It has been all guns firing.

It has been an incredibly long time since I updated here! A few months, but there is good reason!

That's because I have been so incredibly busy with everything, that I haven't had time!  This morning, I make time.  I had to get up early and make sure things were spick and span for a landlord visit - which means that I am just a little too tired to get started on work!

Mr 13 and Miss 9 are still here.  Only for another two weeks though...well, a little less now.  They will be moving on the 8th of July to their new home.  It could well be their forever home, however - their mum still has some opportunity to make things right.  Experience tells me this won't happen - but we still have to give them a chance - because the kids deserve that.  Nevertheless, the home they are going to they want to go to.  Such a rare move for kids in care.  They have pretty much picked their next placement - and the caregivers to be have applied, trained and been accepted as caregivers.
So a quick update on those two - since they won't be with me much longer.
Miss 9 is struggling with some basics - hoarding, lying and aggravating others.  However, these behaviors are not extreme nor are they affecting her day to day life, or that of others.  They are just typical "I've been through crap" behaviors, that seek attention and love from others.  She continues to do well at school, and has a good little group of friends.  She seems to have trouble sustaining friendships, but having moved schools so often - it's probably the longest she has had to sustain a friendship.

Mr 13 loves school. Unfortunately, a little too much.  He has become a bit of a class clown, and the teachers all note that he is a little too social, and a little too unfocused.  I believe he will get this under control - he has big goals for his life, and I do doubt he'll be the typical 13 year old boy for long.  He continues to deceive with technology - and I am constantly discovering new ways he has been accessing the internet.  On the other hand, his  behavior at home has improved tenfold.  He does little to annoy his sister, helps out often and uses his manners all of the time.  He is like a different kid!  Now just to get those boundaries sorted at school as well!

Moving on to Miss 14 - Permanent lass.  She has been doing extremely well at school, but pushing the boundaries at home.  Pretty much exactly the types of behaviors we were told she would display once things were permanent.  Arguing, manipulating, trying to use her past to get her own way.  She is learning to think before she speaks, but hasn't really mastered the skill yet.  She has had a few set backs lately - the consistency in her life has been disrupted.  As you'll see when I discuss Miss 15! She has never coped well with change, so it's no surprise that she isn't coping well now. Not to mention that she is not the centre of attention - which is her number one goal in life! On a whole she is blimming hard work.  But just gotta hang in there and hope she pops out the other side soon!

Miss 15 - well that's where the story really begins.  Over Easter weekend, she got a very sore tummy.  Too much chocolate perhaps?  So after her saying that it was really bad and she needed to see a doctor - I took her to after hours.  While we were there other symptoms appeared.  We were re-directed to the emergency room.  After a number of tests....we discovered she was in labour.  Yup. A baby.  This was no "too much chocolate" or bladder infection.  This was a real, live, human baby - only a couple of hours from entering our lives! I will make a separate post at some stage about how the events of that day unfolded.  However, what is crucial here is the lack of support she received from those legally responsible for her.  Within hours I was told I wasn't to be around anymore, that they would "deal with the situation from here". A part of the dealing with the situation was to return her to her family.  Her family are not a danger - but those in her immediate environment are.  There are NO doubts at all that the conception was not consensual.  And there are no doubts at all that the baby will be killed should she be returned to her home land.  Thankfully, we were able to get lawyers involved before the situation became dire, and they were able to keep the girls in my care.  From here we have made an application to have her accepted as a refugee - in order to keep her safe.  We are yet to hear if that is successful, but we will keep at it - no matter what we have to do.

Miss 15 had a slow start to becoming a mother, but is slowly getting the hang of things. She has formed a good bond with the baby - and the two of them are doing extremely well considering.  Don't get me wrong - there is still a lot of work to do.  But things have started well. Miss 13 weeks has met all of her milestones (or surpassed them) and babbles away quite deliciously.

Once Miss 9 and Mr 13 have moved on in two weeks, I'll either get more time to blog - or I won't have much to blog about.   From there I will be putting a hold on our availability for foster care.  To enable Miss 14 to settle into her changes, and to help Miss 15 become the mum she needs to be.  To focus on the refugee application, and to ensure Miss baby gets all the nuturing and love she needs at this crucial stage of her development.  At this stage the hold is for one school term, then things will be reevaluated. We'll see where other things are at!