We had our second training session Friday. Jennifer was in the middle of making a placement during our session, so she let us know ahead of time that she might have to leave at any moment. She ended up staying the whole time, but now we see this will likely be a regular thing - placements interrupting our sessions/timeline. Which is absolutely fine, because placing children in loving homes is why we're all doing this anyway.
Basically, she went over the questions we had answered about the first book she left with us. It was pretty eye-opening to be able to see things from a different angle. For example: a mom hasn't come home in several days, leaving her 10-year-old in charge of the younger siblings. That's considered abandonment, which is grounds for removal of the children from the home. Everyone reading this will agree that removal is appropriate, and probably be a little disgusted with the mom, and not want her to have her kids back ever. BUT. This particular mom has been left in the lurch by her husband (no ex) who never pays child support. She is 28 and has four children for whom she is the sole provider. All she does is work and take care of children. She feels hopeless, and has no time whatsoever to be in anything other than survival mode. She can't take that and needs an escape. (This is not a real person, FYI, it was an example given in our book!) So while abandoning her children was definitely wrong...I can't help but ache for her. I'm a woman. Close to her age. And I can't imagine what I would do in her situation.
But anyway, we do things like that. Learn to look at the back story and really connect with the birth parents on a human, we're-all-in-the-same-boat way. It will make temporarily caring for their children easier when we can truly desire to help and work with the birth parents.
That's pretty much all of the updating I have. We're one training session closer to being licensed. I'm still thinking early- to mid-September is when we'll have our license in hand. Jake and I have recently made some pretty big decisions, but I'll have to wait to disclose those. Our lives now revolve around children we've never met, and didn't give birth to, and who might only be with us for weeks. But we could be the only positive influence they'll ever have - the only example of what a strong, loving marriage and family look like - and we're adjusting our home and relationship and lives accordingly.
One last thing: on Saturday, Jake competed in his second powerlifting meet. Last year he was in the 220 weight class, but this year at weigh-in he was 221 lbs, so he was in the 242 weight class. Being the lightest person in the class, and only having competed once before, and missing one of his goal weights (to lift), my Jake Henry placed 3rd out of 8. I am so very proud of him. And I totally feel invincible when I walk around with him. Like, "yeah, wanna say that in front of my husband? Didn't think so" kinda deal.
The end (for now).
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