Getting started

Since this blog is coming two and a half weeks after the official start of our journey, I thought I would catch myself up. Our first foster to adopt parenting class was April 16th. Now our story could not be told without sharing how a dear dear friend has stepped in, in a very huge way to help us by watching our children every Thursday evening for the 12 weeks. What a dear our favorite Mary Poppins is--she legally goes by Vanessa, but we all know she is Mary! With the children very happily in the care of the magic of Mary, I mean Vanessa, we have been going to the Department of Protection and Permanency.

The first night was an introductory night, we went around the room and introduced ourselves. There are about 20 couples and 2 singles there to receive the training. It is a neat cross section of people, from those with fertility issues, to older parents who have raised children and are now looking to give love to children, there are black and white families, a really funny Russian lady and apparently many aspects of faith represented in this little very warm conference room. There are two facilitators, women who are social workers and will be involved in placement and home studies. The first night was a short night and the time spent after introductions was for reasons why they require such a class.

The second week was more participatory. We did an activity where you were either assigned to be an foster/adopt (f/a) parent or a child in the system. You were given a bit of information and then you were to interview until you found a match. It was interesting. I was an adult who was looking for a girl who wanted no contact with her former family. Nathan was a teenage girl who needed a home that did not mind she was sexually active. I did not find an exact match, but compromised and took in a little boy instead. Nathan was not chosen at first, someone who did not want him just took him in. It was an interesting perspective exercise.

The remainder of the time spent dealt with feelings and behaviors you may come in contact with from children who are in the system. It is a little overwhelming to think of what is happening to children in our community, in our state and in our world. How blessed we are to know so little of what these wee ones are learning too early.