10-29 Foster Friday ;-)

I know it's not Friday anymore, but I wanted to stick with the theme.  ;-) 

Things with our case have gotten. . . interesting.  I may have said that before, but I am trying to look at it from a "God is still in control, this is just to teach us something", kind of outlook.  :-D  
This week God is really using I Cor, the love chapter to speak to my heart.  Did you know that it says in the Bible NOT to keep a record of wrongs???  ;-)  Isn't that what we as humans are best at???  Keeping record?  I actually called a friend and said, "Um, if the Bible says not to keep a record of wrongs, what am I doing with all the "reporting"?"  She explained it beautifully.  Reporting is about keeping these kiddos safe.  Making sure that everyone has all the facts.  Not just to tattle.  So, that being said.  We have had a lot of opportunities for growth this week.  :-D

On Tues the lawyer called and said that she was getting conflicting stories about what was happening when she dropped the boys back off at home.  Tues afternoon we had an evaluation set up with the therapy group we are using for the baby.  The eval went well, we talked about his decline in sleep patterns, and eating.  How he has diarrhea every Wed and Sun, the day after he is with his grandma all day.  They expressed concern over them being placed with the grandparents with all this information. . .  (that is what is so frustrating, report, report, report, and nothing changes)   Then the lawyer comes, she is a little early so we can just talk, she tells us things that are hopeful, and then the grandma delivers the boys.  Aidan is COVERED in choc, and carrying an un-eaten happy meal.  (why do they call them happy meals if they don't make anyone happy????  Have you seen the price on those little suckers recently???)  I ask, "What did you have to eat buddy?"  He says, ice-cream and M&m's, now anyone that knows me, knows that m&m's are a major weakness, but that and ice-cream. . . nothing else????  Not cool, as illustrated by his tummy ache the rest of the night.  We had to "remind" him to say goodbye to her again, and it seemed like things were clearly the way that I had been reporting, not the other way around. 
Thurs I call the lawyer to find out how it went after they left, if there are any changes in the case, and she says, "They are going to be going home with the Grandma, we are just working out the details." 
As you can imagine I am shocked, LOOK at all the evidence that she WON"T be providing the level of care that they need!!!!  ASK him where he wants to live!!!!!  PLEASE don't give up this case, and just close it however possible!!!!   I had a little breakdown, I know that God is in control, and I am really trying to handle it the way that He would have me handle it.  But the system is so . . . so. . . "bad" just doesn't do it justice.
Sat when the grandma came to pick them up in the morning I COULD NOT find the back and forth book that she is supposed to be writing their schedule in, and she said, "That's alright, that schedule is too hard to keep anyway, there is no way that I can do everything you wrote down."  So, now that, that's out in the open. . .   Then I asked her for a written list of everything that she fed them and when they slept anyway. . . and she wrote me back how I need to start communicating with her better so that we can work together to get the baby healthy. 

I am working on my attitude.  I am praying that God will use these "opportunities for growth" and that we will be a stronger, happier, more Christ-centered family on the other side of these. . . . opportunities.