Jumoke leaves today to spend some weeks with family friends. 

He is very excited.

He got a new suitcase...a great big black one...and he's so thrilled that he can't think straight.  If I knew a big black suitcase would make him so happy, I would have bought him one ages ago.

He's all packed. We are copying his birth certificate in case they take trips and medical card and signing things saying our friends can do this and our friends can do that.

The other children quit grieving the instant we told them that we were going to try our hardest to get Jumoke into a family that we knew so we could still see him.  That seemed to solve all loss issues for every single one of them.  I guess they needed to know that we, their parents, still wanted Jumoke in our life.  The fear and sadness are gone. So the kids are able to be excited for Jumoke's grand vacation trip with him.

I planned a special dinner, with a number of dishes that are Jumoke's favorite.  He commented on the large variety of food that I was serving, and I told him I wanted to make sure he filled up on his favorite foods before he left.  He informed me that he didn't like anything I was serving, except maybe the shrimp salad. 

I allowed him to fill his plate however he wanted, which was a treat because I usually serve him since he will gorge till he is sick otherwise.  He took very little, and none of the shrimp salad.  Except for his rudeness, I would have thought maybe he was too excited to eat.

He left the room when we were serving ice cream in waffle bowls. I wasn't hurt. I had a feeling he was enjoying this moment.  I'm sure it was payback for something. But the other kids were hurt and confused.

I'm smiling and quipping and chatting thru a tight head.  How exciting that this might be the beginning of a life of health and healing for Jumoke.  But....

...always "but"...

It's ok. We are all going to be ok. Jumoke is going to be more than ok. That's the end of the story.  I keep looking at the end of the story because this particular chapter is pretty hard to read. 

We will all be ok.  Every one of us. 

***********************************************************

Later that evening, I heard from Tim as they started home after dropping Jumoke off. Jumoke was still using food to try to punish us for something.  I'm fairly sure I know what, but one cannot be absolutely sure of anything where Jumoke is concerned. 

Tim bought Jumoke and the other kids fries and burgers at McDonalds.  Jumokes loves loves loves McDonalds.  But he told Tim he didn't want any fries, and sullenly wolfed down his burger. He found he was still hungry after the burger, and told Tim he changed his mind and wanted the fries.  Tim told him no, that Jumoke had already refused the fries, and they now belonged to Daddy.

Jumoke was not happy. Daddy enjoyed the fries.