrings. It is a beautiful little learning community. Every once in a while, though, a child or family comes along that just holds a special spot in your heart.

One such family is a family of nine cousins that have been primarily raised by older relatives. They have quite a history. Let me also say that there is a HUGE network of extended family nearby as well. I have 13 cousins and I think it would be almost like having us all live in the same town and our children going through the same school.

Anyway, back to this family. I have worked with 6 of the 9 cousins over the years. In particular, I have worked with the oldest three in a sibling group of six. The oldest brother has a horrible illness and is in care for that. The middle brother is in the 6th grade and doing quite well. I taught him reading while he was in second grade. This is where my soft spot began to develop. Their younger sister, A, is 8yo and in the 2nd grade. Middle brother and A have tugged at my heartstrings since the day they arrived on our campus! I have always said if they needed a place to go, I'd take them in a heartbeat.

They are sweet, kind, loving children. Last year all the children were removed from the home for a time and farmed out to relatives. The only one who was not placed with relatives was the sister, A. She went to a foster home. This broke my heart! While they were dispersed, her brother called me on my phone (I had given him my number in case he ever needed anything) and said, "Just take care of A. I don't know where she is and I want to know she's OK." So so sweet! I did, in fact, watch out for her during that stint in foster care.

At that time, I thought I needed to look into what it would take to bring her to my home. DH and I were foster parents though in the 90's in another county, so I thought it would be too difficult to re-up our license so fast. I did nothing about it and she eventually was returned to her relatives along with her cousins and siblings.

Circumstances this week led them to be removed from their home once again. I cannot go into the entire situation here, but suffice it to say it's not good. Although she's with extended family, they are looking for a place for A to go.

While relaying this story to me, and knowing my connection to the family, the counselor at my school talked to me yesterday afternoon and asked if my foster care license was still good. It is not. It has lapsed---really lapsed. Our last foster child lived with us in 1993 in another city--before DS 3 was even born!

Still, I went home that night and talked with DH. It wasn't quite what he was expecting---but he was willing to see what the possibilities are. We talked to the boys in a family meeting after that. There wasn't one person in my house who wasn't willing to make A a part of our family!

I have to tell you my boys' reaction was so sweet. When we called him at school, DS 1 said, "Mom paint my room pink. She can have it. She needs a family and ours is a great one to go to." DS 3 said, "She might get scared at night. I'll move to DS 1's room so she can be closer to your room in case she needs you at night." I might add that DS 1's room is smaller than his room. DS 2 said, "I am just sad that I won't be here for all of her growing up years." DS 4 said, "Wow! I wonder if she's a 'girlie girl'?" followed by "I could help her with her homework!"

I have to also add that they ALL noted that it was quite a "sneaky way" for me to get a pink room! I love my boys so much!

We agreed to see what the possibilities are by calling the agency the very next day. I prayed that night that if this is what God wants for our family and for A, that it will happen. It will be nothing short of a miracle if it is able to all fall into place. I mean this is government. There is paperwork. There are hoops to jump through. If it happens, the placement could be a day, a week, a month, or a lifetime. We have no way of knowing that at this point. We understand the system and will have to work within it.

The next morning, I talked to our school counselor who talked with the case worker. She asked me to call her. I couldn't believe how FAST the entire thing sped up! It turns out that we can take her on a "non-relative emergency placement" with a few steps: fingerprints and a home study.

While on the phone with the caseworker, she gave me more history than I knew before. My heart broke even MORE for these kids. She even asked me if we'd be interested in adopting A--if it ever came to it!

DH came to my school that afternoon to at least intersect with her since he may not be here when she is placed with us. She walked with us and talked to us for quite a while. Wednesday we were fingerprinted.

Wednesday night, the boys and my FIL helped move all the furniture in the bedrooms to make it ready for her to come to our home. This included completely taking beds apart to get them out of one room and into another. Teachers at my school who know started bringing me "girl stuff". Yesterday, we had our home study. It seems that it will all happen early next week!

I'm amazed...simply amazed!!! The mountains have just moved this week in such big ways. I believe that is a beautiful picture of what we are supposed to do as Christians...reach out. So, I'm asking you, if you are a "pray-er", to continue to pray for our family. Pray for A. Pray for her family.

We are trusting that we can be her "for-now family". If it comes to the place where she is available for adoption, then we will seek to become her forever family. We can't see down the road at this time. We only see this step. And we are excited to make it together!