Our little guy has not seen his family in over three weeks. We do not know why the parents have not been able to make it to the visits, we are not privy to their struggles. What we do know is how it is affecting the sweet little boy in our care.

He is a very cheerful, happy-go-lucky dude – active, rambunctious, a very good listener and never a complainer. But on week three I began to notice his very occasional quiet moments were becoming more frequent. He has started to seek attention for his sore spots that miraculously move about, and groans now and then about not wanting to do one thing or another.

The other day I noticed he had wet the bed and then the same day he had an accident while playing outside. He did not tell me when it had happened but was honest when I discovered it and asked him about it. I told him it was Ok, he was not in trouble, but I just needed to know so we could clean it up. I also encouraged him to stop playing and use the restroom as soon as he felt the urge. At his age, he knows these things of course, but I thought it important he know he was not in trouble.

I am now more careful not to irritatedly respond what? when he calls my name for the 100th time to ask me a question I had already answered twice. With the three kiddos running around, it’s easy for the grumpiness to creep up on me when they are all are demanding my attention, but I am trying my best to squash it down. My biological 11 year old daughter is also loosing her patience, she becomes very angry and jealous at the attention he receives. It is so hard for her to accept that while anyone is under our care, they are considered part of our family – despite our insistence that no one would ever take her place.

I pray we can make him feel loved and safe, and that hopefully soon he can see his family again. It is heartbreaking to see his pain, this sadness he doesn’t quite know how to express.