During the past few weeks, I have started writing about things and then putting them on pause and changing them to another topic. Sometimes, what I write is not meant to be shared publicly—or at least not right away. Recently, the only times I have left my house have been to shop at the grocery store, visit Sam’s or Costco, or grab fast food. This past Sunday, Kaylee called and wanted to have lunch with me, as she does sometimes. I love our time together because she reminds me of her grandmother. Kaylee has a master’s degree in social work and works as a case worker for children in foster care.
Many of us are familiar with reports about children suffering abuse while in foster care, situations that Child Protective Services could have prevented. Over the past few years, Texas has made a series of changes to improve the process, primarily to provide more protection for the children. Texas now uses private companies through contracts for areas of the state to provide case management, foster parents’ training, site inspections, and periodic interviews with the children and foster parents. Comprehensive documentation of each procedure is kept to guarantee that children remain in a secure and healthy setting.
CPS remains the agency contacted when there are cases of child abuse involving parents or guardians. If the Juvenile Court decides that children must be placed in foster care, CPS continues to be involved with the case, but responsibility for managing the foster care arrangement shifts to a private company. The court will assign an attorney Ad Litem for the children who will represent them through the legal processes. If the foster care parents and the children desire to move to adoption, the foster care parents will then hire their attorney to represent them through the process. I had not intended to go into such detail, but it’s important to recognize that numerous factors come into play when a child abuse case comes to light.
Monday evening, Kaylee called to ask me if I would go with her downtown on Wednesday for an adoption case. Kaylee is twenty-eight, a very good driver, but has not driven downtown much and is not familiar with where the various courts are located and parking. I have not driven there much in recent years, but I said I would because I would be spending part of the day with her.
When we got into the courtroom, there was another adoption before the adoption of the children that Kaylee had been managing for the past few months. As I sat there listening to the comments, my memories from years ago, Kaylee was only 31 months old, and Lauren was less than 7 months old when Jennifer and they came to live with Eva and me. It was like in a movie when they fast-forward through events of the past. I remember they lived with us for four years and four months before Jennifer married Rick, and they moved to their new home.
Now, almost 22 years later, I was watching Kaylee there playing an important role in the adoption of a little boy and girl who had experienced very difficult conditions and not much love until they were given a new chance with parents who could not have their own through birth. The judge said their new birth dates were on that day because they will forever be part of a new family. I was so glad I had driven Kaylee there and enjoyed the moment.
Recently, I wrote a note to Lauren that was meant to remain private; however, I would now like to share a portion of it. I am not sure I understand the timing of my comments then and this week. I kept thinking about the phrase “Pay It Forward” during the night last night.
“God brought a wonderful person into my life who helped me become a better person, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and now great-grandfather. She helped me get closer to Jesus and to learn what love is. During our lives, we had many problems, some that made us cry many nights, and we prayed sometimes for years for the solution. After your mom married Raymond, we prayed that God would change his heart and make him a better husband. When that did not work, we prayed that your mom would divorce him. When Kaylee was born, we prayed for your mom and Kaylee to be safe. When you were born, we prayed for God to do something or anything to protect the three of you – understand we had no direct information about the violence inflicted on your mother.
That sounds like God never heard our prayers or did not answer them. God heard them, but the answer was no, not now. If God had granted our first prayers, your mom may have never been a victim of violence or may have gotten out shortly after the first occurrence. Prayers answered, however, we would not have been blessed with Kaylee and you in our lives. Yes, your mom could have had other children like Grace, and we would have loved them just as much. God has plans for you and Kaylee, and no other person can fill those plans.”
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10 New International Version
Cristy Lane – All In His Hands
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