Scary Night Noises

Sometimes, lying in bed at night, watching the fireflies in the woods behind my house, I hear the most terrifying noise. (No, not the barking dog next door - that's the most annoying noise.) It's more high pitched and sharp. It's the fox.

We have a family of foxes that live behind our house, but there is one that I especially love. (Even if their barking at night scares me!)

When we first moved in to this house, just before Halloween, I came home from a friend's house late at night (maybe 11:00ish). When I went to pull into my parking space, there were 3 foxes (foxi?) standing in it. They looked defiantly up at me and refused to move for a minute. Finally, the big one (the one I love now), barked at the other two and they went up into my front yard. (I could hear Watson going INSANE in the house!)

Then, the staredown began...

I sat in my car for a long time while the foxes just sat in my yard looking at me. After another few minutes, the big one (let's call him Swift), barked again and the trio strolled off down the side walk. When I got out of my car, my neighbor (who was hanging Halloween decorations at 11:30 at night to surprise his children) yelled out to me, "Welcome to the neighborhood! You'll see all kinds of weird animals in this place!"

Swift and I have encountered each other several times in the past 8 1/2 months. Typically, it's very early in the morning when it's just getting light out and no one else is out except for me walking Watson. Swift likes to watch us walking from the woods, and sometimes walks parallel and just behind us. He never comes out, never comes close, and Watson never notices him. I think Swift likes me.

I hope Swift knows how much I love foxes. Once, I almost made Ayla wreck her car because I screamed "I LOVE FOXES!" in sheer excitement upon seeing one cross the road in front of us. I also used to have a fox that played with my old dog - she was in love with him. I sure wish I could have a fox for a pet!

Someone Else's Kids

As many of you know (or maybe don't know), Casey and I are licensed foster parents. After a 2 year process and waiting, we got our first placement last week.

It was emergency care, short-term, and extremely stressful but rewarding...

We knew it would be overwhelming and saddening going into it. Our bottom line reason for wanting to be foster parents is to help children in need and provide them with a stable and safe home for however long that they need. Yes, we know it will be difficult, yes, we know it will be hard to let go, but it's harder for them to not have a place where they feel safe and loved.

Going into it with all of the foster parent prep, and having worked with children for 10 years, I still was not prepared for the overwhelming flood of emotions...

I can deal with tough behaviors, I can make routines and games, I can be nurturing and loving... But the hardest part was being tossed together with a fragile child who is hurt, sad, and confused... times two. Taking two children for our first go-round was probably not the best idea for first time 'parents.'

There are so many things that, as a foster parent, you don't know and you don't know to expect to know until you're in it. Do these children have allergies? Do they love certain foods? Do they have a bath/bed/food routine? Do they have a stuffed animal/blanket/pacifier that was left behind by someone who didn't know to bring it? Do they sleep with music/lights on/covers on?

When you're preparing for a pregnancy and birth, you have 9 months (give or take) to physically and mentally prepare. You have the materials/furniture/toys you need. When you're called to your foster parent duties, you have sometimes less than an hour to rearrange your entire life to make these children feel as welcome and loved as possible.

Were Casey and I the most successful foster parents in the world? No, I'm sure we weren't and I'm sure there were a million things we could have done different/better. But... did we provide as safe/comfortable/loving of a home as possible for 48 hours to minimize transition and discomfort? Yes, I think we did.

Most importantly, we cared for two children when someone else could not and until they could go with another family member. And we learned A LOT - an overwhelming cram of information in a whirlwind of 48 hours. We will be so much better prepared for the next rewarding upheaval.

But next time, we will only take one child!