Really?!?!

Last night I emailed the foster parents of this sweet little boy that we are VERY interested in meeting. To my surprise I got an email back from the foster mom right away! She sent me some more pictures and lots more information about his behavior and personality. I'm really trying not to get to excited to quickly, but he sounds like he really could be an amazing fit for our family (and he is cute as a button as well!) I really wish I could share pictures with you, but I can't :( So you'll just have to believe me that he's a doll and we can't wait to meet him.

The best part is that the foster parents invited Hunter and I over this Wednesday for a BBQ and the chance to meet him for a little while! Isn't that awesome?!?! No worries, I checked with our social worker and she said that while it was usual for this to happen it was perfectly acceptable and that we could attend. I am blown away by their willingness to open their home to us just to help us meet him in a setting that he is comfortable in. I feel so blessed! We would have been able to meet him even sooner but the family is away for the weekend and there were other things going on until Wednesday. But it's not too far away!

You will never believe it, but I got phone call from ANOTHER social worker this afternoon. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Hello?
Social Worker: Hello, I'm so-and-so with such-and-such and your agency told me that you would be interested in a 9 year old girl?
Me: Well, we are seriously concidering a 4 year old boy right now, I'm so sorry.
SW: You are licensed for two children though.
Me: Um, yes... but my husband just left for Afghanistan less than a week ago and my son is having a hard time with that so I'm not sure that it would be great timing for me to take in two children with different backgrounds.
SW: (silence) I see. I have a 3 year old boy who needs respite care for two weeks.
Me: Okay... when is that?
SW: Starting tomorrow.
Me: Yeah, I don't think that is going to work. Sorry.

Oh. My. Goodness. I felt so bad telling him that I couldn't take either of these kids, but I honestly feel like it would have been far too much for Hunter (and myself for that matter!) to deal with right now. We are doing good, but it has been an adjustment and I just don't think it would be fair to any of us to try to handle much more than we are already doing. I'm scrambling to finish up my 8 week course in record time in case we start transitioning this boy into our family. I don't want to have to be worrying about coursework as well. And taking in more children at the same time? I sure wish I could but I just don't know where my super hero cape is!

It's so crazy to me that everything would start happening right as Ben leaves, but I guess that's just how it goes! Speaking of Ben, he is still trying to figure out what his job will be over there and get a room to stay in other than the temporary lodging. We have been able to talk on the phone the last two days but we are limited to 10 minute conversations so it's really difficult to talk through some of this craziness that is going on! However, he is very excited to see what happens and at least he has been able to read the emails from social workers and from the foster mother.

Please pray for the children that I had to turn down today. There are so many kids that need families and it is heartbreaking to have to say no to any child.

I will keep you all updated as we find out more, but now it is time to go and do some homework!

Love you all!

B, E & H