annieology

It only took four years and four months, but we are finally, officially part of the case that involves the children we’ve been raising all this time.  Don’t even come back with the 15/22 rule, it wasn’t followed.  Don’t tell me that kids aren’t supposed to spend four years in foster care.  I know this.  Don’t ask me if the kids have an attorney, they do.  On paper.  We’ve never seen him, nor have we spoken to him.  Don’t worry about us, we’re just the ones RAISING THE CHILDREN.  Four years and four months.  Even after we hired an attorney to “speed things up” it took eleven months.

OK, I exaggerated a bit.  We joined the case on the 22nd at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.  At which time we instructed our attorney to send the letter.   It took a week to write this….

Dear Mama:

I represent Mr. and Mrs. Awesome, the foster parents of Felpsy, Princess and Booger.  As you know the Awesomes have provided a loving, secure home for the children since they have been in their care.

They fully understand the problems you face that leave you unable to care and provide for the children.  Fortunately, the children are happy, healthy and well adjusted.  The Awesomes love the children very much and would like to make them a permanent part of their family through adoption.

I know your primary concern is for your childrens’ well being.  I think the Awesomes have shown you over the last four years the type of parents they are and will continue to be for the children.

I would like to propose that you voluntarily terminate your parental rights and that we negotiate the terms of an open adoption that would allow you to see the children in the future.  Please give me a call so we can discuss this matter.  Our toll free phone number is 1-800-alright already.

And so, it is out there in the universe.  Just waiting for a response.  If all else fails, we can wait some more on the state.  They scheduled court for late October.  If things go “as planned” we would be able to finalize the adoption in no less than ten months from now.  I hope Mama responds to the letter.  I do not want to put up with the foster care crap for another ten months.

I’m seriously considering not turning in anymore paperwork. Not attending any more training.  Letting them in once a month to make sure I haven’t sold the kids and then telling them to throw a frisbee the rest of the time.  Let them take me to court.  Let them answer as to why the heck the kids have been in care for four years.  Why their siblings are coming up on five years in care.  They ain’t taking the kids, we’re legally attached now, of course they could argue that us letting our license lapse would be just cause, I think a reasonable judge might hold their feet to the fire a bit.  I’m just sick of it all.

I hate every aspect of my job.  I think it affects my parenting.  Not positively.  I question the doctor as to the necessity of three separate medications multiple times a day, but I’m more worried about the boat load of paperwork that amount of medicine would generate, not the long term affects on the child.  Oh, I’m worried about the affects on the child, but my primary concern is to get out of the visit with as little EXTRA work as possible.  Especially when I’m dealing with sick kids who are already zapping it out of me.

I probably won’t stop doing the right thing.  Because I do the right thing. But I really don’t want to anymore.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 8:47 pm and is filed under Adoption, Fostering, Kindle, Legal Crap, annieology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.