Memories

I continue to go through my pictures.  I decided to pull out my external hard drive to put new pictures on it.  I hadn't updated it in years.  I still like to put pictures online because if a fire were to occur, the hard drive would be lost.  However, I think that it is more likely that my computer would crash so I am putting stuff on my external hard drive.

It is amazing how many pictures I have and the memories that they bring up.  I have many pictures of my foster children.  Some of them are now friends and I have been sharing those pictures with them. In one set I have a rare picture of a grandfather who has since passed away.  Pictures can be such a gift.  Some of my foster child pictures remain secret.  I wonder if I will ever be able to share them. Many are baby pictures.

I found pictures from Larissa's first road trip.  We went to Missouri to see Jason graduate from basic training and we visited St. Louis while we were in the state.  She did great and loved to travel.

Seeing her and not Anthony on that road trip reminds me of the early struggles we had with him.  He went into respite care for that trip.  His behaviors prevented us from travelling with him.  How far he has come!

He came to us when he was 2 1/2 years old.  He hadn't been parented in any way and had no language, ability to play or other skills that a child his age should have.  Actually we were told that he had intellectual disabilities.  They were so wrong.  He has challenges but not to the point that they told us.  IQ is not permanent, his increased every time he was evaluated.  

By time he turned 4 his behavior has improved to the point where we could take him on a road trip.

His first road trip was to Texas where he fell in love with all things cowboy.  He got his first cowboy hat, boots and shirts.

When Anthony and Larissa came into care they went to separate homes.  There were many kids in the home and they were struggling to just place them.  Larissa came to us and the plan was to move her to a black family with Anthony.  However, his behavior was so severe that no other black family was willing to take him and Larissa.  So he came to us.  Short term placement.  They spent 3 years as foster children, too long in my opinion.  As soon as the courts freed them for adoption we made them ours.

What a blessing they are to us, how I love those two.  They have made me rethink many things in my life.  Made me stronger.  Less concerned with what others think of me.

Some days my heart aches for them, the struggles that they have in life because of things that were beyond their control. Some things that happened even before they were born. But, I know that they are in a good place and have opportunities to achieve much in life.  Honestly, coming into care saved their lives.

And so our family was complete.....so we thought.