Happily Ever After!

So when I used to work as a Protective Service worker, I was working with families who had their children removed by the state due to abuse and neglect. Part of my job was to assist these families with the reunification of their children back into their home. In this job it is so common to have, and have heard more sad stories than happy. Yes, I have my few really happy stories, but today I had an e-mail forwarded to me by my old supervisor from a grandmother who I had placed some children with about three years ago. I had removed these children from their mother who had a serious methamphetamine addiction and placed them in the care of their maternal grandmother. Shortly after this had occurred I accepted a position as a trainer for the protective supervision agency that I work for now. The e-mail that was forwarded to me today stated that the children that I had placed in the grandmother's care had just received "Student Of The Month" awards on top of being very active in ballet and football. The oldest child was about to turn 15 and have her braces removed. On top of that, this child had also won a scholarship for college and is making A's and B's at school. The life that these children were living before was with a mother who was addicted to methamphetamine, and living in a methamphetamine lab. Though the mother tried, and tried, she just could not learn how to acknowledge her addiction. When I read this e-mail today I wanted to cry. I was so ecstatic at how well these children were doing and it only remedied me why I do what I do. Now as a trainer, I am no longer in the field able to work directly with these families, and have absolutely no idea how any of the children that I removed as an Investigator with the Florida Department of Children and Families, or as a protective service worker, are doing. I thank my old supervisor for taking the time to share this with me, and I also applaud this grandmother for doing everything she has done for these children. This e-mail was a blessing and a beautiful gift that I received today. I am so thankful and appreciative that I was able to receive it. These children wake up every morning and survive. It is such an amazing strength that they have that I have had the privilege of watching happen in front of my eyes.