I can't believe it, but it's true . Today is THE day, the day where our foster child, Billy Ray, aged six, arrives. In just a few short hours, my son, Michael, will drive me, and several of my other children to pick Billy Ray up from the airport.
The house is spotless, ready for a small, six-year-old boy. We don't know how long it will remain this way; we are willing to try anything once, anything to try to make the child feel comfortable, welcome. No doubt, he will be very frightened; we will have to do our best to try to help him adjust to these trying first few days, months, let him know in our special way that we love, care for Billy Ray.
I wish Louie could be here to share in the excitement, as well as most of the kids, but the kids are still asleep in bed; mustn't disturb them. They will be awakened soon enough when we come back with Billy Ray.
It's going to be very stressful on all of our part, but especially on Billy Ray. He isn't used to being in a family environment; more'n likely he's been shuttled from one foster family to another; I am sure he doesn't trust people. Add autism to the mix, and you have a potential disaster waiting to happen.
Louie, meanwhile, is at work. There was no way she could finagle her way out; short-staffed, you know. Wal*Mart, meanwhile, my place of employment, is more understanding of my situation; they said, no problem; my shift would be covered; I would just owe 'em one. :) I am only sorry she won't get to meet Billy Ray until tonight, when she comes home.
Even though we haven't officially met Billy Ray just yet, we have already fallen in love with him. He has huge, penetrating dark-brown eyes and long, dusty-brown hair that's cut short on top and tapers down his back, mullet-style (think Billy Ray Cyrus as a little boy). He's aptly named. :) A light dusting of freckles on his cheeks and on the bridge of his nose. Absolutely precious! I know when my wife sees him, her heart will absolutely melt, and the tears will no doubt start flowing!
Each child we've gotten (foster or adopted), Louie's reacted this same way. Cries her butt off!! LOL I find it hard not to cry myself; each kid we get, I can't help but get a softness in my own heart towards them, and I end up falling in love with them, too. Call it a parent thing. :)
I don't know how Billy Ray will do in our home; we are more than ready to try, ready to try to change his life, give him a sense of hope, direction, in his life, something he's probably never even had in his brief six year old world.
We've handled kids like Rachel*, Jodie, Dajun*, Matthew*, and Todd without (relatively) any problems; why not a little boy who can walk, talk (when he so chooses), think, do things?? (Only thing wrong with him is developmental; otherwise he's perfectly healthy, according to the foster home he's coming from.)
Well, I am going to make myself something, then have Michael drive me (as well as Gemini, Danita, Barbara, and Trude) to the airport to pick up our new foster son. Mamere and Papere' (Louie's folks) can kidsit; they'll know where we are when they see the note lying on the kitchen table. And they can handle the remaining kids when they get up. Until later, this is Bill signing off!
Take care and God bless! Wish us luck; pray for us, too! We can really use it; things are going to get mighty interestin' around Casa Sandusky!
~Bill. :D
*Dajun--came to us at the age of six; had Down syndrome; stayed with us a month and a half. We were in the process of adopting him, but a family in Colorado got him instead. We still keep in touch; he's now 11 and doing great!
*Matthew--came to us at the age of nine; had feral-like behaviors, was extremely difficult to handle; stayed with us for two and a half weeks. It's been five years; we don't know what's become of him; we've lost touch. I still think about Matthew every chance I can get; I miss him!
*Rachel--came to us at the age of two; died while in our care. Had full-blown AIDS; she was a very sick little girl. A tragic situation; still cry when we think about her.
