Sliding the perfect Western Omelet onto the plate and adding a side of grits, I hollered up the stairs in my best authoritative voice, "Shelly Ann! Get down here baby. Breakfast is ready, and you don't wanna be late for school, child!"
Hearing footsteps galloping down the stairs like a herd of elephants, I chuckled. Mitch and I had decided to foster a child several years ago. We had agreed that it would be a temporary thing, with us fostering a child until they found their forever home. We wanted to share our love with others.
Naturally, once we saw this beautiful creature, we wanted to be her forever family. She came into our lives 5 years ago, when she was almost 10.
The Department of Children and Family Services approved our request to foster a child after a thorough interview and home visit. We had no preference as to age or sex of the child, we just wanted one that needed a stable home. After a short wait, we were matched with the light of our lives, Shelly Ann. She had been placed in foster care due to her mother's drug addiction and neglect. Her father was unknown. She was obviously bi-racial, very beautiful, and painfully shy. That sure changed in a big hurry.
We fell in love with her on sight. After the requisite one year waiting period, we applied for adoption. That went through without a hitch, as her mother was nowhere to be found.
As my lovely teenage daughter rounded the corner into the kitchen, her arms laden with schoolbooks, I grinned at her and set her plate on the table.
Tucking into her breakfast, she turned to me and grinned. "Papa Lala, this is great! Yum - you made my favorite! Where's Papa Mitch?"
"He went into the restaurant early baby girl. He had a meeting with some folks about the new expansion. So - that means he'll be home early, by the time you get home from school, so don't go thinkin' you can get out of doing your homework young lady!" Smiling, I tweaked her nose.
Shelly wolfed down her breakfast and gathered up her books. Kissing me on the cheek, she headed out to the bus stop.
Hearing footsteps galloping down the stairs like a herd of elephants, I chuckled. Mitch and I had decided to foster a child several years ago. We had agreed that it would be a temporary thing, with us fostering a child until they found their forever home. We wanted to share our love with others.
Naturally, once we saw this beautiful creature, we wanted to be her forever family. She came into our lives 5 years ago, when she was almost 10.
The Department of Children and Family Services approved our request to foster a child after a thorough interview and home visit. We had no preference as to age or sex of the child, we just wanted one that needed a stable home. After a short wait, we were matched with the light of our lives, Shelly Ann. She had been placed in foster care due to her mother's drug addiction and neglect. Her father was unknown. She was obviously bi-racial, very beautiful, and painfully shy. That sure changed in a big hurry.
We fell in love with her on sight. After the requisite one year waiting period, we applied for adoption. That went through without a hitch, as her mother was nowhere to be found.
As my lovely teenage daughter rounded the corner into the kitchen, her arms laden with schoolbooks, I grinned at her and set her plate on the table.
Tucking into her breakfast, she turned to me and grinned. "Papa Lala, this is great! Yum - you made my favorite! Where's Papa Mitch?"
"He went into the restaurant early baby girl. He had a meeting with some folks about the new expansion. So - that means he'll be home early, by the time you get home from school, so don't go thinkin' you can get out of doing your homework young lady!" Smiling, I tweaked her nose.
Shelly wolfed down her breakfast and gathered up her books. Kissing me on the cheek, she headed out to the bus stop.
