Photolistings

Last night for some reason I looked at the South Carolina photolisting for adoptable children.  I hadn't looked at it in months since receiving my two little ones.  Before receiving the girls I looked at it almost daily to see if any new kids had been added.  Yes, it was an obsession.

Since I hadn't looked at it since October of last year I guess I was expecting to see all new faces.  Not so, there were many faces there that I recognized.  There were even some kids that I had inquired about still there.  I know why they weren't a match for our family but surely there is someone out there for them.  Some of the children really needed to be the only children in the family, or youngest by far.

I pretty much concentrated my efforts in our state.  I saw some kids in other states that looked like they would match and even sent a few interest emails out.  However, since I figured that they looked in state first before going out of state I didn't concentrate that way.  I saw some kids in NC that really interested me but they wanted to stay in state.

It was pretty much a frustrating and exciting time.  You hear all the ads about how so many children need homes then you struggle to bring some home.  It is not until you start looking that you realize how abuse/neglect and staying in the  foster system negatively effects these children and their ability to function in a family environment. 

Funny, after all that searching I received a call for kids that were not even on the radar.  Our adoption worker advocated for us and we were considered for an at risk placement.  I guess you just never know how it will all play out in the end.

I noticed a change in our photolisting.  There are a lot more teens on it.  Our state is pushing to get teens out of permanent foster care and into families.  After all, family is for life.  I don't care how old you are, you need a family to rely on, even if just for advice.  Honestly, with Joselin I would have strongly advised against such an older child.  God had a way of showing me wrong and brought us our 16 year old teen.  Now I would tell folks that if they are able to adopt a teen to consider it.  There just may be a child out there for you.