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

My hands hurt from wielding the shovel, yet again.  My shoulders ache.  I gaze down my driveway, a driveway that feels like it magically added a hundred feet to its dimensions, and sigh.  I can’t do this, I can’t make it.

This is the mountain our kiddos climb, day after day.  The road ahead too long, their souls too weary to travel it.

The snow is still falling, coating the path I’ve cleared, icing over

As you may have noticed, there was quite a gap in our blogging from early fall until the present.  Where did our blog go?  Well, fall and early winter are wild times around the office.  In addition to the usual (and sometimes very unusual) things that make up our days (and sometimes nights), the fall and winter months bring holidays and great expectations.  Here’s a little glimpse into what you missed…

October used to

Blizzard season is upon us.  Just as kiddos were adjusting to being back to school, they are back home, faces pressed to windows, hands pressed to sliding doors.  Some are sleeping the snow day away (looking at you, teens), while others are begging to romp in the cold.  The snow is tumbling, whirling its way down, blanketing the world around us.  The barometer has dropped alarmingly (who even knew that a Bomb Cyclone was a