Sum-Summm Summertime...

It has been a busy few weeks here in Paradise, New England. Summer and all her glory are upon us.
At the end of the school year we received a call to care for Baby Dee (a medically challenged baby we had in care with us last year) while her Mom was in the hospital. The DFS case closed long ago and Baby Dee came to stay with us because her Mom had folks call us.  Mom said we were the only ones she trusted to take care of Dee.  It was wonderful to see her and spend ten delicious days with her...but sad to see her go. Wished we lived closer. She is still soooo very tiny - just 16 pounds at 2 years old! Her Mom is grateful we are in her lives as we are grateful she has maintained our relationship by staying in touch. Our social worker was happy to hear the connection remains. Sometimes it really does take a village ....

Bobby is away at camp for several weeks. He had such a good time last year with two sessions, this year he is attending for three sessions (six weeks). The idea being next year four sessions and the following year counselor in training...etc. It is a well respected nationally based camp that we also sent our older bio son to for several summers when he was young.  I am impressed with the programs offered and the confidence my children have returned with.  Bobby was with us for three years and age 11 before we first sent him to camp. His therapist at the time last year thought sleep away camps were over-rated for adopted kids. So glad I politely ignored her. Bobby had three years with us before we sent him to camp and, for our family, that was more than enough time.  

Little Miss Natalie- an 18 month old theatrical diva is doing very well with us: thriving and gaining skills. Although she qualified for early intervention services, I am confident she will be discharged soon! I expect she will be with us for about six months based on the snails pace at which her parents are working on what they need to work on to get their kids back...I mean seriously?? I just do-not-get-it: how can parents dig in their heels and refuse to do the basics to get their kids back. Whatever.

My oldest bio son (almost 22) has found true love and is moving in/has moved in with his new girlfriend and her two year old child. I wish them well but worry. I can't help it - it is just what I do: worry, obsess, offer unsolicited advice and talk to much. - just to name a few of my "tics".

James finally moved out one week ago and remains in a RTC. Stealing several hundred dollars of our money, hacking computers, coming home with stolen electronics, hoarding food wrappers in zip lock bags, pulling out his eyebrows. Yeah. But that isn't why he is gone! He called his Social Worker from his Therapists's Office and asked to go to summer respite. Yeah. There isn't such a thing. He thought he could ask to be moved someplace fun for the summer then come back to live with us for school so he could play football. Fortunately DFS recognized his behaviors had escalated to the point he could not continue in our home. I feel sad that he lived with us for a year and a half and at the end he was no more connected to us than the day he arrived. I'm familiar with attachment stuff and mental illness and teen angst, but I am still surprised sometimes.

Subsequently, The Other Mother and I are pretty much done with providing foster care for crazy adolescent boys. Actually, The Other Mother was pretty much done with foster care altogether.  Although I am not an equestrian, I am all about "getting right back on the horse that threw ya".  Which is why I immediately said yes to the first call from DCF for a baby because it was a slam dunk that it was pretty certain it was just for a few days...soooooooo

We cared for a beautiful two week old baby girl, Rose, for a few days until she went home to her Dad.

Next we said yes to a four month old girl, Grace, who will also likely go home in a few days to her extended family.  I am just loving "lovin' on" little babies right now...and to be honest, I am also loving the short term thing as well.

The photo below was jacked (with love) from Christine at Welcome to My Brain. Seriously. I am just too lazy to get up and find my phone and upload/email whatever it is that I need to do to a picture to get it from "there" to "here"....The photo shows some (but not all) of the N'Orlando Moms (which unofficially sort of stands for the New England/North East Orlando Moms) We meet monthly and share food and laughter and tears. During the school year we met during the day: bringing the littles while the bigs were at school. Now that school is out we brought the whole mess of us together at a lovely state park in New England: Seven Moms, One Wonderful Dad and TWENTY-ONE kids....Bliss.

Bliss to be around other Moms who "get-it" and know and respect our flavor of craziness (lesbian foster-adoptive-bio moms of challenging bigs and stinkin' cute littles).

And since I am sleep deprived from caring for 2 babies and do not have any independent thought what so ever, I have again replicated Christine by listing who is pictured (left to right): 
Ali from Crawford Life And Times
The Other Mother from The Other Mother's Blog
Christine from Welcome To My Brain
Corey fromWatching the Waters
Our dear friend H who does not blog..
Kellie from That's What She Said
and me, Mama from ..well, from RIGHT here at Mama Drama - Times Two

Oh yeah - and let's not forget the Dad.

Can't wit until next month when we (hopefully!) do it again.