So I’m sure everyone has heard the Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett news. How crazy is life sometimes?!? For me, sad things happen all the time, but this surely is wack-a-doo news. And the timing, both on the same day, that is so very strange.
News, and it aint bad.
So, here’s the latest installment in my adoption soap opera life experience. I have been checking the waiting children websites daily if not twice and thrice a day. (I know that’s not a word, but you get it, it’s often.) Since no one works as fast and I would like them to and all I keep wondering is where are all the crack babies when you need one, I continue to take matters into my own hands. I digress, back to the story. I see this little boy, 2 years old on a California waiting site and he lives in my same county (this was actually what I noticed first, since most of the children listed are down south or in the LA area). When I read his brief bio is said he had Autism and limited language, but has started using some sign language to communicate. I was smitten. I worked in childcare for years, having had the most mild of Autism cases to the very extreme, and have found the soul of each and every one of these children very pure and honest with a (in most cases) brilliant mind. I know the challenges can be constant, emotional, difficult, and taxing, however I would love to be able to help this little guy and learn from him as well. So I email the social worker (I fill out an interest form Thursday night and wait). To my surprise I receive a call early Friday morning at 7:51 and get this, it was his social worker. Hot dang, talk about prompt service, already I love this SW! So she talks to me for close to an hour (likely 40-45 min) about his development, recent assessments, height, weight, food likes (apparently he devours everything), activity level, services, his current foster home (an elderly woman that doesn’t drive much and doesn’t get out with him very much), everything! So I was telling her how I was envisioning every child with Autism that I have dealt with over the years when she was breaking down certain behaviors he exhibits. (If you are familiar with Autism, he does the rocking, lining up of toys, occasional head banging, etc.) I do not proclaim to be an expert, and as I have learned from the University of Google, I know I have much to learn. So this SW contacted my foster care agency to receive a copy of my homestudy so that (after reviewing it) we can meet and I can have full disclosure of his family medical history. That is always a little scary for me because I really have to run down in my mind what would be a definite no thanks. Perhaps Schizophrenia or excessive drug abuse and an unknown father. I don’t know, but I have tried to think of everything and just whittle down what would be okay and workable and what would be a concerning unknown. I think life itself can be a concerning unknown no matter what so I don’t feel I have the right to demand a predictable outcome. I had a rough day with one of my daycare babies (lots of gas and tears) so I wasn’t able to contact my agency to see if SW had called them. When I did it was 4:30, thank G-d I got a hold of someone before they closed for the day. The guy that answered (after I explained my situation and that I needed to know if the SW called) he said, “a waiting child, FOR ADOPTION!?!” I wanted to reach through the phone and flick him on the head saying, “ummm duh, where have you been, yeah adoption, I’m really not the type to be a foster parent lifer, it’s just not for me.” But it came out much nicer, a simple, slightly sweet, “yes, adoption, did you hear from the SW?” He said no. I kind of find that hard to believe that he is ultimate phone call taker and that all calls must pass through him, especially since I didn’t have a clue who he was. Anyway, he said (with ultimate wisdom, I assume), “it is Friday, maybe they’ll call Monday or Tuesday.” Wow, he’s winning points with me, NOT! So I called the SW who works (Tues-Fri 7:30-6:30) and left a message, she called back to say she called my agency and left them a message. I bet she called them before they even opened for the day. Bummer! Since she won’t be in Mon. I expect to receive a phone call from her on Tues. with a where do we go from here scenario. I’m kinda excited, but waiting for the next step. I am giving myself a good month for things to come to a head. Now I know it takes a while some times to get homestudies faxed, to review them, to set up a visit with the SW, to sign paperwork, etc, etc. I will keep you posted. Come on Tuesday!!!
Funny Things
So here’s my comedy skit for the day. A while back an Asian friend of mine was asking another friend how to say certain colors in Spanish. She was telling him azul is blue (which I kinda thought everyone knew, but I digress), and that rojo is red, etc. He then said, “Oh, that one girls first name is Blanca and Lucy’s last name is White, I think from now on I’m going to have people call me Luke Negro.” To which I respond, “You want your name to be Luke Black?!?” He said, “Yeah, lots of people have the last name Black.” To which I respond, “Yeah, but they usually aren’t Asian!” He then looks thoughtful pondering this new thought. I think I was so outspoken mainly because I’m bi-racial (black & white), so the negro statement was a little alarming, though not insulting, I just realized he’s a dork (I think he may have some social inadequacies).
My second event was yesterday while making one too many visits to the local FedEx Kinkos (I really need to get my printer fixed). An older man came in with a shipment and told the little FedEx guy that he simply needed his John Henry on the form. It took everything in my not to a) start laughing until I peed myself a little and b) correct him and say, “I think you mean John Hancock, and the 70’s called and asked us not to use that outdated phrase anymore, thanks.”
