A little about what I've learned, in case anyone is interested.... Boy's Town started in 1917 after Father Flanagan unsuccessfully reached out to several homeless men. The men stayed in his shelters for a period of time, but after being sent out into the world went right back into their old habits. After following up with them, multiple men said "I wish you'd found me when I was 15," or "if only there'd been a program like yours when I was 12." He opened his first home for young boys in 1917 with five boys. It's just grown and grown from there. They now offer several different branches of services, anywhere from intensive, locked facilities for severely disturbed kids, to in-home help for families who have been ordered by child services to get help for their issues as a family. I think the number of kids that they served last year was somewhere around 29,000. We are very secure with the fact that we are supposed to be here. The beliefs, practices and system all match up perfectly with us. Though I am exhausted, I'm resting in the peace of knowing the Boy's Town reasons for doing what they do - because they love children, as Christ loves us. Father Flanagan said "there's no such thing as a bad child. Bad circumstances, bad training, and bad abuse, but no bad children." And they believe any of these youths can improve their life and their circumstances with proper love, affection, structure and discipline. I am eager to meet our six girls in 2 weeks. My heart is brimming with love already. I don't even know their names or faces, or their past baggage or behavioral issues, and I love every one of them. It's like when you're waiting to become a Mom, either biologically or through adoption, and you know that you love them because God has chosen them for you and you for them. I can't really explain it any better than that. James Baldwin said "these are ALL our children. We will profit from or pay for whatever we invest."
Another new thing we've experienced this week - preschool! Both kids have been going to full days, 8-6, of preschool. I was afraid that they'd be weary and homesick, but actually, they LOVE it! They both have been thrilled to meet new friends, play new games and even nap in a new place. We've gotten perfect reports each day. I think it was ONLY hard on me, after all! I miss them but it brings me great joy to know they're having such a wonderful time and doing what they're supposed to be doing. They are wonderful kids. I'm so glad God gave them to me. The fact that they're taking this so well is just further confirmation that we're in the right place. Tomorrow is their last full day and then their Mimi will be flying to Omaha to help with them, so we don't have to pay for 2 full weeks of daycare. I don't know how people afford to put their kids in full-time! Anyway, even though they're loving preschool every day, they'll be even more excited to see a familiar face besides Mommy and Daddy (And Nana and Papa via Skype :))
Anyway, that's all I have for now. Time to go back to our home-away-from-home (I'm writing this from the local Barnes and Noble, we have no internet in our on-campus apartment) and feed the kids and hopefully snag early bedtimes all-around. I'm exhausted! Exhausted and happy.
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