“If it weren’t for allowing life to look different than I pictured, if I hadn’t just jumped on board to all your weird ideas and if I had really stuck to my opinion on moving in Jade, MJ wouldn’t be here. And I can’t imagine my life for one day without him.”
Take Risks
Take Risks
“If it weren’t for allowing life to look different than I pictured ... MJ wouldn’t be here. And I can’t imagine my life for one day without him.”
By the end of January, we knew MJ was likely not going back to Jade. Her willingness to cooperate in her case plan was non-existent and by this point, she too was pregnant again. The reality of what adoption looked like started to surround me.
Winter
By the end of January, we knew MJ was likely not going back to Jade. Her willingness to cooperate in her case plan was non-existent and by this point, she too was pregnant again. The reality of ...
The Bravest Choice
She mumbled answers to everything as I sat fidgeting and uncomfortable. The judge looked at her with so much gentleness and told her she was very brave and that she was doing something that put her son over herself and maybe that’s when I realized we shared something in motherhood. We all put our kids first, whether we intend to or not.
Friendships and Falling Apart
Then the reality hit. I had no way to get ahold of her. The phone I had given her had wi-fi only. I had set up a free cell service, but I had to get the phone from her to make it work. It was getting colder out and I was worried about her. After all, wasn’t my goal to prevent her from being homeless? Here I was, six weeks out from having moved her in with us, and she was back on the street.
Joy Comes in the Morning
For the first time on this journey I could relate to Jade. A simple task that I needed help with caused someone to think less of me. Taxpayers had paid for that formula. Plenty of people in this country opposed that piece of plastic I used to pay for it, and sadly, I knew a lot of them. Serving the least of these takes on a new meaning when you get a minuscule glimpse of what their every day looks like. They are judged on their lifestyle just by the plastic they use at the store.
The Baby Moves Back In
That was the last time she’d ever see her son. She didn’t kiss him goodbye, or shed a single tear. She just handed him over into the arms of two government employees and went back inside.
Our First Mom Moves Out
Do you ever wonder how people end up homeless? It’s because bad decisions or bad circumstances got them there and they can’t get out because the shelters are full or they don’t meet the requirements. Homeless people don’t come with a list of qualifications when they go to the shelter, they’re desperate.
Fast Food and Flip Flops
The greatest regret I have is that I didn’t show her tougher love while she was here. My heart was breaking so much for her and Michael that I just wanted to make their life easier. Each visit our caseworker would hammer the message home to her. She had to start taking initiative or she was in danger of losing her son.
Case Workers and Custody
I never caught that case worker’s name. She brought the van and unloaded them both, left me the business card and moved on. Mystery transport girl made a delivery that day, which forever changed my life and she may not even remember.
Love is a Privilege
Except this wasn’t a fairy tale. This was a real life, smack-you-in-the-face, story of a broken home, with each chapter unveiling different things like poverty, mental health issues, children’s services, homelessness and abandonment.
Garbage Bags and Google
I went to my bedroom and closed the door. I was overwhelmed, maybe even drowning, and we weren’t even 24 hours in. I found the business card that was left the day before and called our case worker, desperate for some help. I don’t remember the exact details, but I didn’t hear back that day. She was compassionate when we finally did talk. She thanked me and told me how much she appreciated what we were doing, but what she didn’t tell me was what the heck I was supposed to do with the girl and the baby.
Moving In Our First Mom
I turned to leave and said “ let us know if there’s anything we can do to help”.
I had no idea how profound of a statement that would be until months later when that same girl had to ask me for more help than I’d ever imagine I could give. Outside a courtroom, both of us early in our second pregnancies, she quietly asked, “Would you be willing to adopt Michael?”.