A few weeks ago, our 2-year-old foster boy, Lil Bit, climbed onto a dining room chair while our backs were turned and broke his elbow…for a second time! Yes, the exact same elbow! After our 26-hour hospital ordeal, we knew what was coming next….
The following Wednesday evening at church, as we were enjoying a catered meal of smoked barbecue brisket, Cole slaw, potato salad, and Oreo cookie pie, FosterDad’s cell phone began chirping its techno song alerting him that he was receiving a call.
It was an investigator with Child Protection Services: he was at our home! FosterDad, always the quick-thinker never wanting to miss a church service, invited the investigator to our church to conduct the interview before our Bible study began. Lo and behold, it was the same investigator!
FosterDad sat in the sanctuary for his part of the interview while I was herding preschoolers. (With their affinity to climb onto the pulpit, one would believe they would have an early calling to minister. My personal belief is that it is an act of defiance!)
Finally, we were able to drop the kids off into their classrooms, it was my turn for the interrogation interview.
The interview process took longer than I anticipated so I was going to be late for class; however, to complete the investigation, the investigator had to visit our home. So much for “Staying in Love” this week.
I drove home, showed him the infamous dining room chair.
“Sir, notice that we have no coffee table in our living room, just a lone rug amongst the sofa suit. That is because our dear foster child is a climber.”
I even showed him how we have the coffee table lying on its side in a closed-off room. “We are doing our best to keep this child safe.”
By the end of the interview, the investigator says: “My daughter is the same age, and she is a climber, too. Just this weekend, I caught her by her shirt before she hit the floor.”
I feel much more calm about this investigation report….