Saturday, May 12, 2012

National Foster Care Awareness Month

I have read some fabulous blogs since the beginning of May, which is National Foster Care Awareness Month.

It started with Minnie at FosterAdoption, letting me know that this is a special month and all the ways that people can get involved without actually becoming foster parents.  This led me on a blog search to learn even more about foster care.  I have found some great ones, most recently Percolated Paradox, written by a woman who aged out of the foster care system after 42 placements. FOURTY-TWO!  (the graphic below was created by her)

I have pinned many foster/adoptive blogs on Pinterest.  Here are some of my favorites:

Foster Parenting Adventures
I Was a Foster Kid
Standing on His Promise

Here's wishing you a great month and greater awareness of the foster care system in the USA.


Medication Drama

Last post, I talked about how court was delayed for Daisy.  The new date is in mid-June and the recommendation is still to send her to her dad and step-mom's home in a different city.  So, I have four more weeks with this fun little girl!

After her initial disappointment and anger over her half-siblings being moved, she has been great.  Her moodiness has decreased.  Her eating and sleeping habits haven't changed since she's been here, which I take as a good sign (no depression).

I have seen her siblings once, and will get to see them another few minutes next week before/after their visitation with their bio mom.  When I saw them, they were smiling and seemed happy and healthy.  I got to meet their "nanny", who is helping to meet their needs while their dad works.  She told me thank you for taking care of her kids.  Always nice to hear.  The bio mom, on the other hand, saw her kids hugging me as she left the CPS building, and was glaring something awful!

The only drama lately has been with Daisy's ADHD medication.  We have a thief for a neighbor and pills have gone missing more than once.  I recently figured out who it was, and am so disappointed in this person.  What sort of person steals medication from a ten-year old girl who can't function in school without it??!!?!  The addicted sort, it seems :(  My husband and I have learned quite a bit about ADHD medications in the last year or so; several kinds are considered Class 2 narcotics.  Isn't that crazy?  Legal crack.  Apparently, when you speed up a child who already is hyperactive, it actually slows them down.  Because they are class 2, prescriptions aren't refillable, and we have to call the doctor each month and physically go in and pick up the script and take it to the pharmacy.  If its more than 2 days before the last date, you can't get it refilled.  So timing is everything!  Having 5 or 10 pills go missing once or twice a month really wrecks havoc with this timing.  I'm thankful the CASA and social workers are working with me on this, and we will be able to get what she needs to finish out the school year.

I haven't gotten to see Goofy at all since he left.  I made sure the social worker gave his dad my number, but there has been no contact.  I'm disappointed in that, but understand.  His birthday was last week, and since I already had the gift bought, I wrapped it and dropped it off at his dad's workplace.  I really wish I could have seen him open it!  I know he's loving that Lightning McQueen RC car...at least, he is if his dad gave it to him.

When school gets out for Daisy, I'm planning on continuing a light summer learning schedule with my own son and taking field trips with both of them.  I'm sending them both to a science day camp locally and enrolling them in Summer Reading at the library.  We'll go to the science museum in Louisville, Patton's museum, and maybe the Creation Museum.  Once she moves in with her dad, we will be able to travel out of state and we WILL travel before accepting any more children.  This mama needs a break!