Happenings

*
This week we had a visit from the adoption resource specialist who is doing our adoption home study. It is not much in addition to what was already done for the foster care home study. We are still in the process of renewing the foster care license as well because that runs out in February.

Next week (S)s case worker is coming for her monthly visit, and the following week we will be in court listening in on the TPR hearings. It is scheduled for 3 days. DW will be testifying as well. This time there is a different judge. Whether or not things will go differently is anyone's guess. In any event we will try to be prepared for whatever comes.

In the meantime, (S) continues to do very well. She loves her pre-school and has made lots of new friends there, and she loves her dance classes as well. We took her trick or treating at the Mall and she had a blast there as well. The Smarties were her biggest thrill!

This morning she woke up to see we had about 2 inches of snow on the ground from a little snow shower that had come through sometime last night. She was so excited to see the snow.

Unfortunately, she was also disappointed. Last year after the plow had come a few times we had a big pile of snow near the house and we made it into a sled run for her. Well, there was no pile and no sled run, hence the disappointment. DW assured her it wouldn't be too long before there was enough snow to make that happen. In the meantime she packed up her boots and snow suit and mittens etc. in case they went outside at pre-school today. Then upon arrival at pre-school it was apparent that in just those 10 or 15 miles they had received a lot less snow then we had. Only a little dusting that would probably be melted by 11:00am. More disappointment.

While none of us like to see our children or foster children disappointed in any way, it is gratifying to know that this is the type of disappointment that she now has in her life. May she always be this disappointed!
*

SNOWFLAKES

Today we caught snowflakes on our tongue!

(S) still keeps asking about when she is going to mommy's house. I think she knows that something is wrong and is not very happy about it. We tried to keep her mind off of it by doing other things with her. I read her "Green Eggs and Ham" for the first time. She liked that.

We also made believe we were making blueberry cake with her kitchen toys. We watched a little TV, but every time she asks for something and we say no, she runs out of the room crying. On a couple of occasions she has started hitting herself.

We hate to see that but we don't want her to think that behavior will result in getting what she wants. We know this is not unusual behavior for a child in her situation but none the less it is very disheartening.

Tomorrow we are hoping we will get some good news for her and she will get to visit with mom. I know she wants to see her, and I know mom wants to see her little girl. There is no doubt in our mind that they love each other and mom and dad are certainly trying. Mom left a mesage on our voice mail saying "they ain't done nothin wrong". I certainly hope that is correct. They are not the most intelligent people in the owrld, but that does not mean they are not capable of being good and loving parents.

In any event......we caught snowflakes on our tongue today and that was special.