Foster Care

  

 Chapter Thirty-Four:  My Three Foster Children:

 During the fourteen years I was celibate due to the stress of abandonment over and over, as well as life hitting me in the head with its proverbial two-by-four, I receded into hiding.  So how does one live when in recedement?  (Going underground, somewhat out of sight) I am sure that is not a word, but it is now my word meaning not wanting to deal with humans any more than necessary. Especially men.  That said, I went from a successful insurance salesperson to a daycare Mommie.  Had a full-blown business within one week of advertising.  I guess the "good guides" were trying to help me get back to living one way or another. This was after the big dick and the devil in the five-piece suit. I did two daycare shifts to support my family. I was up at 5 am to do daytime care and then at 5 pm to do the night shift.  Illegal as hell, but we do what we must do to support our children. I could not handle that for very long and went back to regular daytime care.

 We had then moved to a larger duplex, and I did something I had always dreamed of doing.  I applied to be a Foster Care Parent for children and went to classes given by the state of Virginia, where I received a certificate and waited.  Nothing happened.  There were no children that fit my family's living situation.  Then one day, I got a call from social services telling me one of my daycare moms would not be picking up her daughters.  Like what does that mean?  I was asked if I would like to be a Foster Mom to two little girls I had been caring for at my daycare for some time.  Interesting how the Universe works.  I did not hesitate to say, of course, I will.  But I had to tell the girls their mother would not be coming for them.  That she had decided to stay with the man who molested the older girl.  Of course, I did not relay it to them in that fashion.  I left the last part out.  But yes, that mother left her children with me and never returned for them ever.

We sat together in my living room and I carefully told them they would not be going back to the apartment where their mom and her boyfriend (I will leave Peter nameless) lived.  That he had been arrested for what he did to Mary Katherine.  She hung her head, and I hugged her, assuring her he would never touch her again in her life.  Her little sister had no idea what we were talking about.  Then I told them there would be living with me full time. They both jumped up and started singing and dancing and screaming in happiness. I was shocked at two children being so happy at never having to go home again.

 They attended school, got new clothes, ate well, and became a part of our family for two years.  Then one day, another call came in telling me Mandy’s grandma was traveling from Texas to take her back to live with her.  I shall never forget when they drove away. Mandy was waving at us out the back window until they were out of sight.  We stood there lost.  She was gone forever. I keep the little pink beaded bracelet she made me in my jewel box alongside the gold and silver.  That is how precious it is to me.

 Next came court papers saying the State of Virginia had found Mary Katherine’s father in Florida.  He was coming to get her.  I said no, no way, she does not even know this man.  She has been sexually abused for over a year by her mother’s boyfriend, and you, the State, are sending her off with a strange man.  In fact, they did just that.  Mary Katherine told me later that five giant men, friends of her dad, met her at the airport and took her home to his drug-infected apartment. She went on drug runs with him.  The State of Virginia did not give a rat’s ass.  All they cared about was not having to pay for her care anymore.

 After a couple years, Mary Katherine was old enough to find herself a new home with a high school friend. She remained there for many years. She settled in with a fellow upon graduation and had a little boy.  They stayed together for five years, and after that, she moved on to someone that treated her better and now has another little boy.  She is doing well and is a very strong woman with good moral character.

 Mandy was doing well for some time.  She was also with a man and had a little boy.  Mandy somehow got into heroin and lost her way for a few years.  She is now back and in a positive relationship where she just had another little boy as well.  Mandy is close to family. Her father lives near, and her Nana checks on her regularly.

 They were and are an integral part of my life.  Not long ago, I received the following letter from Mary Katherine.

 “You were and always will be a big part of my life ❤ thank you for all u did for me and my siblings. You are still a role model to me ❤ I love you ❤ and thank you, you are strong too. I saw u go through stuff. and it was hard, but u did the best you could, you are an inspiration ❤ Thank you so much☺❤❤❤ I love you too the moon and back! You saved me as a child and gave me a great role model! You and grandma are literally my only 2 role models. You both were so organized and classy and funny yet stern and took care of your homes and made them beautiful. I've always been inspired by you and I've always been appreciative of you. Me and Kim still talk about how messed up we would be if we had a chance to stay with mom. We were blessed with you❤ things were really tough on us emotionally and you always made us feel better and helped us thru it ya know? After all the mess you were our rock😭❤ I truly couldn't be me today if I never had you! ❌⭕❌⭕❌⭕❤”