Off they go..

Over the past two years, we have looked after some beautiful children. Two of which were planned to be taken away from the others about six months ago (because according to the 'Gloucestershire Social Services' the best way to keep them happy is to split them up) and therefore are now not with us. The other two have stayed with us. 

We have been there for most of the milestones of their young lives. We've almost potty-trained charlie. We've extended his vocab to be full sentences rather than half words. He's finally finished the terrible toddler stage. Now he's gorgeous and kind. He's settled into primary school and always tries to cheer us up when we're down and he is so adorable in his school uniform.

(Lola came to us aged four months. She is now two) 
As for Lola, we've been there for all of her main 'firsts'!
The first ever time she ate mushed food from a jar, the first time she ever sat up, the first time she ever stood up, the first time she walked, her first tooth, the first time she ever ate solid foods, the first word (apple), etc. She is gorgeous. Everyday she gets a bow in her pretty blonde hair. 

Charlie and Lola have only ever attached to Mummy and Daddy as parents. They are practically my brother and sister too. I really do love them and they love all of us. The social services do obviously not understand love. 

The social services always expect foster carers to say 'Yes I will do this.', 'Yes I will do that' but when my parents were told that the children will be taken to be adopted as swiftly as possible my parents didn't want to say yes. We hoped to have the children on a permanent basis. The social services disliked this idea and won. 

To then spite us as the people who put them through the trouble, they then exclaimed that the children are to be taken away from us.

We had to go through the trauma of then packing all of their stuff into bags and saying goodbye. When they were picked up, there were two patronizing social workers at the door hurrying the Charlie and Lola into the car as if we were awful people who needed to be kept away. These 'Social' workers had turned up in a tiny car because they expected there not to be much packing over the two years. They were extremely surprised when we showed them many clothes bags, toys etc. The county council is run by IDIOTS. It makes me very upset (to say the least). 

It was a massive tear fest with the whole family.

Oh anyway, to conclude, Consider YS's words:
"Before anyone decides to foster, re-think. Your heart will be ripped out like you have been stabbed in the chest and your pain will never go"

Sorry, I ended on a sad note. It won't happen often! Promise!

Birthdays!!!!!

Giving Versus Receiving!

Okay, so it’s my birthday on the 1st of July (3 weeks or so away). This made me think of something that quite a few people probably thing about:
The one thing that amazes me about birthdays is the need for presents.  I love being given something that I’ve been wanting and whining about to my family, but when a prezzie comes from a friend, I always feel Selfish because it’s not a give and receive situation*.

Being a girl in a group of friends, there’s always another birthday round the corner. I always try to get my friends to group up in the present with me and we can all spend around £2. Does this ever happen?? I guess not. So every time a birthday comes it’s the same:
1. I gain pocket money
2. A birthday comes around the corner.
3. I spend as little as possible whilst trying to make it still a nice present.
4. I ALWAYS spend at least £6 + and get a £1 card.
5. I have to wait for pocket money.
(And so on)

For my Family, however, I always end up spending around £16. In my extremely large family, spring is the birthday season.
April 29th, YS – Spring
May 6th, Daddy – Spring
May 12th, Mummy – Spring
May 16th, SS – Spring
July 1st , Moi – Summer
July 17th, ES – Summer
September 18th, OB – Autumn

After SS’s birthday, I can relax my spending basis until ES’s birthday in July.

When it isn’t my birthday I love shopping for someone's prezzie because I feel generous and that I’m doing something good. We all know the look a friend has when we give them a prezzie. I love the happy smile and the warm hug they give me and it always feels worth it, even if I then have to wait 2 more weeks for pocket money.

To conclude, when I balance out money over happiness, I have a slightly larger preference over giving, but whoever thought giving presents was good may have had a big heart, but they also had a large bank balance.





*Example. At Christmas, I don’t feel bad receiving a present because if someone’s going to give me a present it’s most likely that I have, in return, bought one for them too. Last Christmas, it was optional in my form to do a Secret Santa and loads of people did it. The limit was £5 (which everyone spent) but even though I opted in, the girl who was supposed to be getting me one couldn’t be bothered and so I was down a fiver :(.

An entrance

Hello ALL!

My name is Laura.

I have blogged before, but as a younger version of myself. I enjoy blogging but I can't stick to it 24/7 because (if I'm being honest) I am forgetful and scatty! If I have something to blog about, I will. 

I am the second youngest of 5. Due to a large family that would rather stay anonymous, I will give nicknames.

Mummy - My Mother

Daddy - My Father

(Fairly simple)

ES - My eldest Sister

OB - My Only Brother 

SS - My second eldest sister

YS - My younger sister 

Charlie - Toddler foster brother

Lola - Toddler foster sister

It seems that my sisters and I all have the same ambition as Mummy. We all LOVE to perform on stage; whether it’s singing, dancing acting or all three. Daddy and OB enjoy maths and science and all things boring & sophisticated. SS, YS and I are all at the same dancing school. I go there after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Charlie and Lola are extremely cheeky! As close brother and sister; they play together, fight together and (most entertainingly) make mischief together! I enjoy helping with them most of the time but when they are at their peak of naughtiness, it’s difficult to look for a cute side.

ES, OB & SS are all adults.ES finished her course at university last year and is starting at drama school in September. OB is in Cardiff at the moment at university studying maths.  SS reached 18 in May. Her favourite part of this is that she now does not need a fake ID. She is allowed to vote, buy drinks and go clubbing! Then there is YS. She is 2 years younger than me. We bicker… A LOT, but we can also get on well a third of the time. 

That's all you need to know about me for now...