Just me. Need I say more?
Update: For those of you emailed me about helping with a graduation party for Dallas, please stay tuned! We should have more information in the next week or so.
Party is scheduled for Sunday, May 20th from 2-4pm. I will email everyone that has volunteered to give them the location and items that we need as soon as I have the list ready!
Today, I heard a story about a foster child that is not only surviving, but is SUCCEEDING.
Let me tell you about Dallas*.
Dallas is 18 years old, and is a senior in a central Iowa high school. Dallas is involved in football, basketball, and tennis. He will be attending a private college in the area on a sports scholarship this fall.
Dallas has no family, and aged out of the foster care system on his 18th birthday. He is currently in independent living while he finishes high school. Independent Living means he is given a private apartment and lives on his own– but only until mid-summer. He doesn’t have a mom or dad to help him with his laundry, help him shop for groceries, balance a checkbook, or be there for his high school graduation coming up soon. He will have no parents to help hin move into his dorm, give him a hug or tell him to stay out of trouble. No one to pat him on the back and say they are proud of him. He won’t have a parent to call if he’s homesick, because he has no place to really call home.
Despite all of the obstacles stacked against him, Dallas is perservering. He has stayed in school, he is a good student, and he is graduating with a scholarship to college.
He’s going to make it.
Dallas has only one wish, though.
He wants a graduation party. He wants cake, and mints and tablecloths on the tables.
This is where I feel like WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. I don’t even know who reads this anymore, but I can’t get this kid out of my head and so I am asking for help. If any of you in the central Iowa area would be willing to help out, we can give this amazing young man a fabulous graduation party. Whether you donate money, plastic tablecloths, silverware, cups, anything… every little bit will help.
I will know more in the next week or so about the party specifics. Once we have a list of needed items ready, I will post it here to see if anyone can help out.
* Name changed for privacy reasons.
Well, I must have lost my darn mind.
I signed myself up for a 5k with a few friends. We will be RUNNING in the 5k Buddy Walk on August 25th to benefit children with Down Syndrome.
Looks like I will be starting the Couch-to-5K program very soon!
I knew the story wasn’t over for 7-year old Apple.
Two weeks ago today, we received the phone call that Apple’s current foster family was “leaning towards adoption.”
Everything in my brain was telling me to move on, to let go, to quit dreaming that we would get a placement so quickly.
But my heart said that wouldn’t be the last time we hear from Apple.
Today, we received a call that the family that was supposedly “leaning towards adoption” and has had Apple in their home since February 2011 had contacted someone at DHS requesting several more days of respite care for this child. One time for a weekend they are going out of town later this month, and the other for an entire week while they take a FAMILY VACATION.
Oh yes, they are taking a family vacation in May (before school gets out, mind you) and NOT wanting to take along the child they are LEANING TOWARDS ADOPTING?
Someone please tell just me how f***ed up that is? I can’t even wrap my brain around the craziness that this child has been through, and now when his mother’s termination hearing is coming up soon, they want to dump him with strangers so that they can take a week-long vacation.
Because of all of this, the option was presented to us again if we would like to not only be the respite provider for the days the family is asking for… But– if things work out, we could decide to take him permanently.
As in, ADOPTING HIM.
Can you hear my jaw dropping to the floor?
Can you hear my stomach twisting up in knots?
There are still lots of things to work out, of course. We have to talk to our own kids. We also have to talk to Spark, our current foster kiddo. While I think he might be excited to have another little boy in the house his age, I think he needs to be prepared for whats to come.
Foster care and adoption…what a crazy ride.
Yes, that lovely distraction I was talking about at the end of yesterday’s post.
After I spent all of last Thursday feeling extremely bummed out and sad, and wondering why everyone kept telling us that adopting through foster care would be EASY PEASY… God apparently decided to throw us a bone Friday morning, the very next day.
Friday morning, we received a call about yet another foster placement. We had been specifically recommended for this one,too- which was very interesting.
Everyone, meet Spark. Our latest foster placement.
Spark is 8 years old, and loves to play baseball. He is the cutest, sweetest little boy in the world, and I can already tell– will be a tough one to let go when the time comes.
But for now, I’m soaking it all up.
