Fostermomma blog--1st post-June 6, 2008

Web log June 6, 2008 First post!

Well, I finally got my website up and am starting to spread the word. I want to get as many people to at least think about fostering.

Most people know my story. I was laid off after 7 years with a company that I had put my heart and soul into. I didn't love my job anymore but I was comfortable there and basically "used to it". After I got laid off, I was at a loss as to what to do with myself. With the exception of maternity leave after I had Bunny, I had worked all of my adult life.

So, what to do? After a WHOLE lot of retail therapy, I started staying at home and watching lots of soaps and Ellen. No, not Oprah, Ellen. I am firmly convinced that Oprah is slowing trying to take over the world and I will certainly not help her do it! After I got bored with daytime TV, I started surfing the net. I came across the AdoptUSKids website. This basically had photo listings of children available for adoption. Something just hit me. Up until then, I had been struggling to figure out what do to with my life and what I would actually be good at. I consider myself a person of many talents and a master of none of them. I have wanted to be anything from a veterinarian to a truck driver to an event planner. I wasn't sure if I would actually be good at any of these things. But the one thing that I knew I was good at was being a mom. I had always said that if I couldn't ever have children, then I would foster or adopt. Well, I have had a biological child and I could still try for another one but I felt "called" to do this. I am fortunate enough to have a husband who is supportive and who loves kids as much as I do. So I became a fostermomma!

While we went through training, I left Bunny in childcare and started getting the house ready for our two girls ages 6 to 12. That was the age range and gender that we were prepared to foster. Bunny had his own room and I bought some bunk beds for the two girls to share a room. I had the house safety inspected and went, room by room cleaning as I went. The house was cleaner than it had ever been. The whole colony of dust bunnies that I evicted are considering a lawsuit.

We go licensed and I just knew that the phone would ring that very day. Days and weeks went by but no phone call for a placement. I kept bugging the intake director. "You are still on the list" she said. So I decided to open up the age range from 0-12. I figure that if we at least got a 5 year old she would be in kindergarten and I wouldn't have to worry about childcare. That day we got a call. They didn't have a 6-12 year old girl but they did have a 6 month old girl and her 17 month old brother. Would I be willing to take them?

Now understand, Bunny had just started a MDO where I was teaching as well. We were in school 4 days a week and the pay wasn't much. I didn't have alternative childcare set up for two little ones. I didn't have an extra bed to put in Bunny's room so that he and the new boy could share a room. I didn't have Bunny's old baby bed set up for a 6 month old and it would barely fit into the room with bunk beds.

So, what do you think my immediate answer was? HECK YES!

I called my mom and before you know it, we were on a journey of a lifetime!

Stay tuned for more.

Until then,

TTFN

up next....The first time, ever I saw there faces.........