What Does It Mean When? and Oh Yeah, Foster Care Awareness Month

When you leave off your what did I do all day posting at 9AM and not return to it until 9:30PM?

It means it's been some kind of day.

9-10 was getting ready to leave the house and dealing with Mr. Monkey

10-ish went to the clinic

Noon-ish left the clinic.  Chicklet took Mr. Monkey and Mrs. E. picked me up.  She whisked me off for a Friday fish fry lunch.  I can't remember the last time I had a Wisconsin Friday fish fry.  It was delicious and yes, perch and yes fried. Very fried. We topped it off with coffee and conversation.

I only left once to take one call from our caseworker.

3PM kid pick ups and a 30 min phone call with the IEP team leader.

3:45-4:15 get kids on tasks and ready for the next events

4:15 deliver Littlest Mr. to birthday party

4:45-6:30 putting out kid fires and making dinner, handling emails and phone calls

6:30-ish dinner,

7:30-8:15 clean up, The Mr. and I catch up details of the day and plans for the next day

8:15 go to pick up Littlest Mr. from birthday party, talk to Coach Camo, talk to Big T's mom about Littlest Mr.'s birthday plans

8:45 sing the special bedtime song, kiss the girl,

9:PM more emails handled

9:30PM Here we are.

I'm tired.  I'm done. I'm stressed.

I do intense parenting every day.  I have for years and years.

This stretch with this kiddo is pushing me hard, almost past where I think I am able and yet I know that I have always been able to do more than I believed I could and so I will be able.  The strength will be there when I need it.  The resolve will come. The words, the actions, the conviction to make the decisions and choices and live with them will happen.

Hope comes and goes but always returns.

It is a long haul with these kids.

This month of Foster Care Awareness, well, what can I say? I am more aware than ever as I advocate and attempt to care for a child in the system.

You can think what you like about the system.  You can judge how you like the birth families. You can point fingers and find faults all over the place.

Or you can care for the kids.

You can answer the call and open your home, your life, your heart to kids that aren't "yours".

You could.

You really could.

It's hard, but not impossible or un-do-able.

It's risky.

But that's how love is.

Right?

Love is hard and risky, but not impossible and certainly do-able and more than worth it.
Even when it ends up other than how you expected or desired.