A few updates for y’all:
🎡 State Fair Time!
I’ve taken 2 out of 3 kids to the fair so far. One was Sunny and one was a family friend who is 13. A good time was had by all except me, and I survived, so that’s really what matters.
The highlights of it were as follows:
1. Sunny discovering the new Asian Village:
Sunny, whining: “I don’t want to leave the rides! I’m not done!”
Me: “Tough noogies. I’m done. And I want to see the new Asian Village.”
Sunny, sulking: “Fine. Just fine.”
5 minutes later we cross through the gates of the new Asian Village, and Sunny exclaims: “Ooh Ooh! I have to see everything here! This feels like home!”
I cried. Like the perimenopausal mess I am.
Yet again: representation matters, folks.
2. Our family friend exploring the Pride booths at the Fair, which were plentiful. She was decked out in some fun rainbows, and she got a zillion free buttons and stickers and a warm welcome from everyone at every table. It made both of us happy to have her feel like she belonged.
I’ve got Sprout left on Monday. Shoot me now. More lines, more people, more loud noises. I tried using Loop Earplugs, but found they blocked out so much noise they were disorienting and gave up. So far Loop Earplugs are good when I’m a passenger in a noisy car, but that’s about it. I have discovered that I need two full days of rest after one fair day before I’m ready to go again. I only took one before I went with our family friend and holy cow it wiped me out! I could barely walk by the time I got home, and I lay in bed wondering how I’d managed to wreck myself quite so badly.
Agency Drama
My last post was about some, erm, issues we have been having since our old case worker left. In short, I’ve been having trouble reaching the new case worker and getting answers to important questions.
I’ve made progress in that I’ve finally talked with the case worker’s supervisor while I was at the fair with Sunny. She was irritated that I’d made a fuss about no one calling me. It was a slightly terse conversation and she defended her staff to the hilt. Okay, whatever. I appreciate her loyalty to her staff but an apology that I’ve had a difficult time would have gone a long way.
I’ve also finally had a conversation with the case worker, about a week and a half after I first called to get answers to important questions. She was finally up to speed on the case but didn’t really have many answers for me.
Around the same time, though, a visit happened. So, background: the agency has been taking Sunny and Sprout to their parent and sibling visit in a city an hour away. It’s a happy medium between where we live and where Mama lives. This has been the routine for many months because twice monthly visits are court ordered. Seth and I do one in Mama’s city and the agency has been doing the other visit.
Well suddenly this month they decided they were only taking Sunny and not Sprout because, according to them, they’re only legally obligated to take Sunny now that Sprout is legally freed. I had a devastated Sprout on my hands and therefore an angry Sunny. At one point Sunny asked me for permission to say a bad word, and I gave it to her. She took a deep breath and said “This is fu**ing stupid!” I couldn’t have said it better, my friend!
So in future I’ll be driving both kids for both their visits each month just so Sprout can go and not be sad about being left behind. I’m pissy about it but adamant.
I mean honestly, why don’t the kids = the priority at all times? Why do they seem to be the last thing anyone thinks of?
The good thing though, is that the agency worker who did the driving for Sunny’s visit is a feisty woman with a lot of experience and respect at the agency. She saw how long this case file has been open and determined then and there to get the case resolved so the children can get permanency. She kind of lobbed some grenades around and blew up everyone about the case’s status. She talked with the commissioner of the agency and some other head honchos and is making rapid progress on all sorts of issues.
Do I love everything she’s doing and saying? Nope. But she’s not wrong about resolution being needed for these kids.
One thing I especially appreciate is that she’s taking my word that the uncle who has the other three siblings is a good man who cares about the kids and that he’s an appropriate permanent resource. She’s got ideas for how to get him and his family more money to help him care for all the kids, which is something I’ve asked for repeatedly, but no one did anything for him to date. Anything she can get him will help. He speaks English pretty well (along with three other languages) but is illiterate so is stuck with low wage manual jobs. He’s got his own children and now the three siblings and he’s always struggling to make ends meet. He needs and deserves help for stepping up for these kids and I think he’s going to get some finally.
So, in short, a lot is suddenly up in the air for this family and it’s going to break some tender hearts and be good for other folks all at the same time and there’s nothing for it but to wade right in and through what’s headed our way.
☪️ Islamic Education
We have been needing to get Sunny back to Arabic/Islamic schooling for a long time. We had her enrolled in an organization that was full of nice young folks but they were unable to control some bullying that was going on for Sunny. She didn’t want to keep going so we let her quit. I’m not about to force anyone to endure bullying.
I intended to find an alternative for her right away but it took some months. Finally in late spring a dear friend did some tracking down of Muslim women in the community who are well connected, and miraculously turned up the phone number for the education coordinator for the Burmese Muslim Community Center.
I put off calling her for months unfortunately, mostly selfishly because I didn’t feel like I could handle anything else on the calendar over the summer. But last week I finally broke down and called my contact, who started the conversation confused but got enthusiastic quickly when I explained what I needed. It turns out there’s Sunday school the girls can attend, and they’ll be more than welcomed there. Hooray!
They’re nervous, but this will be so good for them. They need to know their religion and culture and language and this will help with all those things. Now it won’t just be brief doses of them during visits, but weekly doses for longer periods of time. I know it’s hard to start something new. But they’ll be together and will take care of each other and I think will ultimately thrive there. Fingers crossed.
We are all dressed appropriately, with modest clothing and hijabs. Astrid, a.k.a. Le Shittén, is confused by mine. Ha!
🍁 Fall, here we come!
We are ready for school! Everyone has their school supplies and their classroom assignment. The kids both already know their teachers which is fantastic. Sprout has the teacher Sunny had last year as she’s going into the elementary school’s 12:1:1 classroom. We love that teacher. And Sunny had her new 12:1:1 teacher for summer school so she already feels comfortable with her, and the little communication we’ve had with her so far has been great.
Sunny has been asking to be a Girl Scout for a while now, so I did my homework and made a handful of phone calls and found a nearby community has a brownie troop for Sprout, and a junior troop for Sunny, that meet at the same time in the same church each week. What were the odds of my finding that?!? It’s only like 8 miles away and the leaders I’ve spoken with sound wonderful. So my girls are going to follow in my footsteps and start a Girl Scout journey of their own!
Sprout’s take: “I can’t wait to go camping!”
Sunny’s take: “Oh no. No no no. Please tell me I don’t have to go camping!”
Ha!!!
So. Here’s to the start of school and fall activities, people with energy and drive to get important things done, and the hospitality of strangers welcoming my girls to things!
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