Neurologist

Dumplin is rather delayed.  He is over two years old, yet he isn't walking or talking.  He barely stands. He does follow familiar commands and uses the signs he knows appropriately.

We were referred to a neurologist.

You never know if you're going to like a new doctor.  Their manner.  Their staff.  Their office.

We were rather pleased today.

It was a different kind of office than we've ever visited.  It's where a collection of various doctors with different specialties share space.  What a concept!  Let's say you need a cardiologist, but what they see means you need a neurologist, or vice versa.  They can see you in the same space.  Genius.

The office is under construction;  this clinic is taking over the building of another major clinic that relocated.  It was a little loud with construction sounds, but the actual space we were in was very clean.  The staff was all very nice.  So pleased.

Dumplin was seen by one of the newest neurologists in town.  She was very nice.  I think she did a thorough exam for our first meeting.  It's clear that Dumplin is a little bit of a mystery.  There are no outward physical signs of what's going on with him....as in, he doesn't have Downs or something that has a 'look'...nor does he have any muscle tone issues that are reflected in cerebral palsy kiddos.

Whatever is going on is in his genes or his brain.

The doctor ordered a new MRI, along with blood work.  "A five month old brain is a lot different than a two year old brain.  Let's get new pictures."  As for the blood work, they'll look for genetic reasons and confirm or rule out any disorders.

We are hoping they find something.  Finding something will allow us to know how to treat him. 

We are scheduled to have these things done in June.   Until then, we'll keep on truckin.

Not denied

Well. I told you I was clueless.

Parole was granted. 

Apparently, it takes 30-50 days to be released. 

I've texted mom's dad to tell him that I had just heard of parole being granted and to ask if he had heard from her. He told me about the 30-50 days, and that she could be released this week. 

Parole

There was to be a parole hearing for mom on the ninth.

I've yet to hear from anyone telling me she was granted parole.

And I haven't heard from her either.

My guess is that she was denied....and I must say, I was thinking it should be denied.  After all, she got into some kind of trouble causing the loss of her visitations.  Why should you be allowed parole if you couldn't keep your nose clean for nine months?

I don't know.

I am most clueless regarding "the system."

All I know is that it's been quiet.

We may not see her until April......

Waiting...

The court date scheduled for February 18th didn't happen.

Grr.

Postponed.

I was REALLY upset about this....then I found out why.  Dumplin's attorney had to leave the country for a trafficking case in Panama.  I believe that trumps our TPR hearing, definitely.

While I'm not excited that we have to drag this out further, I can completely understand the importance of such a case.  Trafficking is awful.  And those words don't adequately describe it.

So we wait.  

We're now scheduled for April 28th.

Restricted

Birth mom was allowed a monthly "child-friendly" visit.

WAS.

That's how we saw her in November and December.

When I thought the January visit should be near, I asked the caseworker to check on it.  She called me back and said, "It WOULD be this Monday, but she's done something to have her visitation restricted."

Oh.

So we won't visit in January.

Court.

I really am still behind on this blog, but I just can't NOT share where we are in the journey. 

We have a court date coming up on February 18th.  At this hearing, the judge will approve or disapprove of terminating Mom's parental rights. Bittersweet, y'all. 

If approved, we will have a 30-day waiting period before we can file an intent to adopt. Within that window, Mom can appeal. She has said to me, "I can't win," therefore, I really have no idea whether or not she will try. As a mom, I can't imagine not trying, but I just don't know. 

I have had to visit with her several times. She has said things like: 

- I don't want him to call me Mom; you're the one earning that title. 

- I want to surrender, but it's hard. (I imagine so.)

- If I'm ever messing up again, don't let me see him. 

I have also met with her dad. He seems to completely approve of her not getting Dumplin back....and us adopting him.  He really seems comforted when I say that I have no intentions of cutting him out of Dumplin's life.  I have no reason to....but I did mention to him that I hope he doesn't hate me if, at some point, I have to distance us from Mom. He said, "Sometimes, I'd like to distance myself."  What a tough a spot he's in. Sad. 

I hate the waiting, but Dumplin is worth waiting for.  

Hard

I had to take Dumplin to see his mother.  In a facility.

I didn't want to.  I was required to.

I got him up early and got him fed.

We arrived at the facility early and had to wait on the caseworker to arrive before we were allowed in.

When we finally got inside, we were put into a room.  For about 2 minutes.  Then someone came and escorted us to another room.  A breakroom.  Not a formal visitation room.

