9:17 am - I got a call from V, but then she got in a dead zone and we couldn't talk.
9:40 am - I couldn't wait anymore and called her back. She wanted to see if I had possibly gotten a placement over the weekend. I told her no.
10:40 am - V called back to say she had heard there was a need for a placement for two girls and wondered if my agency, CFCA, called me to check with me about possibly taking the pair.
1:55 pm - I texted V back because I still hadn't heard from my agency about that set of girls and she said when she got more information it was for a 1 year old and 2 year old so they didn't call me.
2:13 pm - My agency called asking if I was willing to take a placement of a 6 year old boy who would be turning 7 on Wednesday. He was currently placed with a relative, but for a specific reason (which I cannot share for privacy reasons) he needed to be moved today. I said yes. I was told to wait for a call from CPS.
2:31 pm - CPS called and asked if I would take the placement of this little guy and I said yes and then they said that I was accepted as the new foster care placement. I was given the name of the little guy and his CPS caseworker who would be calling me shortly to set up the arrangements to bring him to me today.
3:10 pm - My agency called again and asked if I would be willing to take a placement of a 6 year old girl and a 4 year old boy. I let them know that CPS accepted the placement for the 6 year old boy (they hadn't received that confirmation from CPS yet and happened to get it via email while we were talking) and then I reminded them that I only have one bedroom and cannot take mixed gender placements (I didn't want a repeat of last week's roller coaster).
In between this time I started looking for daycare for this little guy for the rest of the week (tomorrow is the first day back with all the teachers at my school) and I found out that this is the only week during the entire year that my district-based daycare is closed. Anyway, I found a daycare center nearby work that I know the owners of that are DHS licensed (required in order for them to pay for it) and they had openings. I was to come by this evening before 6pm and fill out the paperwork.
I also was scurrying to finish all of my to-do lists for our Tuesday staff meetings as quickly as possible so I could be ready to leave once I heard from the CPS worker.
Fast-foward to 4:39 pm - I still hadn't heard a word from the little guy's caseworker so I tried calling back my CPS contact (because I know the offices close at 5:00 pm). No answer.
4:40 pm - I called my agency and asked them if they knew anything. They decided to email CPS as well and see what they could find out.
4:52 pm - I received a phone call from a CPS office in another part of town and I thought I was arranging the time to meet or have the little guy brought to my house. But...alas, I was called to be told that they found another relative placement for this guy.
4:56 pm - I called my agency and told them that I would not be having that placement because relative placement was found (YEAH for that little guy!) and to make sure that my name was on the list for tomorrow. In the process of that conversation, I found out that my name on the list stated that I was open to taking children only ages 5-7. I explained that my license is for ages 5-15. It was suggested I call my on-going placement worker, V.
5:23 pm - V called me back and explained that she had placed the ages low in hope of giving me a "break" for my first placement. I explained that I am very comfortable with the older kids - and actually an 8-12 year old makes me way less nervous than a 4 or 5 year old. We decided to change my information on the list to be open to 5-10.
Celebrations:
- This young little boy is going to be living with a new set of relatives! So happy for him!
- I got calls today!
- I should get more calls tomorrow - and my age range is wider.
- I found a daycare that can take my kids if I get a placement this week.
- I learned even more about the foster care process and have more specific questions and information to get from each person as I talk with them in case I need to follow through.
- For this little guy and the other little ones that I was called about today. Pray for them, pray for their biological parents, pray for their new foster parents and foster siblings.
- For me - today was hard. In some ways, harder than other days. Pray that I have faith even when it feels like the rug keeps getting pulled out from plans that seem to get set up. I have to act when I get a call and get prepared, but it's hard when then you get called back and it's all cancelled. I have such mixed emotions about this all because I have such a heart to begin this journey and I know there are tons and tons of kids out there without homes.
2 comments:
Hang in there! I went on a mini-rollercoaster ride with you just reading this!
Knowing that you are a stable safe place is a relief to many of those workers who deal with this situation all-day every-day. Just being there and dependable has blessed their lives. YOU ARE DOING GOOD! Maybe not the good you want to be doing, but you are a relief to many just by being ready and willing.
It will come. In the meantime - smile and keep on chugging along (I find myself in that boat a lot lately). Then maybe go home a cry a little. That helps too! :)
love ya.
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