The week has flown by, and Saturday is November, which is all kinds of crazy!
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One evening this week while working at my volunteer job as a court appointed special advocate for children in state protective custody, I sat next to a 13 year old girl on the couch in her foster home and she told me in a tone of voice I don't think I'll ever forget, "I just want to be adopted."
It broke my heart into a million pieces! I am now working to change the situation for this sweet girl and her younger brother, to find them a home where they will be loved, treasured, a place where they can heal from the pain of their past.
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I drove home sadly reflecting on how much children need a family and how the foster home where these two children are placed was meeting their basic needs, but not loving them as a family would. Then I walked into my house to the scene of my husband carving a pumpkin with our 4 pajama-clad children.
There was mess and pumpkin guts and squealing and one brother wiping pumpkin goo on a sister's arm and arguing over the name for the newly created jack-o-lantern, but it was FAMILY! We were all known and loved and messy and loud, and that's what I want for these 2 children on my case.
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In happier news than children without parents, Madeline the dog got a much needed grooming this week. You can thank me for forgetting to snap a photo before she went in and thus sparing you the vision of the "before" and allowing just the "after":
Because we let the grooming wait too long this time, when I picked up the dog I took the proactive step of scheduling her next grooming appointment and was surprised to find that even on October 29th, they are booked all the way through the first of the new year! So we have an appointment the 2nd week in January. Here's a truth that likely reveals something rather pathetic about the state of my life: I can call my hairstylist and get an appointment within a week, yet my dog's hair stylist books up over 2 months in advance!!
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I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Just imagine all the possibilities of what you can do with that extra hour "Fall Back" provides!! My plan for that hour is lofty, indeed -- sleep!
Our dog groomer has been out of the country and not back til next week. My dog is overdue too. But my hairdresser must always be booked pretty far out too so that's good I guess : ) Your story is so very sad. Children growing up without a family breaks my heart too. Can I ask how the court appointed advocacy works. I'm sure it varies from state to state, but this is something I've been interested in pursuing. Do you have a set number of 'cases'? Are you 'on call'? Any insight you can share would be appreciated. Enjoy your little ones this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI hope you can find a family for those 2 children. Love the pumpkin and the dog is cute too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie your puppy is...I have dogs that don't really need to be groomed, but they do need baths, nail, etc, so we go to the groomer as well.
ReplyDeleteMy heart just broke right along with yours on hearing what that sweet 13 year old girl said...How sad. It does make you want to DO something about that. Praying you are successful in finding them a loving home. Pumpkin carving time looks good and sounds about right, lol. Your dog looks great! My hair dresser books WAY out in advance. I had to book my Dec appointment already, Enjoy your week-end with your sweet family!
ReplyDeleteTucker's groomer is amazing and comes to our house to do the grooming! I have attachment issues. Tucker doesn't, but I do. Ha! Anyway, we keep a running appointment every six weeks just so I can always get an appointment. My hairdresser...wait, I don't have one. LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to sleeping in, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being an advocate. To help balance your thoughts on this subject, I'll share that I currently have a student with Reactive Attachment Disorder who went through two failed adoptions before being adopted last year, and her parents expressed to me that they thought providing a loving home would make a difference for her. It hasn't; she became a holy terror at home after the adoption was finalized, and they've been suffering for months.God bless them...
Thanks for the dog grooming reminder!!! I stopped reading your post to go schedule a grooming for Milo! The lady who has a mobile grooming service is not accepting any new clients; must be a good gig!
Thanks for linking up! Have a great weekend.