I couldn't allow Dumplin out of my lap.  Crawling on this dirty floor isn't my idea of good parenting, so I held him.

It was 45 minutes before his mom came in.  She was thrilled to see him...and she wanted to hold him right away.

Hard = He didn't want anything to do with her.  I can't imagine.

She forced smooches on him.  She tried to get him to calm down and sit with her.  He was bucking and fussing.  She finally said, "I don't want to give him back, but I don't want him to be like this either."  She handed him back to me.  I won't say he settled down completely, but he was better.  At this point, he had been awake longer than normal and not allowed to get down to explore.  He wasn't in the best of moods.

We talked with the caseworker all the while.

We discussed the TPR (termination of parental rights) situation.  Mom asked, "When this part is done, will I ever get him back?"  The answer is no.  TPR is final.  Once it's done, we can adopt him.  I told her that we'd keep him in a minute.  She started to weep.  I continued on, saying,  he won't be bounced around.  He'll be with us permanently.

Hard =  Watching her realize that her choices have brought us here...and she's losing her son.

The conversation with the caseworker was partly a recollection of events from May.  Mom was to attend a crucial, decision-making meeting.  She didn't show up.  Other things happened, and in the end, she made a choice.  That choice brought us here.  That choice drove the caseworker to file the TPR.  That choice gave us all an idea of mom's priorities.  The priority wasn't her son.

Hard =  Mom asking if this would be the last time she'd see her son.

I told her that I wouldn't do that to her.  The caseworker spoke up and said, 'Mrs. has always said she'd work with you.  Even when you were set to get him back, Mrs. said she'd support you and help you with him.  Do you remember that?  Mom said she did. 

I started to weep.  I looked her in her eyes and told her that none of this is what I wanted for her.  I had cheered for her, supported her.  I had taken her son to see her every Sunday afternoon thinking it would be the encouragement she needed to make it where she needed to be.  She said she knew this.  I pulled it together and said, "Now is the time where we all need to focus on him.  What's best for him.  He has been with us for nearly 18 months...he's home.  We love him.  He's well cared for."  She said she agreed that he's in a good place.   I believe she even uttered the words, "I know he belongs with you."

I told her we could work out visitation as long as she is healthy.  She accepted that...and then she added, "If I'm ever messing up again, don't let me see him."

Hard =  Knowing that someone's past pattern of behavior limits their thinking.  She can't seem to fathom a life where there is no relapse.  I desire for her to be healthy. 

That is the only way she will be a part of Dumplin's life.

God has given us the opportunity to pick up the pieces she has broken.  It will be our job to protect him.

You can believe we will do our best.

There will be more visits.

Hard = Taking a baby to a facility.  Taking a baby to visit a person he doesn't know.  Taking a baby to visit a person who won't get to be his mom again.   Please tell me the point of this...

I seriously feel as if the state is making me wave this baby in front of her face for no reason.  If she can't have him, won't this just make it worse for her?

Until TPR is final, I will be required to see her twice a month.

Tonight is visit number two for November.

There are many things I'd like to say....praying that God will give me the right words....if the time is right.

Speech

Nearly two months ago, "services" sent a therapist to see Dumplin and evaluate his speech/communication skills.

He has almost no skills. 

He grunts. He cries. He gets frustrated when we aren't giving him what he wants. 

We just don't always know what he's after.  It's frustrating for us also. 

We managed to teach him the sign language for more.  He doesn't use it consistently.

We taught him the sign for eat, as well, but he's never initiated a meal using this sign. Maybe he doesn't understand hunger and therefore he doesn't know that's what he should sign. 

He doesn't use any words purposefully. He babbles dada, nana, gaga and mama....but these aren't intentional uses to identify anything or anyone.  I told the therapist these things. 

She evaluated him and he scored rather low for his age. She calculated that he's in the 9-10 month old skill range.  It makes me sad for him...but it's not as if I didn't already know this.  

We've been waiting for the service coordinator to come out and officially add speech to Dumplin's therapy plan. This finally happened last Wednesday.  

Today I received a call from the therapist saying that she had gotten the approval to set up sessions with us.

She starts next Tuesday. 

I can't wait to see how Dumplin progresses 

PS

Yes, I realize that I ruined the idea of anonymity when I posted on Facebook and invited you here...YOU may know me as the author, but there will be no references to our real names here.

The purpose is to keep anyone from being able to search our names and find our business....yet I'll still be able to share appropriate information with friends and family.  

Several of you have messaged me with the kindest comments...you bless my heart. 

Thanks for caring enough to read. 

