Long story short Alex is adopted, and at one point in time his brother and sister were in foster care so we were asked to get licensed and take them in. It was a short two months and we were licensed, but even in that time it was a lot of stress. From the minute we brought them home we had nothing but trouble with the agency that we went through. It was just short of a nightmare (dealing with the agency, not the kids part). Although it was really hard having three kids under 4 in a two bedroom house! The warm months were so nice and we spent a ton of time in a our big fenced in yard! The cold months were a little harder. During one of those cold months we were told that a blood relative had come forward and wanted to take both of the kids. At the time we thought this was going to be a good move. We felt like we were over our heads. The kids were getting older and we were running out of room, and couldn't find a way out of our tiny house. Every day was starting to feel like a fight to get to the end. I felt like I was missing out on Alex's life because he were just so busy with appointments and everything that comes from foster, and raising three kids. For a short time after the kids left it felt like we could breath again. We had all agreed the kids would still get together and we would all live happy ever after, right! WRONG! Within a very short time we were cut out of the kids life. All family that was not related to the people that took them were completely cut off. It was devastating to say the least! Every night on the way home we would pass the kids daycare and Alex would cry for me to pick them up. He was so bored without them, and missed them so much. It took close to a year before he would stop asking for them all the time. Again it felt like another relief when he stopped. WRONG again! They have been gone now for two years, and Alex has completely forgotten about them. I remind him that he has a brother and a sister and I share all the pictures of them from when they lived with us for a year. He smiles, but does not remember. It breaks my heart.
Alex is not meant to be an only child! Not only is he the third in birth order, but he is a very social child! We have been having a lot of play dates with his friends, and our friends kids, and he just loves it when they come over! He loves sharing, and making his friends laugh.
I think it is time to try it again, and look into getting our foster license back. We will not, however, be using the same agency that we went though before!