Friday, May 3, 2013

And just like that our lives changed.

So, our fostering license is taking longer than expected. That's because the person working on our stuff for months didn't really finish everything up like he said.  So, here we are, in May, and after starting this process we still don't have foster children, and our license is still in limbo.

Wednesday afternoon, I was lounging on the couch. I had just been to the doctor's where I learned I had an upper respiratory infection, and I was feeling pretty lousy.  I was getting ready to watch a chick flick when my phone rings.  It's from a strange number, and I almost ignore it.  Who wants to talk to potentially somebody they really don't want to when they don't feel well?  Something told me to answer it, so I did. It was our fostering agency, wondering if we would take a 4 and 5 year old little boys.  I was in shock.  I asked her if she was serious.  We had just been in there 2 days before to finish up our paperwork and they said it would be weeks!  I was floored.  I told her I had to call her back, because obviously I had to talk with the husband.

I call the husband who sounded exactly like I did when I told him.  He was shocked, and didn't really know what to think.  We discussed some things. Then I called the fostering agency back to ask a few more questions so I could talk to the husband again.  We decided that we would accept the placement, and then our lives got crazy.

I had to hurry and pick Nick up from work, since we live in an area with public transportation and he is lucky enough to have a bus pass. We fly our butts to Ikea, buy bunk beds, and then go to Target for bedding and some toiletries.  This would have to do for now.  We also wanted to pick up some kid friendly food. I figured leftover pasta primavera wasn't going to be their thing.  I don't know what happened to the groceries, we must have forgot.  Plus we had some bunk beds to put together, and we were starving.

We get home, I make dinner while N works on the bunk beds.  We bought dinosaur and jungle theme bedding for both of them.  The cat and the rabbit were going crazy, they knew something was going on.  That night we went to bed late, except I didn't sleep.  I couldn't. Our lives were changing and finally it was just how we had thought it to happen!  FINALLY!

Then, everything went down hill the next day. I got a call at 11 to pick the boys up at 2:30, which was not feasible because I was at work.  I also have been very sick and had been going home a lot so leaving wasn't an option.  I told them we could do 7:00.  Enough time to get home, get Nick then go pick them up.  I got 2 calls at work, asking some questions the state had. Unfortunately because our license didn't get finished we didn't get to pick them up, and they won't be placed in our home.

Even though I am heartbroken, and feel as though I missed out, our lives did change.  They will never be the same.  I will never think to not answer a phone call of an unrecognized number.  I will be ready to go shopping at a moment's notice for some children.  I learned that Nick and I could really pull together to get something done in a crunch.  We were there, and had done it. Now the next time we get a call, I know that we can pull together.