Sunday Morning

I can hear the worship practice at church going on all the way across the street. That's nice. I would normally have been at work (church) by now busily getting ready for the 60 kids age 0-12 who will come through Sunday School this morning. But I am at home this morning with Bubba who was sick all day yesterday with a high fever. He seems better this morning, but still not quite himself. Hope the Sunday School can survive without me today. DH is putting out the morning tea fruit and leading the kid's worship this morning. Good thing I worked all day yesterday to ready the rooms.

On my second cup of coffee this morning. Defrosting a chicken to roast for lunch. Granny is off preaching in a tiny little country church this morning. Sissy is with her Dad at the church. It's just me, Bubba, and the animals. :-) The weather has finally turned cooler for autumn and I am forced to wear my socks all the time. Eeek! Oh well, it's better than having purple toes which is what happens when my feet get too cold.

Washing my sheets today. Bubba slept with me in the big bed last night. He slept so hard and so long that he wet the bed. Poor little man. It's okay. My sheets needed to be washed anyway.

Have to wash the extra kid's room sheets today too. The foster kids only stayed one night. Sadly. They arrived late on Tuesday night and as I was reading their care plan I brought an address to the attention of the social workers--their paternal grandfather and aunt live two doors down from us. They promised to check on it and told us just to keep the kids in the house until we heard. Well, of course the girl got out the door Wednesday morning before we could stop her--while our kids were heading off to school--and she saw her Poppa. I called the social workers and they checked into it. Later we were assured that the family had moved. 

With that knowledge we went outside to play on the swing set which is on our front yard. That's when we saw Poppa again. He came over for some hugs. The baby was especially glad to see him. He cried a little (the Poppa) and thanked me. He promised he wouldn't tell the others that the kids were here. As soon as I could sneak off I called my social worker and she was not happy. She said they were a violent family and the kids would have to be moved for our safety as well as theirs. About 20 minutes later two new social workers showed up to take them to new foster parents, out in the country. We were sad. The kids seemed sadly unaffected, not surprising with abused children who often have attachment problems anyway. We blew kisses and Granny and I prayed as the they drove off. All the while, what looked like their Dad and his brother were at the Poppa's house and looked really mad! Plus they both had open beers. They took off after the social workers car, but couldn't catch up and finally turned the other way. Shwew.

Even though they were only hear for 18 hours I still cried for about that long. It was our first case of taking in children who had physical injuries from their home situation. The baby had an ear that was dark purple from bruising, a big gash/scratch up his left cheek over his eye, and more bruises on his forehead. He was small for his age and ate everything he could. But he was able to laugh while he was here and slept a lot! I just couldn't get over injuries like that on a baby and the fact that when the kids were uplifted (5 in total) there was no food and no clothes in the house. None. How does that even happen? Yet Mum and Dad had enough money for both of them to be totally drunk. 

Our kids were great with them and were excited to have friends over. They were only disappointed that they weren't here when they got home from school on Wednesday. Sweet. 

So, washing the sheets and tidying up the room for the next foster kids we are sent. Maybe he/she/they will be the ones who get to be "forever home." It's hard work, but it's also a huge blessing. And there is always hope that something they experienced or learned while they were here, or maybe the prayers that were said over them--will make a difference in the course of their lives.

Okay--back to work. Have sheets to wash and hang out. Chicken and veggies to roast. Banana bread to bake. Happy Sunday everyone.