Playing with Kylie and Brie

I look like some sort of deranged duck lady.

As always, an interesting weekend. Ryan called last week and wanted to see Sean. I told him I was watching the girls for Jenny on Saturday so I would meet him at Discovery Gateway at 2:30 and he could spend a couple of hours with all three of them. (Does this sound familiar?) I left a message with the case worker and talked to the foster mom to make sure everyone was OK with this plan. Jenny had asked me if I would watch the girls all night because she had to work until 11. I told her I didn't know if the DCFS was OK with that but I left the case worker a message and she didn't respond so figured it was OK. The day before Jenny changed her work schedule to get off work at 8 so the plan changed for me just to bring the girls to her at 8 after her shift. I picked Jenny and the girls up at 2 and was on the way to Gateway to meet Ryan. I told Jenny I hadn't texted Ryan to remind him and I hoped he either showed up or let me know if he was'nt coming. Jenny was texting someone I don't know who but low and behold I get a text from Ryan telling me he's sorry but he can't make it. He hasn't seen Sean since he was in the hospital so it wasn't a big deal to any of us. I didn't tell Sean or the girls we were going to see him. I dropped Jenny off at work went home picked up Don and we took the kids to the pond.

The geese were crazy. Every duck and goose from the entire pond came honking and quacking. They weren't aggressive but they were taking the food out of our hands. Well Kylie's, Sean and Brie headed for the trees.

Kylie and Brie are such happy, polite delightful girls. It was so much fun to spend the day with them.

We hiked all around Farmington pond. We saw horses and Brie picked and apple and ate it. We came up behind Lagoon and could hear the people on the roller coaster.

At home I cooked dinner and we baked a cake. The kids wanted to know whose birthday it was  and since it wasn't anyone in our houses they sang happy birthday to everybody.

Now for the drama:

Jenny doesn't have any heat at her house. She says it's her new landlords fault that she needs a new heater. She just moved last week because she got evicted from the last place. I think she probably hasn't had the gas turned on because she owes money from the last place. She's been complaining about how cold she's been the last few nights and wanted to know if I had a space heater. I told her no. It was 41 degrees last night and she had the girls. I really had a hard time taking the girls to her when I knew they were going to freeze their bums off. Brie was laying on the couch with me snuggling, saying Grandma I want to stay here tonight. Lanette said I could stay here. Don suggested I call the DCFS worker on call or just take the kids back to Lanette. I didn't know what to do but decided if with Jenny is where the attorney's want the kids then with Jenny they would be. I thought of it like a cold night camping. I took and extra blanket and picked Jenny up from work. Brie was asleep in the car. I said "Jenny, it's really cold." I thought she might ask me to keep them she said something about "I'm selfish to keep them." I was thinking, you're something." I worried about the girls all night. This morning Lanette texted and said when she picked the girls up Jenny was on the phone with someone saying "we are getting the girls back." Lanette wanted to know who "we" were,  since in theory Jenny would get the girls back and not Ryan. I asked Lanette to ask the girls how the slept. Lanette texted back and said they said they were cold and Brie cried and Jenny gave her a blanket. I told her I had taken over an extra blanket. She wanted to know how I knew it was going to be cold so I told her. She texted me a little later and told her Jenny had given the girls a quick cold shower and when they cried she said "dont' tell Lanette." I told Lanette I was sorry I felt bad about sending them back but it's just a taste of the life they are headed for if they go home. How many times have I left those girls in places that I knew were not safe. Years of time. Lanette said if it was another black mark against Jenny it was worth it. She had already texted the case worker. And so it goes on. Lanette wanted me to talk to Jenny about giving her guardianship in the mediation. I wish I knew what the right thing to do. Guardianship puts her in the same position we are in. I just want what's best for the kids.