This morning we are driving RADish about an hour away to visit his Dad, step-mom and halfsister. He'll stay there in the supervised residential program that his family has been living in since October. Radish was supposed to reunify with his family in June - but Dad's relapse has set us all back. This will be his first overnight visit with Dad since May. This will be my first time facing his father. I've avoided him as I was confident I could not remain an impartial supportive, foster parent. My instinct is to go up to RADish's Dad and grab him by the collar and say "WTF were you thinking?????" Useless logic with an addict.
Anyhow ......we are all exhausted from the fall out of Dad's relapse.
Radish's anxiety is palpable. It is AS BIG AS THE OCEAN - yet he will not acknowledge he might be having feelings. He is crawling on the floor, making noises, clicking/grunting/teeeth grinding, perseverating about the strangest things (during church he was mumbling "Was Jesus born in Islam? Was he? Was he? Was he born in Islam? Was he was he???")
After we drop off RADish - we are taking AK and Bucksquat to THE OCEAN for the time RADISH is gone. The photo above is of Bucksquat in the Ocean off Cape Cod in APRIL....That boy is some cheerful and brave!!!!! AK has not seen the Ocean....and we are all looking forward to sharing the beauty and mystery of the great big Atlantic Ocean with AK, and, if I am to be honest, without Radish.
Enjoy the ocean and the time away. I know how hard it is to recognize how sometimes, not having the kid(s) with RAD makes such a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteSo, I have to know, was he born in Islam?
ReplyDeleteSome kids on a "scenic train ride" in Vermont last week got stuck on chanting "Peanut butter jelly time! Peanut butter jelly time!" Ad infinitum, ad nauseum. My husband and I were trying to relax and enjoy the scenery but their shrill little voices put the kibosh on that. I was ready to throw them into a "scenic" gorge. Why do kids DO that?