Thursday, April 17, 2008

You Might Be a Foster Family If . . .

-You open your garage door and passing cars stop, thinking all of the bikes, toys, and baby furniture means garage sale.
-You go to a Foster Care meeting and everyone drives vans or station wagons, except for the small cars that belong to the social workers.
-You get your exercise from walking or carrying the kids to time-out.
-The K-Mart checker asks which school you are from, and you reply, ”We're a family.”
-You spend more time with your washer and dryer than you do with your spouse.
-Your heart is bigger than your brain.
-Santa Claus gives you a key to a store and leaves milk, cookies, and Alka Seltzer for you.
-You watch your 2-week placement go from crib to junior high.
-You regard your toilet snake as a family pet.
-Your local grocer tells you that if you ever move, he would like advance notice because he will have to lay off three employees.
-Your personal stash of children’s clothing rivals that of the local Goodwill office.
-The term “basically a good child with a few problems” doesn't mean the same thing coming from a caseworker as it does in the real world.
-Saying goodnight resembles the end of the Waltons: ”Night, John Boy . . . Night, MaryEllen . . . Goodnight, Lizbeth, etc.”
-Light switches, toilet handles, and door knobs last one year or less.
-Your idea of a “social life” is talking to the checkers at the local Wal-Mart.
Reprinted from “Foster Focus,” April 1997, published by the Olmsted County Foster Care Program.

1 comments:

Laura said...

Anna,

I wish we could meet at Starbucks, with our kids, and just cry. I enjoyed looking over your blog. Your life, in some ways, resembles our own. I can relate to the "You might be a foster family if..." especially light switches, toilet handles...and soon to be door handles! This has been quite a journey for us and we hope we have a happy ending someday. Ben's case has been long. We thought things would be wrapped up this summer and then his bio dad entered the picture. After almost two years with him we feel we are back to the beginning. I/we pray alot...especially for peace. It looks like your two boys (is that right) should be your soon! How exciting and what a relief. I will keep you in my prayers.

Nice meeting you. :)