And.....we're off!
We began our trip around 5:00 this morning when I woke up the sleepy monster(s). Our Little Lady flew out of bed, faster than she ever had before!
Something hit us pretty hard last night while we were packing.
I was telling Bry that LL made a comment about how "it didn't seem like we'd be coming home" when I told her that all of the things we couldn't fit in the car would be there when we returned. She was also very upset when we dropped Lucy off at (doggie) daycare; she said, "I'm just not used to telling Lucy goodbye."
And then it hit us.
How else would you convince a 6 or 7 year old to pack up their belongings in a matter of minutes and get in the car? To leave everything behind and run off to the next place? You would tell them you're going on vacation.
When she woke up this morning, I asked her if she had ever been told she was going on "vacation," but never came home. She answered "yes" before I had even finished asking. She told me a story I'm unable to share publicly, but I can just say it was heartbreaking and our predictions were verified...she had never been on a real vacation, it was always used as a code word.
I reassured her that we were really going on vacation and that we would return home to all of her things and her dog. I could hear her trusting us in her reply and it warmed my heart. "I know, I know we're coming back."
I'm not sure how many "vacations" she's had in the past, but I know this is one she'll remember forever (I hope), and it's one that will have a beginning and an end. And she will be reunited with her stuffies, and her dog, and the friends she left back home. And she will learn to trust us even more in these moments.
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Our first day of travel included a few random (and some unfortunate) events. First, we happened to meet up with my brother/sis-in-law and my Beanie Baby at a McD's in the middle of nowhere on our way to CO. Crazy!
Next, we were hit with hot tar as we passed a construction site. It covered a good 3x3 feet of Bry's car on the left side. Luckily, there was a car wash close by in Amarillo that had a "tar removal service." (That's actually a thing!) Within about an hour or so, "Falcor" (the name LL gave Bry's Xterra) was cleaned and polished and ready to go.
The last random event hit around 12:30 AM when our Little Lady was throwing up in the bathroom. She didn't have a fever and she felt fine afterwards, so I'm guessing it was just caused by all of the candy and snacks she had on the way up here.
Oops. Parent fail.
LL's quotes:
- "The DVD player has a speaker on it, so now my ears can breathe for a second!"
- "Mr. Brian, can you please stop being so funny? I got in trouble for screaming." (Naturally, this request only made him funnier.)
My buddy and me!
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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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