Blessings for Thanksgiving

We were warned by a fellow, veteran foster father that the holidays were a hotbed for new placements.  M2-4 arrived the Wednesday before Easter.  M1 arrived just after New Year's.  Thanksgiving this year was our first big holiday and sure enough it happened. 


Around 6pm on Thanksgiving Eve we received a call for a placement of two children, a 4 year old and a 4 month old.  We said yes and while we were waiting for a call back for more details and frantically making a shopping list of infant supplies we got a call back telling us that they found family members to take placement of these 2 munchkins, but the other sibling set that was removed from the same "gathering" as this set now needed a home.  We were told it was two brothers, one that was a year old (Munchkin 6) and one that was 3 years old (Munchkin 7). They informed us that the 1 yr old had sickle cell anemia that was treated by medication and the 3 year old had epilepsy that was also treated by medication and that the seizures were under control.  They sounded easy enough to handle and we said bring them on over.  They arrived at 9pm with nothing except the clothing on their backs which wasn't much.  Oh, and one bottle of unlabeled medication.  Who that medication was for and what the dosage or dosing schedule was no one knew!  Within a few minutes we learned that the epilepsy was in fact NOT under control even when on medication regularly (of course he had not been taking it regularly prior to coming to us) and M7 also had autism.  So, we were left with a 1 yr old with no medication and a 3 year old who is non verbal, seizing close to a dozen times a day, and who has extremely limited self help skills, AND also came with no medication.  To make matters more complicated, my father and sister, along with her two very large dobermans were set to arrive at 2am!  This was not the Thanksgiving we had envisioned. I spent most of Thursday dividing my time between holding M6 (he refused to be set down or held by anyone except me), calling multiple people and places to figure out the med situation for both boys,  and attempting to catch M7 as he repeatedly crashed to the floor in seizures.  Add in the Lion and M5 wanting attention and attempting to keep everyone out of the kitchen so the Scarecrow could cook and you have the recipe for the least restful Thanksgiving I've ever experienced.  It was hard.  It was stressful.  It was frustrating.  It was also a good reminder of how incredibly comfortable our life  is and how little so many people have.  M6 and M7 have had a HARD life.  They've never experienced a Thanksgiving feast before.  They've never had so many cuddles and love as they experienced yesterday.  They may not stay with us for long.  They may not be a sustainable fit for our family at the moment.  BUT we were able to feed them and cuddle them and love them and make what may very well be the worst day of their short lives just a little easier to take.  We were able to share our blessings and in return we received blessing tenfold.  Welcome M6 and M7.  Thank you for being our surprise Thanksgiving blessings.