My parents and little brother died when I was 14. I was pretty much unadoptable and was placed in long term foster care until I was 18. My Foster Parents were the greatest people I have ever known. They also fostered a little boy while I was there. They got him at just under 3, he stayed with us until he was nearly 6 and was being introduced to his adoptive parents, who were also amazingly wonderful people (maybe slightly biased as every visit they brought me chocolate!). Foster brother loved them, was really excited about going to live with his "Forever Family" and I believe had already started to love them.
I was very protective of the little bubba. He reminded me so much of my own little brother that I loved beyond all words and no longer had. We adopted each other as siblings long before any prospective parents came along.
I don't know exactly what happened next, but for some reason the Birth Mother changed her mind and was allowed to have him returned to her. I was there as they came to collect him and it is, to this day, the most harrowing memory of my life.
He was screaming, clinging to Foster Mum and screaming for Adoptive Mum (who wasn't there). I was sobbing as was Foster Parents. Birth Mum was rolling her eyes and SW stood there like a statue, about as helpful as a chocolate radiator.
Then he started screaming at me "Don't let them take me Laly, Laly you promised I was going to Forever Family"
So, I did the only reasonable thing a 17 year old can do in that situation. I grabbed him and ran. We bolted out the back door and just kept running. Eventually, we went to my best friends house and his mum took us in, calmed us down and told Foster Parents we were there.
They came to collect us and Foster brother kicked off again,screaming that he wasn't going, he was going to Forever Family and I was already planning another escape bolt if needed. Foster Mum told him he wasn't going anywhere; after we had run away, Birth Mother had thrown a hissy fit and decided she didn't want him him after all if he was going to be so difficult (like expecting him to go to a woman he has no memory of rather than the parents he had spent weeks meeting and getting to know is unreasonable).
We went home, Foster Brother spent night in my bed, terrified someone would take him in the night when I wasn't with him.
Adopted Parents were contacted and asked if they were still interested in adopting him, which they were. I cannot imagine what that must have been like for them. To be told they have a child, they that they don't, but oh by the way, do you still want him?
They left it a couple of weeks to settle brother down and then Adoptive Parents were allowed to come for another set of intro visits. Except that as soon as Foster Brother saw them he launched himself at them and would not let them go. He ended up leaving that night with them.
I visited him every month. Still do. (Though these are getting less frequent due to him being a moody 16 year old and an adopted 25 year old sister is not quite as cool as girls his own age!). His parents are bloody fantastic, made me feel a part of their family as well, which must have been hard as they signed up for a 6 year old, not an emotionally wrecked 17 year old.
They wrote to me when I had my little girl. They said that now I was a mum myself they hoped I would understand just how much they appreciated the fact I ran away with their son when I did. They said if it wasn't for me he would have gone to his birth mother and they wouldn't have had their very much loved son.
They said that the BM gave birth, the FC gave care, love and nurture, but I gave them their family.
It made me cry and made me sound so much more important than I ever was. Every year I get birthday and Christmas cards. I get a copy of his school report and his school pictures. I was invited to every birthday party and was always introduced as his sister. My Daughter calls him Uncle. (Well, she says 'Unck! Which we are taking as Uncle!).
I guess, what I'm trying to say, is thank you. Thank you to all you Foster Carers who are fucking amazing. You take in damaged kids and you do your best to make them better. You give them stability and love in such an unstable and frightening time in their lives. You do all of that and then stand back and let them be happy in another family. That's hard. It's amazing.
Thank you to Adoptive Parents who go through so much and have a family at your fingertips only to lose it, but you somehow keep it together. you go through all of it, knowing that at any time it coud be taken away, but you do it anyway. Thank you for seeing that kids in care are not statistics or victims, but little human beings who just want their Forever Family.
Thank you for making me feel important. At least to him.
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33 replies
LalyRawr · 26/03/2013 22:02
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28/03/2013 18:21
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