We got a call at 10 p.m. Saturday that started out like this: "Laura, I know this is a long shot, but . . . " and an hour later we had 22-month old Jeremiah. The reason it was a "long shot" is that we have been pretty firm that we are not taking any more 2 or even 3 year olds, and our placement coordinator, Kerry Ann, knows this. But, it was Saturday night and they had no where else for this cutie to go, so she promised she'd find him somewhere on Monday if we would just take him for the weekend.
Well, he was a cutie and a sweet little boy for the 2 days we had him! (He is leaving this evening, so we will, in fact, have him for less than 48 hours). He actually started out in foster care as an infant, but then was returned to mom, who, I guess did well for several months . . but then something happened again this last weekend, and he ended up needing care again. The good news, though, is that he is getting picked up this evening by the original foster family (who is licensed through Youth For Christ) who had him as a baby! He'll be going "home" so to speak.
He was so great, it made me feel like maybe we could take in 2 year olds again. He slept through the night both nights without having to be rocked to sleep. He was great in the church nursery for 3 hours yesterday, and then did great at the YMCA nursery and at toddler gym class this morning. (He was a BLAST at toddler gym . . a very active and fun little boy) And, he has taken 2 good naps without much of a fuss, too . . he's near the end of one right now. He also is way ahead of where Xavier was in terms of his vocabulary.
It's funny, though . . last night, as I was rocking him before bedtime, I was praying for him that he would be able to go back to the original foster family, or that he would go somewhere today where he was truly wanted. Having him for a day or two reinforced for Jeremy and I that we are doing what God has called us to by taking in elementary aged kids. Not that we can't do the toddler thing . . . it was kind of a fun little weekend we had . . . but God really spoke that to me again this weekend. I'm not sure why God wants us to do the older kids. Maybe because both Jeremy and I have a lot of experience with that age, I have training as a teacher for that age, and there are not as many foster families out there for that age . . or maybe just because we are more "geared up" for that age with our personalities. (I was definitely thinking that today as I stuck Jeremiah in the bathtub after the NASTIEST diaper I have ever seen! Way worse than any of Xavier's!)
Either way, it was a good weekend of fun and snuggling with him, but also more reinforcement that we are indeed within God's will right now by taking older kids. Pray that we get some within the next few days! Pray, too, for little Jeremiah and his mama. I truly am glad that he gets to go back to this family who is really excited to have him. Having a toddler yourself makes you more aware of all of their little "quirks" . . while we were waiting for Jeremiah to arrive, we were thinking about what it would be like for Clara to be taken to a stranger's house at 11:00 at night, without her binky, her blanket, or her bottle of milk before bedtime. It's one thing to move an infant from house to house, but a 2 year old kinda gets set on certain rituals . . it's harder for them. I'm happy that he will go back to some people who probably are knowledgable of his needs.
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