Random Updates
Regarding "Josie": she continued to screw up. She ended up getting a minor consumption violation, which isn't really the type of thing she was that much into, except as a way to rebel. She had a court review this last week, at which point she was sent to a residential treatment facility for a term of 6-9 months.The Wife and I are ambivalent about the whole thing, but on the whole I think we both feel that this was the right thing to happen and the right time for it to happen. We were ready for her to go and she was about ready to go. She really needed to get out of this community...she has been stigmatized around here, and people (including social workers and cops) had stopped giving her a fair shake. One of the last things The Wife told her before she left was to try to get all she could out of this, since she has to do it anyway. I concur.
On the day she left, she called me over lunch asking if I wanted to see her before she went. I would have if I had had just a little more notice, but as it was the probation officer would have had to wait around until I got there about a half-hour later. I left it with just the promise that we would visit as soon as it was possible after she got settled in.
The story with "Josie" isn't over...but we've hit a part where we're not a daily part of her story anymore, and that seems like the right thing to us right now. Maybe we'll pick it up again later. Maybe not.
My secret surprise: still a secret, and really no further comment. Sometimes things take time, you know?
Regarding adoption: we were accepted by the nonprofit agency and have sent them a giant buttload of cash. We're in now, hell or high water.
Regarding other items: The Wife has back troubles the last couple of days and has been pretty stationary. It's a good time to get any health issues out of the way, as we won't have time for that when we become parents. I'm on vacation for the next week, and you'll recall that my college-friends get-together is next weekend to cap off the vacation. Sounds like everyone will make it, and a good time will most likely be had by all. I've lost some weight...I'd like to lose another 10-15, but I'll take it if it's all I get. The Wife likes my abs. I have visible abs! Yeehaw!
Final note: I just re-watched one of my favorite films, "Under a Tuscan Sun". What a flick. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it, especially if you start to feel sorry for yourself, or if life is just getting you down. I find it inspiring. In celebration of that and to keep this weight-loss thing from getting too easy, I'm gonna go see if there's a pizza in the freezer.
I'm likely to be light on the writing stuff awhile longer, but autumn always brings introspection and reflection to my mind. I'll probably be back to daily writing sometime in September. Until then I'll shoot for weekly or better, and be happy if I make it. I'll definitely be writing more if there are any breaks in the fostering or adopting front, too.
posted by Dan @ 10:15 AM
1 Comments:
Dan,
First of all, thank you for your patience with Josie. Your dedication to her, as evidenced by your blog, is very much appreciated (by me, at least). It can't be easy.
Secondly, it's weird because in your post on my blog, you sound a little jealous of your foster brother.
We each view life through the viewfinder of our own experiences.
I just want to assure you that it's not easy for foster alumni when it comes to college.
From my experience, I wanted to go to college, and grad school. No one else had to pressure me or coerce me or talk me into it.
I loved learning, and school was the most sane and consistent part of my foster care experience.
Even when I struggled in college -- I was homeless for two weeks after a bad roommate situation -- I never even considered dropping out of college. I continued to attend classes every day.
I just want to assure you that I didn't leave college & grad school with two cars.
I left with thousands of dollars worth of student loan debt (which I am still paying off).
I bought my first car after I finished grad school, and it took me three or four years to pay it off.
So, I gotta admit, I'm curious as to what those other foster girls you refer to in your posting were doing in college if not attending college.
I will concede that many of us ("us" being former foster children) don't make it into higher ed, for a myriad of reasons.
But I attended classes, and so did my friend 'Bobby.' Although, he had to join the military in order to cover his tuition.
I look forward to continuing this dialogue with you, and thank you for posting,
Lisa
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