The Trials

We have her. As of Thursday Emely has full custody of Cainia. Every day now since the last trial I have watched the stress drain slowly from my partner. She has bathed her granddaughter in love, healing her, bringing her back to life after the neglect. All the time, although she rarely mentioned it, at the back of Emely's mind was the idea that Cainia could be snatched away from her and thrust back into the same conditions. We are overjoyed. We did not ask for this job, did not even see it coming, but Cainia is a gift and worth all of the hard work. This is just a short entry but I intend to go further into detail about the trials and the whole process. I will be sharing statistics and help full references. we would like to thank our Advocates at the Family Law Center. Their number is: 510 272 1393. There is help out there. Your not alone.

Introduction to Cainia

let me introduce Cainia to you. Cainia is four years old. At three feet six inches she is an intense garden gnome prone to sudden explosions of movement. Her hair is a tornado of cotton candy,a will full chocolate kiss, a confection invented fresh each morning by the whim of Dr Zeus. Her smile is a palpable spell that she presses between her lips. Mercurial audacity adjusts it minutely in milliseconds and its irony and nuance belong to another life time, or several, not to a four year old little girl. She looks more fairy than gnome. There is something earth bound about her;her limbs, solid sausages, claim her place in time and space unapologetic. She is here, right now, and you had better take notice.

Raising Cainia

 

The cop sat at our kitchen table with us. Emely and I were tiered. We had not expected this late night visit. The officer seemed relaxed, happy perhaps to be in from the cold for a few Minuits. He smiled and his face suddenly looked boyish. He was in his late twenties may be early thirties.

“We thought the call was a bit bogus when it came in. This is obviously not a kidnapping and your temporary custody papers are in order.” He went on to tell us that our situation was not at all unusual. More and more grandparents were finding themselves bringing up their grandchildren. He shook his head, a look of puzzlement drifted across his face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with my generation. “ He said. “Some of us just can’t seem to handle responsibility.”

He ducked his head in on Cainia on his way out. She was sound asleep tucked up with woofy and puff. This was the start of a custody battle, a shot across the bow. Cainia’s mother was out on bail in another state and had placed a call to our local police department accusing her own mother of kidnapping. Torn inside as she was Emaly had made her decision. She would rest her granddaughter from a neglectful parenting situation, fight her own daughter if necessary, and raise Cainia herself.

 

 

“Raising Cainia,” is a call for help, a shout out to others in a similar position, a holding hands and sharing of information, and a celebration of that most precious gift our children.