Catching up....

I think I've only posted about having this blog once.  And that was forever ago.

I had always intended to use it as a journal for every placement we have....but since getting a placement, well, I've been very busy being back in babyland, along with the dozens of other hats I wear.

Please be patient as I go back and add posts from a long, long time ago.  This post will stay 'at the top' since I'm back-dating posts...so be sure the scroll beyond this one to look for anything 'new.'

I haven't thought of our 'character names' just yet....feel free to leave suggestions! :)

Thanks for your interest and support.


****Forgive grammatical/spelling errors.  I write my way....which may or may not always be proper.

Vision

Dumplin has come so far...

When we first got him, he couldn't fix/focus on anything.  He wasn't tracking.  His poor little eyes would float off to the side and twitch...sometimes disappearing.

Early on, we felt that he responded to light, though.  He would turn toward a window or the tv.  Then, we thought we were noticing that he'd 'stare' at bold patterns.  The curtains in his room are a funky fabric with geometric shapes.  He seemed to stare at them.  He also seemed to get fixed on a few very large photographs in the living room.

We would tell the ophthalmologist these things, but there wasn't much response.  Several assistants there would take turns coming into the room, flash some blinking toys at Dumplin, and walk out.  Oh how I hated their lack of 'bedside manner.'

The very first time we knew for sure that Dumplin could see, to some extent, was once as he sat in an exer-saucer.  Our little dog ran past him....and his head followed.  Talk about excited!!!  We began to notice him following things, but there was a lag between his head turning and his eyes following.  Maybe it'll just take some time....

In May, the doctor dilated his eyes and said that he's farsighted.  She said we needed to patch one eye each day for an hour, then do the same the next day with the opposite eye.   We tried to do this some....but, admittedly, we weren't consistent, nor was Dumplin the most compliant.

We had a follow up appointment last week.  The same doctor, and crew, did the same things...making me the same amount of angry.  In the end, the dr said, "I see a little change," and that we should keep doing what we were doing.   Nope.  I'm done here.

Our thought was that she'd already diagnosed him as farsighted...why not deal with that?  We've seen babies far younger than Dumplin wearing glasses.  I came home from that appointment and looked up another doctor who I'd heard great things about.  We had that appointment yesterday.

The new doctor's office was night and day different than the last one.  LOVED it.  The doctor was nice and did a much better job of explaining his thoughts on Dumplin.  He agreed with the farsightedness diagnosis and prescribed glasses.  We left there happy.  Maybe THIS will make a difference for Dumplin!

I was able to find a doctor's office, that day, who would accept Dumplin's insurance and order his glasses.  Can't wait to see how this changes things!

Mom

Mom has been in one facility and has moved to a new one now.  She can now have weekly visits.  In order for us to be able to take Dumplin to see her, we had to attend an orientation at the facility.  We got the Dos and Don'ts.  Overall, duh.  We can't slip her money, cigarettes, alcohol, weapons, or drugs.  We had to sign off on the policies and provide our driver's license for ID.

______________________________________________
Hold on, let's talk about the anonymity of foster parents.

Apparently, in this state, there is none.

From that first visit with Dad, we had to sign in at the building where we were visiting.  A sticker with our names was printed and we wore it on our shirt.  This gave Dad our whole names.

Fast forward to this orientation....Mom had family come to the orientation as well.  We had to sign in with our full name.  They stepped up and signed right after us.  Guess what?  Now they have our full names. 

I have a friend who has fostered in another state and their identity was protected the entire time.  Even in court, they used just their first name or maybe added their last initial, but they were never addressed by their full names in front of the birth family.

I suppose this lack of concern was surprising to me....but it's done now.  And Google will be on their side.
______________________________________________

Orientation was supposed to be just orientation....but for some strange reason, they allowed Mom to come out and meet me with Dumplin.  Awkward at first.  I have this woman's baby.   She hadn't known who had her baby since the first foster family gave him up and she said she had been worried about him.  Mom said she was glad to meet me.  She held him the entire time, which was fine, until he was fussy.  Then, I had a hard time not coaching her.  Honestly, it had been a while since they had seen each other....who knows whether or not he knew that was Mom.  So sad to me.  I can't imagine.

Mom was nice.  Seemed grateful that Dumplin was obviously being properly cared for.  He fell asleep on her before the end of the visit.  They told us our time was up and, after goodbyes, she handed me her son and we headed out.  The next 'official' visitation would be the next Sunday.

