Disclaimer: I have written and rewritten this post several times in an effort to "get it right." Although it still feels inadequate, I'll give it my best shot. It happened again as I moved from station to station registering Bug for her new school. I thumbed through my growing binder of forms and pulled out the ones this particular entity needed. Assuring them that yes, I have the right to be there and yes, at this juncture in her life I am the chosen one who can make these decisions on her behalf. As I spoke with the school nurse I answered what I could but the truth is in many instances we simply don't know their history. I marked down my concerns and explained for the umpteenth time that we our foster parents. And there it was, like a reflex, complete with customary head tilt. "Awww. Good for you." I'm sorry...what? Now if my husband were here, he would be giving you a "back away slowly" look. But alas, you're left with just me. I have not perfected my answer to this—and to tell you the truth, I don't know what that answer should look like. All I know is, we are not doing this alone, nor could we. From strangers showing up at our door with clothing and car seats miraculously being left on the steps to meals and bed rails (did you know there's flatware for toddlers? Good grief.), I can not tell you how different those first 48 hours would have been without the love and support from the community we've built around us. With a couple of hours notice, my team was down a person for several weeks and not once did they make me feel like I was letting them down (all pressure was self-inflicted). In fact, I received several messages and phone calls of encouragement from them during our first few weeks of securing our footing—and childcare. As we prepare to head into yet another realm of uncharted territory, public school, people who love us came out in full force, hosting an Operation Backpack and loading us up with school supplies to help Bug get excited about attending her new school. (Not to mention beefing up our children's library.) Bug and Bud were so overwhelmed they didn't know what to read first! (Same, kids. Same.) There are many twists and turns in this journey. And while foster care carries its own unique set of challenges, I feel that can be said for all versions of parenthood. And I thank God every day that He has made sure that we aren't doing this alone.
So nurse, playground mom, and grocery store person whom I don't owe an explanation to, if anyone is the "wonderful" one, it is all the people along the way that are making it possible for us to love kids in hard places for as long as we can. They are the real MVPs. xoxo
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWriting is really my outlet, so you'll mostly see my prose on here. But William might occasionally make a guest appearance. Archives
May 2021
Categories |