On Paper

Two weeks later, Bram went home.  On paper.

As far as The Agency and CPS and DSS were concerned, Bram was no longer in their custody, I was no longer his foster mother, and he was living full time with Erin.  The case planner came to my house to do an "exit interview" and told me she would "see me next case, haha."  

On paper, we had had Bram for four months.  Compared to the ten days we had Baby O, it seemed like a lifetime.  

Erin and I were "co-parenting" more than ever now.  Bram lived with us during the week (Monday - Friday) and he would go home early Saturday morning until late Sunday.  He seemed to do really well with this schedule too with minimal transition issues.

Initially, it felt weird not to have a baby all weekend, but I started to sleep in late (I love to sleep in) and go on more dates with Darryl.  Again, I could have happily continued with this arrangement forever if Erin allowed it.

One Saturday, I was wasting time, scrolling through Facebook, and I got a message from a woman I had foster class with.  She and her husband were one of the couples who were interested in foster to adopt.  While they had had plenty of respites, they had yet to have any full time foster children.  If I had waited that long, I would have gone crazy.  I was impressed with their patience.

She sent me a message:  We are fostering!  Two little boys!  One is seven months and one is three years old!

I was genuinely happy for her, for them:  That's GREAT!

And then she dropped this bomb on me:  I think used to have one of them.

Used to have one of them?  

What?

Baby O!

I almost passed out.