So I promised on FB that I would do my best to document a play-by-play reinactment of today's whirlwind of events. To be honest, I'm still not entirely certain what is actually happening! It's the nature of foster care... Everything moves at a snail's pace until it suddenly increases to lightspeed ahead. I was doing just fine with the slower than molasses, nothing exciting going on, just chillin' with Monkey and the Saturday Crew status quo. But leave it to foster care to turn your world upside down and inside out with one little phone call...
9:00am - I get the phone call that rocked my world.
Backing up a little... On Tuesday, I mentioned on FB that I had missed a totally random call from The Invisible One. I rarely ever heard from Monkey's caseworker when he was with me, so getting call from her now that he's with his dad was strange. She didn't leave a message, and didn't return my call or answer the email that I sent the next day. Everyone was speculating, but I said for all I knew she could just be wanting to order Scentsy. No idea... So I had no choice but to let it go.
Back to the 9:00am phone call - I see that it's The Invisible One and I answer, "Well, hello stranger!" I just assumed she was finally getting around to calling me back (most likely to place a Scentsy order ;-). I hear a lot of commotion, and she proceeds to quickly ramble on about something and I only caught the following:
"...I'm at a show cause hearing... GAL has a newborn in the NICU... need adoptive home... drug exposed... born at home... respiratory problems... most likely terminating... I told her about you."
HUH?!? What?!? OMG!
I tried to process what she was saying to me, and to STOP and THINK before I jumped in and screamed "YES!" (THANK GOODNESS I've been back on my meds for a couple of months! Bipolar Girl will not prevail here!) I think my jumbled response was something along the lines of, "AAHHHHHH!!! I dont'.... Oh!!!! I don't know... I... Oh... I have Monkey... and a NEWBORN?" Common sense prevailed, and I moaned, "I really don't think I could take a drug-exposed newborn when I've got Monkey too." Then I pouted.
Thankfully, my response didn't phase her because she quickly followed up with, "Oh! Well then the GAL also has an 11-month-old baby girl with TPR scheduled for October. She's in a foster home right now, but they aren't adoption-motivated, and her GAL really wants to get her into an adoption-motivated home. I know you've been doing this for so long, and I know how much you want to adopt and just haven't had the chance. I told her that you're one of the best foster parents I've ever worked with and that you'd be perfect!"
11-months-old?!? My mind started racing with the possibilities!!! My youngest niece and nephew are 12-months-old! Monkey is 13-months-old!!! Banana is 14-months-old!!! This would be the perfect fit!!! I told The Invisible One exactly that. :-)
She had to get back into court, but told me that she would call me back with more details. And I waited... But not for long!
10:00am - The Invisible One calls back and is attempting to talk to the GAL and me at the same time. I hear her "Ooo-ing" and "Aww-ing" over what are apparently pictures of Baby Girl, and her trying to tell the GAL more about me. They had to get back into court (again), but she tells me that the GAL definitely wants to meet with me and that she will text me her number and give her mine.
1:00pm - Still no text, so I decide to email The Invisible One. I told her I was so excited and thankful that she had thought of me, and asked if I needed to call the GAL, or if she was going to call me. I off-handedly mentioned that I didn't have her number.
1:15pm - The Invisible One calls and says, "Write this down!" and gives me the name and number of the GAL. "Tell her The Invisible One told you to call. She'll know what's it's about. Call her right now and call me back!!!" (I seriously think she is bound and determined to get me a baby that I don't have to say "goodbye" to. And I'm perfectly okay with that! :-)
So I gave her a call...
(Stay tuned for Part Two... I have anxious friends waiting up to read this thing. ;-)
6 comments:
AHHHH! So exciting! I want more info!
Wowsa!!! You just never know what a new day in foster care can hold for you:)
This is sooooooo E-X-C-I-T-I-N-G!!
Oh my how exciting!!! Can't wait to read the rest. WOW!! How great to have someone working with you that cares!
Way to leave us hanging!!! Yes, this is the fast paced ride of foster care! I can't wait to read the rest.
Wow! That has got to be exciting!! Can't wait for the rest!!
GAL is Gaurdian Ad Litem (the child's lawyer)
TPR is termination of parental rights
Sorry about the abbreviations thing. I've been doing this so long, I forget that "normal" people might not know what I'm talking about. ;-)
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