Sorry this post was so long in coming. I kept meaning to write it, then kept meaning to finish it, but... anyways...
So, on Thursday, June 12th (our rescheduled court date, the rescheduling of which we found out had happened when we showed up three days earlier, if you remember) we showed up again at the courthouse in San Antonio. Another sweet friend had volunteered to have the kids over for the morning, which was a double blessing because they have a young lady Big Sister's age. We were happy for her to get to meet a new friend!
It's hard to list all of the emotions that play out when you're heading to court for one of these hearings or trials. There's a nervous, pit-of-your-stomach sourness that makes you want to be sick, just thinking of the whole situation. There's relief that finally a decision will be made, if it is the end of the case, or nearing the end of the case. There's anxiety about potentially having to make immediate plans and logistics for a child (or children) to leave your home, if that's what's decided. There's a sadness for the loss that may occur, and a chiding of yourself for feeling that emotion before anything's been official. There's hope, but it's being pressed down, again as another emotion that should be too premature for focusing on yet.
You get to the building, then try to find your court room, if the place is as big as the San Antonio courthouse. (In our town, there are usually only one or two courtrooms at the location, but there are three different locations around town that have been used in our cases, so it's always a matter of actually finding the right spot around town!) You wait around for someone you know, whether it be lawyers or caseworkers or therapists (or even the biological family, with whom interacting can be a variety of different experiences - not always negative, but always interesting).
We waited a while before our "replacement" caseworker found us, as I had mentioned that our caseworker is on a sick leave of an undetermined length. She had nothing new to report to us, just that we needed to be prepared for whatever the judge may order.
We had arrived at 9, and the case was seen a little after 11. We were never asked to come up to the front to speak or even be seen. Our case time was over within five or six minutes. The judge declared that he "didn't have time for all this today" and we would reconvene on July 16th.
Sigh.
I get it. This is a complicated case. CPS is calling it "High-Profile" and is putting their best people and best attorneys on it. There are five kids involved.
But these kids have been away from the home for almost a year - and were removed from their mother almost two years ago. They deserve a quicker resolution. The judge should have an idea from all of the previous hearings and all of the evidence that he has looked at in preparation for the ruling. This was supposed to be THE day - THE DAY that the kids' fates were decided. Having been rescheduled from Monday, having been rescheduled from March and April, having been rescheduled from January 29th... Ugh...
I had made a snarky comment to The Man of the House while we were waiting in the hallway: "You know what would be worse than hearing they have to go back today? Hearing that this ruling is being postponed."
Ay-yi-yi.
Sigh.
Sorry for sounding negative. It is one of the frustrating parts of dealing with the court system. But we are all human, and things come up.
Blessed be the flexible, right?
So, we'll hang on tight for another month and see what happens. Thanks again for all of the prayers and encouragement! I'll be striving to update more about how we're doing as a family of seven (ahhh!) soon! God's blessings on your day!
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