June 29, 2008
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Quick Update
The DHS interview went VERY well, yesterday evening.
First of all, the man doing the intake had had a brain tumor some years back and surgery. He had been given a 5%, or less, chance to live. After surgery, a facial nerve had been affected and he was paralyzed on one side of his face and hearing lost in that ear. He said he had prayed before surgery and his surgeon even stopped to pray with him before the surgery. He had been the minister of music at a church for 23 (maybe he said 32) years and they fired him because his face is slightly distorted and he was slightly tone deaf – but mainly because he looked “unsightly” standing up front directing the choir and orchestra!!!! He over heard the “higher ups” people talking about him when they thought they were alone. Can you BELIEVE that???!!!
Anyway, he had a degree in child psychology and began to work for the state in Child Protective Services.
He was so nice to us and so pleased with our house, what we had to say to him, and how our girls behaved politely and nicely while he visited. When he left, he said he was going to try to rush our home study through this next week AND would order and send us fingerprint cards for criminal history, as well as run our background checks and get us signed up for 4 Saturday classes starting the beginning of August.
He also he was going to plead with the office to let him be our caseworker – the one who will place children in our home and supervise them, etc. He also told me to ask the home study person to please allow us to use the girls’ current therapist rather than take them to this place we’ve had a bad experience with (counseling wise) in the past. He admitted he had a low opinion of that counseling center as well.
Things couldn’t have gone better. He said not only did the gal in this new county we now live (who interviewed us when we first moved to this house) give us an excellent recommendation, our thick file from Oklahoma County reflected the same. He was anxious and ready to jump hoops to get us through the process as quickly as possible – which is NEVER quick when dealing with a state agency.
I had really hoped to be ready to go BEFORE a sibling group of children started school and then not only were brought into the foster system, but possibly also had to changed schools at the start of the year. Even though things won’t be as *I* would have thought were the best for the child, I told him we would just give this to God and believe His timing was more perfect than our own well thought out plans.
Thought some of you might like to hear how well things went for us.
Comments (7)
So glad it went this good!
Tina
Yay! Of course, I told you all along that they would be lucky to get you, didn’t I?
@Immax3 -
I highly recommended they be sure to get in contact with you since you, Doug, and your five children (he raised his eyebrows) just stayed with us for half a week and ate, slept, and breathed with us. Y’all would know better than anyone else how we run our house and discipline our children. It’s okay to tell them we spanked Luci. We are honest about everything!
He said they call and no longer send out forms to be filled out by reference people. He’ll ask a series of questions – just be honest. I know we aren’t doing anything bad here!!!!
That’s great news! It’s nice to hear that the caseworkers are willing to work quickly to help out the children that need it the most. You don’t hear that every day! He sounds like a great guy
Wonderful! This guy sounds like a real sweetheart. What a shame that his previous employers (church) only seemed to care about the outward man.
You betcha!
I am so glad that things went so well. I believe God sent you that social worker, and hopefully God will see fit to let him be your permanent social worker also. It sounds like you have a real trooper in your corner with him, and that is so important.