I was so excited to join our Little Lady at school today for Field Day.
There was one problem...
I had no idea what her teacher looked like, and I couldn't find LL among the other 300 tie-dye shirts.
On her first day, we only met the teacher for about 90 seconds, so I couldn't even remember what color hair she had.
I continue to be humbled throughout this process as the Lord reveals His plan in our lives.
A former teacher myself, I always dreamed of the kind of parent I would be when my kids started school. I pictured myself being the "perfect" room mom - a nice balance of supportive, helpful, and realistic. Not overbearing or demanding, but still an academic advocate for my children.
Now here I am, a parent (kind of) and I can't even pick out my child's teacher in a line-up.
I'm learning to let go of control and hand the reigns completely over to Him and simply enjoy the ride.
I couldn't help but crack a smile when I realized how absurd it was that I drove to the school, got my volunteer badge, and then had no idea how I would find LL and her class.
So much for being a "perfect" parent, as if that even exists.
I finally spotted LL in the crowd, joined her class, and re-introduced myself to the teacher. Within a few seconds, there was a swarm of first graders interrupting our hug with, "Is she your mom?", "Is that your mom?", "What's your mom's name?"
I stayed quiet for a few seconds, trying to give LL time to decide how to answer their questions. I wasn't sure who she'd told her story to at school, so I just said something to the effect of, "We're just friends."
The questions from other parents were even more difficult to answer than those from the little ones. I honestly welcome the questions, though. I'd rather people ask questions than go on believing misconceptions about foster care.
LL's quotes:
- LL: "Welcome to my world." Me: "What's in your world?" LL: "Rabbits."
- "I'm a ginger."
- (To the dentist): "I'm not this well-behaved at home."
- Me: "That bird just tried to break into my car." LL: "Ms. Julie, you're going a little crazy about your car."
- LL: "Do I have any cavities?" Dentist: "Nope!" LL: "Aww...I really, really want gold caps!"
- Me: "We're not always lucky enough to get a seat at the pizza bar!" LL: "You've got your lucky conscience with you!" (Pointing to herself.)
- LL: "One time somebody dared my dad to eat a really hot pepper." Me: "Did he do it?" LL: "Yes he ate it! And he got that $20, too!"
- Me: "We don't always get what we want. I want a million dollars and I can't have that." LL: "I want my mom and I can't have that."
She was surprisingly clingy while I was with her this morning. I think she gave me about 70 hugs in the three hours I was there. She sat at my feet for a little bit, too. It was pretty sweet.
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About Us:
We began our foster journey in mid-August 2013. We finished our classes in October, had our home study in early January, and we were licensed on February 7, 2014. After seven calls from CPS, we received our first placement, a 7-year-old girl (our Little Lady, or LL for short) on April 3, 2014. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our journey through the craziness that is foster care. Most importantly, thanks for your prayers, love, and support. We hope to encourage fellow foster/adoptive parents as we document our ups and downs each day.
About Us:
We began our foster journey in mid-August 2013. We finished our classes in October, had our home study in early January, and we were licensed on February 7, 2014. After seven calls from CPS, we received our first placement, a 7-year-old girl (our Little Lady, or LL for short) on April 3, 2014. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our journey through the craziness that is foster care. Most importantly, thanks for your prayers, love, and support. We hope to encourage fellow foster/adoptive parents as we document our ups and downs each day.
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