Bye Bye J!

Baby J,
You left our house yesterday for the second time. You're in Atlanta with your brother in another foster home and we're so glad! We heard from your new foster mom and she said you and your brother are getting a long and already have enjoyed being together.

Your last night with us we had my family over for a cookout and enjoyed a simple night at home. You spent your last morning here at daycare with folks who love you and have cared for you for months. They were sad to see you go.

S and K have missed you already. K misses his roommate and S is worried we forgot you somewhere! We're working together as a family to get used to you not being with us.

Rev. Grace offered a special blessing for you at the end of worship on Sunday. We prayed for you and for all the places your life will take you. We're praying you'll always be loved and know how much you're treasured and valued. We're hoping to stay in touch with your new foster mom and hope she will keep us posted on how you're growing and changing.

We're happy to have known you, J. We're better for it and we hope you're better too.

Love,

Meggie

A Letter to J

J,
Last week your case was heard in court again. It had been 6 months since the Judge heard your story so it was time for him to listen again. Some big changes are happening. Your mom is still working on some things to be able to get you and your brother back. She's not quite ready yet. People who have been paying attention to your case think its best if you go to live with your older brother in the foster home where he has been since he was a little bitty baby.

This will be a bittersweet move for us.

We will be sad you'll be leaving our family again. You're the tiniest baby (4lbs when we brought you home!) we've cared for and it has been a joy to be able to watch you grow into a healthy and happy and chubby 16 month old. You're the most easy-going baby we've had. You fit right back into our family and its been a joy for you to be back. We will miss you when you leave.

But we're also happy for you and for your older brother. We know the foster family who has been caring for him has been hoping to be able to care for you for months. We're glad you'll be able to live together and really get to know each other as brothers. Moving you to live when them now will be much easier than waiting and moving you when you're older. We're trusting that this is really the best thing for you.

We believe that children should be in families. We've been so happy you've been a part of ours but are happy you'll get to be with your biological brother.

You have a special place in our heart and have made your mark on our home. We hope we're able to stay in touch with your new family and follow your growth and development. Your brother here (K) and your sister here (Sam) will miss you for sure. Our dog will miss your messy eating habits. We will miss the compliments we get on how beautiful you are. We'll miss your deep belly laugh and the way you make tears faster than any other human ever.

We have loved being your Meggie and Bubbie for 11 of the months of your life. You are special. You are loved by us and by our village. They say you're leaving in the next three weeks. We'll spend those weeks doing life as a family - living and loving together.

Love you,
Meggie