How do you Mend a broken heart?

I've written about Big Sis before, and expressed worry on this 17 year old's life.   She is an island all by herself.

She was put in custody when she was 12 years old (same as Lovely) the first time these kids were taken into custody.  She shared with me their "Foster home" story today, and if my heart wasn't already broken enough, it found an extra inch that wasn't hurting and squeezed it even more.

This system is in NEED of good, Christian foster homes.  I don't know much of my lovelies history, and I learned more today in pieces here and there of the three kids conversations.

This young lady has lived apart from her mom and stepdad for over a year.  OVER a YEAR.  She's a baby, on her own.  She managed to get her GED, (though she doesn't know her times tables, I'm not kidding) and is forever thankful of ANYTHING I offer her.

At Thanksgiving, I told her I welcomed her anytime she needed to come over.  Lacey noticed that she kept to herself, listening to her Ipod and drawing in a book, and said, "I think she's bored".  I asked her about it, and she told me,  "I never feel so safe as I do here".   Oh.my.heart.

She came in last night, and ate so much food, I was afraid she wasn't going to be able to sleep.  She confessed to me this morning, that she hadn't eaten ("I just get my food stamps, you want me to buy you food?")   No, kid, I want you to get to have a chance at life.

Took her to the Norman parade this morning, and she took her picture with the superheroes that were in a golf cart (I didn't know they rode in a golf cart), and gathered candy in her purse, and didn't say much, except she wasn't cold, and didn't want to leave.  

Took her to TJ Maxx because she needed some stuff.  I'm thinking "no big deal"  "Just another day".

Took all of them to a chinese buffet in town, and they ate like there was no tomorrow.  You know when you waffle about going into a buffet, because you don't think you'll eat $10.95 worth of food?   Not an issue, with these stevedores.  These kids can EAT.

Finished off the evening with a trip to the lights out on Hwy 9 and 72nd street (The Downing house) and on the way, there was a favorite christian song on KLOVE and all of us were singing, when I noticed Big Sis was crying.

"WHAT's Wrong????" I asked her, to her shaky,  "I just don't know how to understand how it be to have a family.  I never have this, ever.  Christmas, fun, good friend, food, and safe.  I just don't know how it make me feel".

She's laying on the couch, wrapped in her blanket, watching America's funniest home videos, just getting to be a kid.

I take SO for granted, the life that the girls and I have.   We can go to the fridge and eat, and if we are cold, we go get a blanket out of the hall, or turn up the heat.  We put on our houseshoes, and rest without worry of anything happening.  It's just a given.

It's not like that for everyone.

Be extra thankful and never take for granted the life you have.  We are blessed beyond measure.