Skip to main content

Inaugural Post

I think I need to write a blog.

I keep searching for good blogs about foster care and none are exactly what I'm looking for. I need to read the work of deeply thinking people who are wrestling with the realities of opening their homes to strangers. But please be funny, too. And, mostly, I need to hear from people whose agenda does not include evangelizing--neither the Christian faith nor the lesbian lifestyle. I respect you both, but I'd rather just hear about the kids, thanks.

So, here's the background info I'm always curious about when people provide a peek into their homes. Because context is everything.

I'm Beth*. My husband, Theo, and I have been married for 17 years. We have three sons: Seth (16), Gus (12), and James (3). On November 30, 2018, we had two foster girls, Jane (3) and Kate (1) placed in our home. This is our first foster care placement. We are open to both fostering and adoption. (*All names are pseudonyms.)

We live in the middle of the middle, about as Midwest as you can get. I'm a teacher; Theo works for a pharmaceutical company. Together we make a little over six figures but where we live that's not enough to take fancy vacations or to even shop at Whole Foods. (Okay, maybe we don't shop at Whole Foods because I grew up on a farm and I'm telling you, $6 milk is for suckers. Seriously, there is no discernible difference between the lives of the cows producing $1.50 milk vs. those producing $6 milk. Now when it comes to meat and eggs, yep, lifestyle matters so please do find a farmer's market to purchase those, but I simply can't give my money to a store that prices items based on buzzwords, not content.)

Our kids go to public school. We're too lazy, and our kids are thankfully too untalented, to do the crazy sports thing. The older boys each play an instrument in band at school and that's about all the extracurricular in our lives. Oh, I did just sign the 3 yr olds up for a toddler dance class. Can't wait to see how that turns out.

We have goats and chickens. I sometimes have a garden. We have a trampoline and a tree house. We just bought some land and my husband is carving out walking trails through the underbrush. There, that takes care of the out-of-doors, as my grandma used to call it.

I think that concludes the introduction. Now to begin.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I Lied.

For the very first time I lied to a birth family member. I've been brutally honest even when it caused an uproar. I've been honest because I was personally committed to always telling the truth. Until now. Because this lie may actually be the best way to preserve Jane's relationship with her birth family. At our last video call with Grandma Jane seemed uninterested, unengaged, not showing any real emotion. I struggled to find things to prompt her to talk about. Over the next two weeks I waited and she never asked for another call. In the third week I casually brought up the topic and she did not really respond, certainly didn't ask for another call. Finally, yesterday I point blank asked if she wanted to do a video call and she said the word yes but her whole body language said no. It was clear that she was saying yes because she thought she was supposed to, not because she wanted to. So, I took her body language rather than her words and made the decision that we...

Why She Pees...

 Last week the little sister, Kate, got in trouble for peeing herself and then lying about it. She's had a weak bladder her whole life and must be vigilant about going often or she has an accident. If she gets busy playing and nobody reminds her to go, it's inevitable.  I am annoyed at the hassle, but tolerant that it's a medical situation.  Then, tonight I realized Jane smelled like pee. There's no excuse. She can hold it for days if she wants to. She got in trouble (a cold shower to hose off her body). Then I realized her room stank and asked what was going on. She told me she'd been deliberately peeing herself each day for the last three days, "so that you'd smell it and think she did it and then she'd get in trouble."  She's a sociopath.  Who deliberately sits in their own pee for three days for the small thrill of getting their little sister yelled at?  Well, two can play at this manipulation fight. I called Kate into the room and then had...

Nope, Just Halloween Hades

GRANDMA'S RESPONSE It was fine. Daytime trick or treating at the fairgrounds with Grandma was perfectly fine. She never even asked about school. She never asked about our next get together. In fact, she didn't do much except point out other fun costumes people were wearing.  Here's what I forgot: she's the most conflict averse person I've ever met. She doesn't want to talk about any unpleasant topics. She doesn't want to think about anything unhappy. She wants to live in a childish bubble of candy and cartoons. I don't think she even realizes that kids are old enough to be in Kindergarten. I don't think she even thinks about such things. In fact, she didn't truly talk to the kids that much. She was super happy they gave her hugs at the beginning. She liked the fun of the event and escorting kids was a great way to have fun.  Really, the kids are just props so she can feel like a fun grandma. She doesn't really want a relationship. She wants p...