I am only required to give her four hours of visitation per month.  This facility allows weekly 2-hour visits.  I wasn't sure if I would go each week, but quickly decided I would.  I would desire that greatly if the tables were turned - y'all, I really am trying to think of how I would feel in her situation.  Does she deserve this grace??  Nope.  But do any of us deserve grace? 

We will drive two cars to church each week so Dumplin and I can go straight from church to the facility, of course, on the opposite side of the city.  

I will miss my Sunday afternoon down time....

Unexpected

When I took Dumplin for his six month check up, I stepped off the elevator with my big kids and turned toward the doctor's office.  From behind me I heard, "Mrs. XYZ?"  I turned to see a tiny, older lady walking toward me.  She introduced herself as Dad's grandmother, Dumplin's great grandmother. Behind her was another older lady with a walker.  That's her mom.  Dumplin's great great grandmother.  Wow.  Dad lives with these two ladies.

Oh my goodness, wait.  How did they know I'd be here today??  Turns out, I had mentioned this appointment to Dad when I saw him at the MRI appointment.  Evidently, he went home and wrote it on the calendar.  Well....Dad is now is a facility so he couldn't come.  Granny was there to find out how Dumplin was doing and see what the doctor had to say about him.  She is a really sweet woman.  She thanked me for caring for Dumplin...and even shed some tears over the entire mess.  We visited in the waiting room for a bit after the appointment.  They both held Dumplin for as long as he would allow (not long).  Both were very happy to see him, after all, he had been living with them, too, before he came into care. 

Sad how the actions of Dumplin's parents have affected his extended family.

Feedings

Have I mentioned that I nursed both of my bio kids and this whole formula/bottle thing is foreign to me???  Thank goodness the directions are on the can!

Speaking of cans.  Cans of formula are not cheap!  I saved us a LOT of money by being a buffet...just sayin'. 

As a 'state child,' Dumplin automatically qualifies for state assistance in the form of WIC.  His voucher covers ten cans of formula per month.  This is not enough for a month of feedings.  Another reason I am so thankful that his doctor gave us four cans at our visit.

Dumplin takes a six ounce bottle every three hours.

His first foster mom noted in paperwork that it was taking him nearly an hour to take his bottle.

We never found this to be true, maybe 25-30 minutes, but I did wonder what might have been the issue.  I decided to check the bottles she sent with him.  I noticed that the nipples were marked with a '0' (zero)....meaning, newborn.  This baby is five months old, why is he drinking from newborn nipples??  I went to the store to see about different sizes and decided to buy size 2 nipples for a 6 month old.

Here's where my brain went...
1.  It took him so long to eat because he could barely get anything out of the too-small nipples, he'd get frustrated, or tired, and quit.
2.  While working so hard to drink from the too-small nipples, he was burning calories he needed to grow...he was tiny.
3. Let's up the nipples and see if it helps.

My theory may or may not have been exactly right, but what happened?
1.  He took his bottles in about 15 minutes.
2.  He started gaining weight. 

We went back to the doctor today for Dumplin's official six month check up and shots.  He now weighs 15lbs 2 oz (up 1lb 10oz) and has grown 1/2" in three weeks.

I'd say feedings are going well.  ;-)

MRI

We got Dumplin's MRI day done.

Ugh.

He couldn't have formula after 3am since his appointment was at 11am.  I think this may be the only time in all my baby days that I woke a sleeping baby to feed them.  We wanted him to have that 'last meal.'  After this, he could only have clear liquids up until 8am.  By waking him around 3am to feed, he slept until nearly 9am.  We packed a bottle for later in the day....I couldn't wait to feed him again.  Poor baby.

Ugh.

Dad DID show up.  He was a little late, but he found us in the correct waiting room when we were first waiting to be called back.  Since Dad isn't "paternity test positive" dad, he wasn't able to sign consent for the MRI.  The hospital actually had to get in contact with Mom where she was to get her consent.  (Y'all, such new territory for us.  We aren't supposed to sign ANYTHING that would make us the responsible party in such matters.  I basically have to write "DCS" in most spaces.  Pretty strange doing things for a child who isn't your own....)

When they called us back to the 'triage' type area, Dad wasn't allowed to go with us.  Again, him not being "official dad" meant that he had no rights.  Dumplin is legally in our care...Dad has no say.
 
Dumplin was a very drowsy all morning.  He mostly slept while we held him.  He didn't get really fussy while we were waiting his turn....until about 12:15, then he was OVER. IT.  Nothing would comfort him.  While he was super mad, they came in to start an IV in his arm.  Didn't matter much since he was already upset.  As he started to calm down and drift off to sleep, they came and got him for the procedure.  We kissed him and left the waiting area.

