What's up

The boys are at respite this weekend and it has been a much-needed break for us. We have spent some time together, and spent some time working on the basement getting it cleaned up and organized. It looks SO much better. Hopefully our friend will be able to come over soon and help us finish it, and then we can have a play area downstairs! We are getting rid of a bunch of "stuff" too, hopefully (if the kind people on Craigslist will purchase it!).

So I am pretty excited.

I'm not feeling real well for some reason, I've just been having a hard time sleeping at night.

The boys have court next Tuesday. Also the Foster Care Review Board is reviewing their case, so we are going to that meeting (hopefully) on Wednesday night. And their GAL is coming over Wednesday night too. I am feeling kind of over-booked but what are you gonna do! It's always a mad rush to get everything done before court, it seems like.

Their SC called me and said he is "very hopeful" for reunification to occur in the next 6-8 months. In the same breath he stated that he wants D to stay in therapy so that he doesn't have hard feelings towards bio mom if reunification doesn't occur. I don't know what to think about that guy!

I talked to the GAL and told him what was said, and expressed my concerns that it took her 11 months to go try to get help for her issues, and how can they then say they are going to return the children in 6 months? It just doesn't make any sense to me...11 months is a long time to take to get your act together, and if she can get it together in 6 months...i mean shouldn't they wait to see if it sticks? I don't know.

I am totally new to this as these kids are our first real placement...it's just frustrating. The GAL agreed with me and said basically that she needs to make really good progress where she is right now and that the case is kind of hanging on it. So I guess we'll just see what happens. Obviously I don't want them to remain out of their home for any longer than they absolutely have to...but how heart-breaking for them if they go home and then in a few months have to leave again!! And how even MORE heart-breaking if that happened and we got a different placement, and then we couldn't take them back if they went back into foster care. :( Our home now is not big enough to accommodate more than 4 children (we are cramped as it is, with 3) and quite honestly I'm not sure how many I could handle, unless most of them were in school all day which I don't think would be so bad. I think having 3 at home is my maximum, though 2 is more ideal. I don't know how these women with 4 or more young children at home can do it! I have a totally new respect for home schooling moms too...wowza! Especially those that home-school older children while still caring for younger children and/or babies...yikes.

I could continue but I am going to go try to get some work done. :) Kids are gonna be home soon!