Thursday, July 26, 2012

Tomorrow, tomorrow I love you tomorrow... I REALLY DO!

I'm starting to write this post on Wednesday afternoon while the kids are cracking up watching Wipeout repeats on demand. I love hearing children laugh, it truly is one of my favorite sounds in the entire world and let's face it this world has millions of sounds to choose from, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Thursday is a big day and I wanted to be able to share this ASAP!

J has been in baseball camp this week. He loves baseball almost as much as he loves Lego's. He is excited to be part of a team, so hopefully we will be able to sign him up for fall ball if he is still interested in playing after the intensive introduction he is receiving this week. The coaches have been working on skills with the boys all week and they have games scheduled for Thursday and Friday mornings. Thursday morning was J's judicial review in court so I attended that while Michael filmed the start of J's game. I arrived in time for the last half of the game. It was fun watching little guys bat and slide, bat and slide, bat and slide. But enough about ground in stains on brand new white ball pants - yup that's right Michael bought him WHITE ball pants - it is easy to see who doesn't do the laundry in this house.





So about this morning in court, first I'm thankful to be able to say I drove myself into downtown Tampa and I made it home safely. Now for what we know about the adoption after the judge had her input.

Here is what we were looking for going into today...

1. An update on the at risk situation that could prevent J from being adoptable, unlikely to be resolved today but sure would be nice.
~ The judge was not impressed that this has not yet been resolved - it should be old news by now but she set a future court date for this to be completed.

2. Solidifying when J can move in as a non-relative placement, as adoptive placement is currently not an option.

~TOMORROW! TOMORROW!
HE MOVES IN TOMORROW! 

3. Will the judge approve us taking J to Canada? Will she provide a letter to that effect stating we have permission to apply for a passport for him?
~Yes we have her approval - an official order will be completed this afternoon. 

So that's what happened today, and here's where we go from here....

1. Take the boy to get passport photos taken.
2. A day trip for mom, dad and J to Miami to try to get that mystical passport.
3. Get packed for Canada - one way or the other some of us are headed north!

UPDATE July 27, 2012 - THERE'S (at least) TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY


So when I originally published this blog J didn't yet know about the exciting moving in news. Michael and I took him to his therapy appointment in the afternoon, where his therapist told him he would be moving in while he was on neutral territory without the pressure of reacting for our benefit. We could hear his excited "woohoo" from out in the waiting area. He took the news VERY well and my eyes filled with tears as Michael and I sat there and stared at each other in silence. I should preface this by saying his therapist has been preparing him for the adoption and this move for months now. After his therapist told him he was moving in with us forever, the very next day and his initial excitement wore off he asked her about his foster parents, "Will they miss me? Will they be sad?" I know from experience when we were foster parents, YES they will miss him. He was in his last foster home for just short of 18 months, that is a real blessing in that he had that stability for the first time in his life. His foster parents are wonderful people who have trained J to be a kind, caring and polite boy and I'm sure he will miss them too.


His therapist also talked with him about the possibilty of him traveling to Canada with us and that got another great reaction. She did explain that there is still the issue of a passport to be worked out and if that comes through then we are off for International adventures!!! 


So that brings us to today, Michael & I, along with R, picked J up just before 8 this morning. He hugged his foster mom goodbye and we grabbed the last couple of  bags of his possessions and loaded in the van for the drive to the last day of baseball camp. Yesterday when we got in the van after leaving the therapist's office he said this was the 'best day of his life.' :-) He then went on to say 'we should have a celebration and a cake.' So after I left them at the field this morning I headed over to Publix to buy a cake, ice cream, balloons, and poster board to make a Welcome Home banner. Tonight , while T is here between babysitting gigs, we will eat dinner, have cake and ice cream for desert and celebrate our son's first offical day living with us as a family. 


BTW we are back to a change of first name again - I really thought that had died off but he REALLY wants to change his first name and get a fresh start in as many ways as he can. Although a change of name can't change his past, it is something he has voiced repeatedly to a variety of people - including a random boy who was helping coach him at ball camp yesterday. The boy was wearing a Newsome Baseball t-shirt and J connected the dots and asked if he knew T - he did, what are the chances of that? Newsome high school has over 2000 students. T's friend texted her that he just met her brother.....Sawyer McIntosh.









6 comments:

  1. The excitement is coming right through this blog! Wonderful things happen to wonderful people. will keep you in my prayers.

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  2. Oh my GOSH... I am so excited for you all!!! and wow, He can travel to Cananda. Praise God!

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  3. Why ya gotta make me cry twice in two days? I don't have plans to visit FL soon, but I hope to meet Sawyer McIntosh.

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  4. This is like reading a wonderful book. The best day of his life? I love this kid! Did he only have one placement because that is really great and it sounds like his foster parents were very stable. Now,he knows where he belongs. Can't wait to see him again. My boys need a physical outlet with some playtime.

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  5. Thank you all for being so encouraging, I apologize for the tears. I spoke with my Dad last night and he said, "You're making everyone cry." I cried a few times on Thursday too - only got teary eyed in judges chambers when she said we could borrow his birth certificate to obtain the passport. Then I cried full force after talking with foster mom on Thursday afternoon. Then cried again after dropping him off at the foster home Thursday night knowing it would be an emotional evening for all of them.

    I do need to clarify that Canada is still not a for sure thing. The judge approved that we can take him to Canada IF we can get a passport for him. We will be applying for the passport in Miami on Aug 6th - we travel Aug 9th. It is a same day passport service but nothing is guaranteed. The passport office could look at our paperwork and simply say no. We do have the peace that we have done absolutely everything we can and if it is meant to be he will join us in Canada.

    To clarify placement he's been in and out of foster care a few times and always to different homes but his last foster home was his most stable placement and a very loving home. The only reason they did not adopt him is due to their age. Their children are grown and they now have grandchildren.

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