There is a whole lot of good happening for our kiddos and families!  The tough stuff sometimes bogs us down and takes center stage, but we need to work harder to shift that focus.  Let the sun shine, as they say.  So here it is, our listicle of positives:

1. A gentleman who has been growing before our very eyes is in college full time and just got a part-time position in his field of choice

There are so many wonderful people out there who want to support the children and families with whom we work.  Many want to help, but aren’t in a place in their life where foster care is the right choice.  We are often asked, what else can I do?  How can I help?  Well, friends, here are some ideas!  Hopefully one will be right for you.

• Hire a foster youth for an internship or job
• Organize

Back to School  

There is an energy that flows through school hallways on the first day.  So many new things all at once.  New teachers, new classmates, new lockers, new notebooks, new markers, new shoes.  Students haven’t seen one another in weeks, so there is much to catch up on.  Trips to Storyland, getting drivers licenses, beach weeks, going shopping for new clothes, summer sports, camp outs, first jobs, and on and on.  Summer is

They are at summer jobs, summer school, summer camp.  They are playing outside, riding bikes, splashing in sprinklers and pools, awaiting the chimes of the ice cream truck.  Every sign points to summer.  But the sun is setting slightly earlier every day, aisles of the grocery store are filled with school lunch snacks, and clothing stores have fall attire on display.  The school year, my dears, is coming.

There is a mixture of heel dragging

The hallway light shines through the rectangle window, illuminating the little room.  The fifteen inch tube television is on, but it is just black and white “snow,” as we used to call it, no tape in the VHS player.  My ears are appreciating the break from the noise of the classic Disney movies that were playing.  The hours have slogged by, the early hours of the morning now upon us.  I arrived at 11PM, relieving

“Let’s be wild girls!” she crowed excitedly, prancing around the basketball court like a horse.  I had a hoop skirt of toddlers clinging to my legs. 

“What?” I asked, following her with my eyes as I twisted around the little hands gripping my pants. 

“Let’s run and be wild!” 

With complete abandon, hair bouncing in every direction, arms flailing to some music she must have had in her mind, she did just

No.

Two letters, but so powerful.  Two letters that, put together, shut doors, shut down possibilities.  They are stopping points.  For some of us, they are easy to utter.  For others, especially for the helping hearts of the world, they grind and stab over our tongues, painful to say, worse to admit.

 But why is there shame in this simple little word?

 For foster and adoptive parents, for agencies, for anyone involved in our world, 

On Friday, May 4th, our staff, foster parents, children, and friends gathered for our annual Foster Parent Appreciation Dinner.  Children and youth gathered in a separate room and played games, created artwork, and had fun while being cared for by babysitters.  For the parents and guests, there was dinner, dancing, and dessert, as well as a few speeches.  Here is an excerpt from our Program Director, Bob Costa, when he addressed the group.

Our theme

Dear Little One,

You aren’t so little anymore.  The last time I saw you, you were wearing size 3-6 month clothing.  You are now probably learning long division.  You were a smiley, healthy baby with round cheeks and a swirl of light brown hair.  Now, you are a bright young lady with a toothy grin and uncertain eyes.  When I learned of your mother’s passing, my heart stopped.  I can only imagine what yours did. 

When we last left off, our ragtag band of staff members had just hosted a sunny October event, Autumn Fest.  Well, note that the blog took a break well beyond October.  That is because, gentle readers, the gears were just starting to turn. 

As soon as the last Halloween costume was shelved, our AMAZING Administrative Coordinator, Lola (who should be known as The Queen Of Everything Important in the Universe) whipped into action.  Letters