[Lamaena]

Originally Posted by vernellinnj

Lamaena - How does the CW and GAL know it will be at least 2 years?

First let me clarify that when I say two years I mean two years from the time our fd came into our care (our two year timeline 'expires' December of 2008). Their timeline is really based on mom's pending release date and the fact that once she is released she will be given first 6 months to find employment and a place to live and then another 6 months to show she's kept stable employment and residence in addition to passing her drug screenings. Thus far the official date bmom is supposed to be released at this point is really March of 2008, but our fd's bmom says that good time will have her out by this October. During his last HV the GAL did say that we are lucky enough to have a Judge that does not put up with any bull and that if it's obvious the bmom is not working her plan they could move towards tpr once the mom has been given some time to work her plan out of prison. I fear that if they moved towards TPR I would then have to deal with our fd's aunt, regardless of whether or not she hasn't and probably won't make any real effort to get custody of this child prior to that; the aunt has made some empty threats and never follows through with anything. I believe and have copies of online conversations and e-mails I've had with our fd's aunt in which she makes statements such as “it will be easier for me that D come to live with us when she is older” and “I am just letting the baby stay in the system so that my sister has something to work for, but she will not be getting these boys, she'd have to fight me tooth and nail for them” while also saying that “D belongs here with her family” My thing is, how can she even proof that she has this child's best interest at heart when she doesn't care about the psychological impact it would have on her niece/our fd to be in the care of the only family she knows to be ripped away and placed in an environment she does not recognize. If any of you have any words of wisdom regarding my case I would be grateful if you'd share. It is obvious that all fparents have dealt with living in limbo while awaiting the courts decision; it's hard not to feel stressed when we are waiting for someone to decide how the children in our care will be reared and the possibilities of neglect and abuse at the hands of their bio-families. In my case, while I know that I am my fd's FOSTER-mom, I am also the only mom she's ever known, and considering the probability of handing this little girl over to a woman that is unsure as to whether or not she'll be able to beat her addiction is a really hard concept. I just really wake up everyday fighting with my mind not to think about all the “what ifs.”