A tribute

I have a friend...well, I have many friends... well, at least a few...but anyhow, the friend I am about to tell you about...without revealing her identity, because I don't want to embarass her, but she knows who she is...I'm going to tell you about her as a kind of tribute, because she has grown...in mental, emotional, spiritual ways, not physical, she's actually quite slim.

Anyhow...

This friend, "A", is someone who had some very rough times growing up, and like a lot of kids who get hurt, turned it inward. Self-love was a foreign concept for A. She looked for love from guys, and ended up with some beautiful children, but not lasting relationships. She looked for escape through drugs and ended up addicted. And she lost her kids to CFS when things got too bad.

But she turned things around. Man, did she turn things around. She entered treatment, got off ALL drugs, even the ones that had been prescribed for her. She got a place to live, she got a job. Now she's been clean for over two years and has been employed for over one. She has taken all the recommendations of CFS and run with them.

But CFS still decided to go for permanent custody, even after she completed all their requirements. Needless to say, after working so hard for reunification, this was devastating. But she had learned to believe in herself, and would not go along with the permanent order. Even her lawyer didn't support her, and advised her to just go along with it and get the best visitation possible. But she refused, because she knew in her heart that she was a good mom and that her little ones needed her.

So last week she went to court. She was on the stand for hours.

She won. The judge ordered reunification plans to begin immediately and for visits to increase.

A, you have done so well. The growth I have seen in you is amazing. You ARE a good mom and you will continue to be a good mom when your kids go home with you. You have overcome so much, and you are strong.