We went back to where we had left Dad and told him we were going to the cafeteria to find some lunch.  He came with us, but he didn't eat, even though we tried to buy him food.  He gave my husband his phone number in case we moved from there, then he stepped out for a smoke break.

We finished lunch and headed back down to wait for Dumplin.  Dad told us he had to go to work so he left.  A nurse came to get us about 20 minutes later and led us to the baby.  Dumplin looked sweet and pitiful at the same time.  They kept him hooked to the IV but allowed me to pick him up.  Once we were holding him again, he began to awaken.  It was so good to kiss his sweet face after this kind of day.  It wasn't long before he let us know that he was ready for a bottle. 

The nurse said that our doctor should receive the MRI results by the afternoon.   She released us and I couldn't get that baby home quickly enough.

Sweet baby.  That's what I call him. :)

***It was Friday and I didn't expect to hear anything.   I was pleasantly surprised when I received a call from the doctor at about 5:30pm!!  He said there was NO evidence of trauma.  His brain looked good.  Dumplin had evidently not been shaken or beaten...and there was no damage from the seizures he supposedly had at two months of age.   Praising God for this news!!  And kudos to a doctor who didn't make us wait all weekend to hear this news!

Now, we have to wait for the next ophthalmology appointment.  What's going on with this baby's vision?

Father's Day

When we got Dumplin, we knew the other 'characters' in the story were bio mom, bio dad and maternal bio grandpa. The only thing we knew about any of them:  Mom wasn't where she could ask for visits.  Dad was 'dad' but hadn't had a paternity test.

Just before Father's Day, Dumplin's caseworker, Dee, called me to see if we'd be willing to meet bio dad for a visit.  Apparently he had told her that he understood that asking for a visit ON Father's Day wouldn't be fair to my husband, so he was wondering about the day after.  We thought that was kind and agreed to the visit.

I printed off a few pictures of Dumplin to give Dad.  I also framed an "I love you, Dad" on which I had stamped Dumplin's feet.  In our certification classes, we had discussed that recognizing holidays for the bio parents could be a warm gesture....so Dad would get a little Father's day gift.

Husband and I took Dumplin to the visit together....we needed to both meet bio dad.  It had been about two weeks since he had seen Dumplin.  He spent the day with him in the DCS office the day the first foster family dropped him off.   From then, Dad didn't know who had Dumplin.  I can't imagine.

We updated Dad about the doctor visit we had had and informed him about the upcoming MRI, giving him the time and location.  It was actually only three days away.

Dad seemed nice.  He was able to comfort Dumplin when we was fussy, so that was nice.  Although, it was quite hard to not step in and offer assistance, I let dad deal with him.  I think it made him feel good that he could comfort him.  We gave him the little gifts and he seemed to really appreciate them.

We stayed about two hours.  Lots of small talk.  Got a few more details about him and Mom....and I decided in my brain that they probably shouldn't be together.

When it was time to leave, we parked in different directions, so we said our goodbyes.

Dad said he'd try to come to the MRI appointment.

We'll see.  

Sleep

Thankfully, this baby only gets up once per night for a feeding.

I'm nearly ten years older than I was when I had my last baby.

I've gotten used to sleeping through the night.

Maybe Dumplin will, too.

More

Let's talk a little more about Dumplin's health.

I previously stated that he was in good condition.  By that, I meant that he had not been abused.  He had no evidence of trauma.  He had been in a foster home, therefore, there was no real concern about how he had been treated recently.

How is he really?

-  At nearly five months old, he was wearing a 0-3 outfit when we picked him up.
-  He sounded very congested all the time.
-  He spit up a LOT after every feeding.  Like, forget the burp cloth and just use a blanket kind of spit up.  Or prepare to change your clothes, his clothes and clean whatever chair you're sitting in.
-  He was a face-down sleeper....literally, he smashed his nose into the bed.
-  He could not hold his head up.  He was chin-to-chest.
-  He could not hold his upper body up....so sitting him up on your lap wasn't happening. 
   (These two things are what the first foster parent meant when she described him as 'limp baby'
-  He has a 'birthmark'
-  He doesn't focus on or track anything with his eyes.  Blind??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got concerned about all the congestion/spit up so I told his caseworker that I wanted to take him to the doctor.  She sent me a picture of his insurance card and told me what doctor he has been seeing.  Turns out, this doctor has seen him since his birth in the hospital.  I felt that it would probably be beneficial to stick with this doctor since he knew Dumplin's history.  If I liked the dr, we'd keep him.

