[AmahMama]

I don't know where you are but.... if they had had anyone in the other county to take the baby - you wouldn't have gotten her anyway.. Ask again for the visit to be on your day off. Tell them you are more than willing to transport (many, many foster parents do not transport at all) if they can accomodate your schedule. Sometimes (but not all) the threats are empty and just they way an overworked, overstressed cw will deal with anything that is not in their favor. If the problem is that the Bio works that day - then maybe you can see about changing your day. I've had bios fight tooth and nail for a certain visit time - everyone changes everything around for this particular time - and then they don't show.

It is a rollercoaster ride even if you aren't able to adopt this little one. The ride is for the child. We know better. Can you just imagine being a child that thinks it is the "way of life" to visit Mom or Dad weekly for an hour with a person to supervise? It is pitiful the way the "system" treats these children - like throwaways - Make every effort to accomodate the bios so they can produce more children for the taxpayers to raise for them - but lets not do "preventative maintenance" on the future generation - which is being raised in foster homes and in children's shelters... I know we can't second guess what is "going to happen" - but the scarcasm is taking over - the bio's rights should be second to the child's rights - instead of the other way around. And this is why they talk often in support meetings - about foster parent burnout. It is a different kind of stress than you'll have ever had before. But the smiles and hugs and knowing in your heart that you kept a child safe - even for a short time (as happens sometimes) - is soooo worth it.

Good luck!