Don't Stop Believing

It's hard to believe that today is the last day of May. Where did the month go? Even more, where did Spring go? It seems we've hopped right into summer over here. Gone from 45 degrees to 80 degrees in what seems like the blink of an eye.

It's a welcome change.

Too much winter has been bad for me.

Today marks the two-week countdown until the boys are out of school for the summer. They are beyond excited, although being that this is the first "summer break" for both of them, I'm not sure they know what they're excited about other than no homework.

We've enrolled them both in summer camp at the YMCA, which is really just a glorified day care program during the 3 months off school. We are waiting for the final paperwork to come in from the Department of Child and Family Services so that they can actually attend. If DCFS does not come through, we will have to pay a hefty sum to keep their reservation.

It's tricky having foster children.

For all intensive purposes, you are their parent, making all the decisions a parent would make.

But there's still a "system" with its hands in your life, telling you where the kids can go to daycare, determining their schedule for family visits, invading your home with therapy appointments, home visits and licensing inspections.

So they're our kids, but not really.

It's a hard line to walk.

On Thursday we signed the "Intent to Adopt" papers.

Since the court date on April 24th, the State is now preparing a case to go before a judge to recommend that parental rights be terminated. They are gathering evidence, securing witnesses, filing paperwork, all in an effort to present a complete and compelling case to the judge. This should take place within the next 6 months.

According to the VP of Foster Care at our agency, by this time next year it is highly likely that the boys will be legally ours.

We have been assured that their mom will most likely appeal the termination.

I hope she does.

I hope she fights like hell for these kids.

I hope she makes such drastic, mind-blowing improvement that the judge is not convinced she is a lost cause.

I hope I can tell my kids someday that their mom fought for them.

It's not done until it is.