I got Dumplin to the doctor.  He weighed 13.8lbs and was 23 3/4" long.  We discussed his congestion and spitting up.  The doctor said he has reflux and that, as a reflux baby, he naturally produces more mucus...so that's why he sounds congested all the time.  He said he didn't want to treat Dumplin for the reflux; he doesn't like to 'turn stomach acid off' unless the child appears to have painful reflux.  "Acids are there for a reason, we're gonna let them do their job." 

The 'birthmark' isn't really a birth mark.  It's a Strawberry hemangioma and apparently it wasn't there at birth.  The doctor said it typically develops soon after birth and grows for the first year of life.  It could shrink and fade with age.  Either way, we'll watch it.

The dr also checked Dumplin's eyes.  Sadly, the baby didn't fix and follow on anything.  It's as if he didn't see anything, although at home, we're convinced that he turns towards and stares at light, the tv and the geometric curtains in his room.  The doctor told me that Dumplin had already been taken to an ophthalmologist and that an MRI was scheduled for later this month.  The MRI would let us know if there was an obvious reason for the lack of vision, ie, trauma to the brain, perhaps from seizures or physical abuse.

Doctor:  He's a healthy little guy, but he just can't see a darn thing.

Me:  (nervously, with a look of pity) Ok then.

The doctor gave me several cans of formula, for which I was SUPER grateful.  (I nursed both of my bio kiddos, so I was blown away when I learned how much formula cost and how much I'd be buying.)

In about three weeks, I'll be bringing Dumplin back for his six month check up and shots, yippie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the doctor visit:  I cried.  And worried.  And cried.

Would this sweet baby really be blind for life?  Would we have him long enough to see what happens?  How would WE raise a blind baby?  Would his parents keep trying to get him back if he's blind?  Would they just sign off and let him go? And then what??!!

Worry and fear are not from the Lord...my wise husband said, "One day at a time.  We just need to love him one day at a time."

Dumplin

Our sweet daughter wrote a poem for Dumplin.

 

I'm happy to have kept it where I could find it.

 

I'm even happier to get it edited in order to share it. 

 

 

Timing

My brain likes to think about the timing of things.

What was I doing the year xyz came out?

OR

When did I meet so and so?

You can remember such things based on the other circumstances at the time. 
Where you were working.  What you were driving.  What song was popular.

So I was trying to figure out what was going on when *Dumplin was born.

He was born on a Tuesday in January of this year.

On a Tuesday, my big kids, let's call them Dude and Darlin, would've had school during the day, a music lesson in the afternoon at one nearby church and group music lessons at a different church that evening.  Tuesday afternoons are a busy for us.

It's also about the time we would take our second or third PATH class.  

That Friday was hubs' day off so we had appointments to go have our fingerprints done for our file.  (We took pictures of each other being printed, and the lady doing them was super sweet to explain the computer imaging process to Dude and Darlin.)

Then, I'm thinking about the time that went by between Dumplin's birth and him coming into foster care.  He was with his birth family until sometime in March.  The details are fuzzy, but it's a mess.  I believe he came into care toward the end of the month and placed with his first foster family.  Meanwhile, we were doing our classes, and everything else we needed to do, to become licensed.

The first family was caring for him the entire time we were waiting for our homestudy to be completed and approved.  One week after receiving our approval, that family decided to disrupt the placement.  They met with DCS and handed him over, along with his belongings, even though they were supposed to give notice and allow DCS time to find another family.  Dumplin spent all day in a DCS office with one of his parents.  The parent was called in simply to watch Dumplin while DCS made phone calls.  It had been a long day for a baby.  In an office.  Without a bed.

***I do not like the fact that they disrupted the placement...at all...but I did not walk in their shoes.  The reasons they disrupted aren't clear to me.  I heard, "It took too long to feed him" as the major reason, which I have an opinion about but I'll get to that later. His health/vision issues could've been a huge factor, but I just don't know if I agree with 'quitting' on a foster baby so quickly.  It seemed like a convenience thing.  You signed up for foster care....what will be convenient about it?   Maybe I"m wrong, but they only had Dumplin for about 2.5 months.***

I believe God used that family as a bridge to us.  (That helps me get over the disruption mess.)

Even if I don't like the disruption, I have to believe that God wanted to place this child with us for a reason.  God always knows what's coming next....He will equip our family to deal with it.