Foster care and speech services

Yesterday, the social worker from the Department of Social Services came to re-certify us as foster parents. I've known her for years, of course, and we ended up chatting for three hours!! One of the big questions she asked is why we continue to get certified, if we don't plan on providing foster care anytime soon. I confessed to her my feeling that someday, sometime, the four children we fostered in 2008 will return to us, and I want to keep our certification for that reason. I told her about our pending adoptions, and the whole name dilemma too. As we spoke, she asked me my biggest strength as a parent. At the moment, I'd have to say advocating for our children's educational rights. For example, it took me two, less than polite, phone calls to straighten out the school district yesterday. Our Christian school receives its speech services through the public school, and the public school decided that our sons did not qualify for speech therapy. Excuse me? Really? Their English pronunciation is clear and they've met their goals? No? Well, then do NOT try to tell me my children do not qualify for services, just because your public school budget is tight. We pay taxes AND tuition. Tell me all about tight budgets, and cut someone else from the program if you must, because if you cut my children from the program I'm going to seek services elsewhere and sue the district to pay for it!! Ha! For once I won an argument with the school district on the first round! Hooray!! Yep. I went into Mamma Bear mode, once again!