I have felt the want to blog again, so I have decided to tell whomever feels like reading about our crazy life here in Hawaii. Again. Ha!
After our two boys attended school here for 3/4 of the 2013-2014 school year, we have made the decision to homeschool the 2014-2015 school year. The school system here in Hawaii is ridiculous in my opinion. Our eldest son had an awesome teacher last year for first grade, but our younger son who was a kindergartener, he suffered because of his teacher, and the school in general. The boys were always so crabby because they were stressed out. So, it was an easy decision to homeschool. I decided my children deserve to enjoy their childhood and learn in ways that are fit to them. I doubt myself almost everyday. I doubt my abilities to give them what they need, but I strive everyday to make sure I am giving them what they need.
And honestly, there has been so much death and loss around us lately that I feel honored to have my children with me everyday.
This leads to another major event in our life: we are fostering two small children.
**I don't want to give to many details in the best interest of the children and the family, but know that there is A LOT to this story, and not necessarily against the parents.**
A coworker of the hubster approached him and explained their family situation and asked if we would be willing to foster their children. Unfortunately, their children had been pulled from their home over an accident that occurred in their home. A bad judgment call, something every parent makes sometime in their parenthood, led to an accident, that led to a 9-1-1 call, that led to an overnight hospital stay, that led to a social worker showing up. The whole situation is REALLY messed up, but it's not my story to tell. I will just say that I believe the state withholding the children from being returned to their parents for more than 4 months is wrong. I had a friend in another state whose daughter DIED in an accident at home and their other child was returned to them sooner than this.... But, what I can do is provide a safe, loving, nurturing home for these children. The last foster home they were in (the first two months they went through three different foster homes...) was not a good one. The young boy was abused by two other foster children, he came to me unbathed, covered in bug bites, and with bite mark scars. It was really sad. The state was about to put these littles in a shelter because they had no other foster families available. That's why we stepped up. We have done our best to make these children feel welcome and loved, and they have grown so much in the almost two months they have been here! These poor babies have been through so much, and they continue to go through it every time they have to leave their parents and come back to our home. Watching the little boys lip tremble and the tears in his eyes as he stares off wondering why he can't be with his parents is the hardest thing I've dealt with. Hearing him scream for his mother as she walks out the door after dropping them off, it just kills me. There are far worse parents out there, and yet good parents, who don't abuse their children, but who love their children, provide them a clean home, clean clothes, water, and food have to be punished over an accident. And the thing is, they are punishing these children. They are both under the age of 3, and you can see the anger and sadness in them. They don't understand why they get to be with their parents one moment (for visitation) and ripped away AGAIN, over and over. I get that there is a system and they have to follow it, but I do believe power was abused in this situation. Again, it's not up to me, but my heart is in the best interest of the children... Because every night I put them to bed imagining what my children would be feeling if they had to be taken away from me, and it KILLS me.
This has given me a whole new appreciation for my children. Their parents have missed the last 5 months of their lives. They have missed the baby learning to crawl AND walk! They have missed new words and discoveries. They have missed cuddles, and bedtime stories. I don't want to ever know what that feels like. So I keep my babies close, I keep their happiness on my mind all day, every day, and I make sure they feel loved unconditionally.
The journey of homeschooling and fostering has really changed me in so many ways. I have opened my mind to so much and my heart...
Stick around to tag along through our journey :)
Live.Love.Laugh
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