Practice

Last week we had a practice call from the agency.  It was not actually a practice.  It was a real call, witha  real kid that needed placement.
I was told that there was a child being removed from the mother because of drug abuse.  Family was not able to be located/contacted, so placement was needed for that evening.  It was almost 4pm and I was asked to pick the child up between 4:30 and 5 that day.  It was an instant panic in my mind because we have kind of let ourselves believe this will take a lot longer since we're looking for younger than Kristopher.  So, the room is not ready.  I haven't painted, or done the repairs I had hoped to do.  Which really, it's fine as is, because Kristopher used it that way for the entire time we lived here.  I just want it to look better.  Lighter walls, nicer ceiling, etc.  And all I have is a futon mattress.  The frame broke prior to our last move, and I never replaced it.  I didn't buy a frame because I really can't prepare all that well not knowing how many we are going to get, ages/boy/girl/etc.  If we get sibling placement and they tiny kids, I will just do toddler beds initially.  Anyway, back to the call.
While I'm freaking out mentally, she's explaining a few things.  She said to call my husband and then call her back in 5 mins.  They need an answer that fast.  Then said "oh the caseworker is calling. I'll just call you back when I finish.  I'll see what other info I can find out."  The only info I was given was the child was a boy, his age, and why he was being taken.  They didn't know race, what for problems he may have, or anything else. 
So I called my husband.  He said yes, and I waited for the call back.  A little over 5 mins passed, and she called back saying that the caseworker had located family and they want the child, so placement was not needed after all.  Then she laughed about how good of a practice run that was, and complimented on how easily it was to get ahold of me, how impressed they were with our fast thinking and fast answers, given the fact we weren't given very much info. 
In this child's case, it would have been a short stay.  It really could have been just a day or 2 till extended family was found and was given a chance to take the kid in.  And the  mother probably would not lose the child in this case either.  Unless she refused to follow the guidelines to get him back. 
The program we're trying to get connected with is a fast tract thing.  The parent loses the child, and then gets a strict guideline to follow.  In that time, they get frequent visitations, at a neutral location, with the caseworker.  They have to follow their rules, (get rehab, get a job, get a stable home) whatever has caused them to lose their child must be met.  If they do not follow that within the certain amount of timeframe, the judge will terminate all rights, and we have the chance to adopt. 
I like the idea of this program because it's not like we'd be holding on for years and then lose the child years from now.  It will be a pretty quick process.  Either the child is back with parents in a couple months-not much over 6 months, or we get the option to adopt.

So, that was only a week and half after our finalizing meeting.  I have this gut feeling that we will hear something more in the next few weeks.  I really feel we will have placement before mid summer.  So it's been enough to wake me up and realize how real this is.  Time to get my butt in gear and get the room more prepared.