Seventeen hours after signing our contract and home study, we received a call asking us to take two boys into care.  One was older than the age we said we felt appropriate for us - I suppose that's another post all together.  Still, there were a couple of things that made me wonder if they were supposed to come to live with us.  Things like an uncommon ethnicity for our area that is similar to ethnicities already in our home and a food allergy we already know how to handle.

I knew that I couldn't call my husband then let them know, because they can't wait.  These kids needed a home immediately and if you aren't sure, they move on to calling someone else.  Well, the person who called said, in response to my one question, "I can call so-and-so and get back to you."  Wow!, I thought, that gives me time to call my husband.  Amazing.  So, we lamented and prayed, wondering what was right.  We had discussed this exact age and gender scenario the night before and said it wouldn't work ... until the other factors came into play.  While waiting for a call, the kids and I dropped our lessons and ran around, locking the medicine and cleaning cabinets, picking up a bit, making sure outlet plugs hadn't been removed, and I threw in a load of laundry that I was planning to do that night.  Still no call back, so my husband called the person at the agency, waited for a return call, and then found that she had already placed the boys with someone else.

[Void].  That's kind of how it felt.  Had God made the decision for us while we just couldn't decide?  We really were not prepared for the older child, so it's probably best in the long run, but, boy, it was still a little sad.  I've been wondering whose home they went to and if we'll ever run into them.  I'm wanting to make sure the foster family knows everything about the food allergy, and generally, feeling responsible.  I know, I know, it was just a phone call.  I'm not good at saying no to kids in need, but they found a safe place right away.  I shouldn't worry.  I should stand with what we know is best for our family at this time, still, little hands and hearts can surely melt mine.  

I hope the phone rings again soon.  I don't even want to get in the shower, for fear of missing a call.  Guess then, they'd have to change that home study statement about me being "well groomed".  Maybe a laugh or two will help.

November 6, 2012.  The day we became licensed as a family foster home.  Wow!  After dropping the kids at a wonderful friends' home, we headed to the agency office to review our home study for any potential errors, and sign contracts.  

This is the fourth home study report about ourselves we have read, and they are always hilarious.  Really, it's so funny to read what the social worker gleaned from a few visits with you, and to see how they incorporate all the 'required' elements.  Social workers and physicians, alike, use the phrases "well groomed" and "nicely dressed" as ways of saying you aren't dirty and have the ability to keep a child relatively clean as it pertains to their health.  It's an important point, but it always makes me laugh.  I'm thinking, "You've never shown up at my house unannounced at 10am when I don't have to be anywhere until 12:30, have you?"  LOL!  We had a few great laughs as we spent 40 minutes reading and correcting typos, which branch of the military my father served through, spellings of family member's names, correct abbreviation for my home state, oh, and our vitals.  Yes, our heights, weights, colorings, etc. were switched.  I'm sure someone was looking at it thinking, wow, this woman is inches taller and pounds heavier than her husband and trying to picture us stretched or shrunk.  A funny sight came to mind for sure.

That complete, our home supervisor will make the changes, print out a final copy and file the final copy with DHS (who already has the unedited version).  I'm sure they'll get us a copy as well, for the funny file.  It's fun to show the kids what went on during the path to them.

We signed an education plan stating we will complete 20 hours of foster care specific training per year.  Our agency has 2 hours per month of education groups we can attend, so that's 24 if you can be there each month - child care provided.  (You're glad I helped you with that math, aren't you :-).  You can also do online training for a small fee at a specific website or do some approved reading.

Back to pick up the kids and home to cheer and cry over various election results.  Quite a day!