"Family! It's About Family"

Hi my name is Farina Thompson.

I am the maternal and biological grandmother to 5 wonderful and adorable young boys that are in the Oklahoma Foster Care System. To date is has been 5 years-9months-4days that my grandsons were taken by Oklahoma DHS. On March 2 2006. A truly emotional time for my family.

The last time that i had a visit with my grandsons were on 2.16.2010. I have not heard their voices or seen their faces or even talked to them on the phone. My grandsons have been alienated and isolated from me. From Day one we have not had regular visits. As I understand that as long as children are in foster care, that they are to have continuous contact with their family, love ones and relatives. My life and the lives of my precious grandsons has been interrupted and shattered by the State of Oklahoma! Oklahoma Department of Human Services/Foster Care Division.

Family, It's about family! Everywhere you turn, It's Family!

That was my idea of what any foster care agency/organization was all about. Or so I thought! Anyway! Here in Oklahoma it's totally disturbing to me at how this state process their child welfare cases. It's sad, emotional and truly frustrating! It's not right or justice at all. I haven't seen nothing like it in my life! This state has denied me everything that I've brought forward, that's Oklahoma DHS and the Oklahoma Family Court System. It's supposed to be about the children! Taking care of the children and making sure that they are being reunited with their biological family and loveones as soon as possible. To make sure that they suffer a minimum of separation from their home and family.

It's about FAMILY! Strengthening the American Families is the Key! Family is foundation!

The case with my grandsons. That is not what happenned. My grandsons are still in the Oklahoma foster care system. They are floating from one placement to the next. All the while the state has my grandchildren alienated and isolated from me. No phone calls, not anything at all, with the exception of letter writing. That's my only communication and bonding with my grandsons.

I have traveled the distance, moved to Oklahoma from Nevada. I brought forth my guardianship, which was denied, as well as all the following, Foster/Adopt training classes certificates from Nevada, Petition to Adopt my grandchildren, Foster Parenting classes in Oklahoma were denied. Some one from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services called the Bair Foundation where i was preparing to get certified in order to get my grandchildren out of foster care, A telephone call was made to put a stop to that from Oklahoma DHS Headquarters.

It's about family and doing the right thing! Right! Well I have done that. From the Judge on down to the Oklahoma Dept of Human Services has denied me the right to my grandchildren. I am a responsible, reliable, independent, mature grown adult. I am a registered voter. "Felons can't vote", I am not a felon. I have never been to prison. I am ex - military. I quarter mastered in the Army. My MOS was 76v10.There is nothing wrong with my financial Status, I have a decent & study income. I have a vehicle that's bought and paid for. I have a washer and dryer. I have a phone. I have a refrigerator full of food. All of my bills are in my name. I have a checking account and savings account. I have insurance. I have the children's rooms all together. I have enough beds for all of my grandsons. I have everything that I need for my grandbabies. My grandsons, they need family. I have a nice and wonderful 3 bedroom + 2 bath + 2 car garage home it's over 2,000 square feet. I have more than enough space for my precious grandsons. It's about Family!

I don't need not one cent to beable to provide for my grandchildren.

Children in foster care shouldn't have to go through what my grandsons are having to endure with. It's just wrong! It's an injustice to us. What they are doing to my precious grandsons and our family. We have already lost so much, that we will never beable to get back. Look at all the years that the state has taken away from me and my grandsons. Over 5 years and 9 monts nearly 6 years. That's cruel! Look what it has done to my children? I'm concerned about their self-esteem, their emotions, their inner self, what they must be thinking of themselves. My grandchildren being in foster care all this time for the past 5 years and 9 months! My grandsons who knows what they could be thinking? Or what they are being told for instance? Thinking they are not wanted, not loved, that they are thrown away! Thinking they have no family that wants them. That's awful for a child having to think of that being very young and in foster care placement. No child! Should have to suffer like this. My grandchildren are doing just that!

My grandchildren have family! They are not Forgotten! No! They aren't! I will never forget them as long as I am alive! They are my family! I will continue my fight for justice. This case with my grandsons, will not die! I will not let it be just another case or a statistic. It will not be swept under the rug!

Family? The system is broken! Definitely needs to be fixed. Family Court is a major part of this. This is the State of Oklahoma. My God! It's totally backwards here in this part of the country. Family, the children they need their family, my precious grandsons, they need their family, they need to be home. I want to hug my grandchildren! They are everything to me! They are my life! So precious to me!

I will continue to expose the wrong doings that are going on here in the state of Oklahoma, As long as this state continue to house my grandsons and keep them away from me. It's don't make any sense for the actions of this state to alienate and isolated my grandsons from me. I'm their blood family, their maternal and biological grandmother.

Oklahoma DHS refuses to work with me to return, reunite my grandsons back with our family. My grandsons deserves to be back with their family. Not to be moving around in the foster care system, going from placement to placement. That's surely not in the best interest of the child! We are family! Isn't it about family? Being there and helping family?

My grandchildren, they haven't seen me since 2.16.2010. That's cruel!

Just very recently, I have written the Judge and requested my grandchildren's clothes and shoe sizes to be able to send them some items, being purchased from me. They would know that

I am still here, as well as the letters that I send to them. Any way the judge as well as the DHS worker will not give me my grandsons sizes so I can go shopping for them.

Also not anyone will communicate with me to inform me of what's going on with my grandchildren. They are truly trying to keep my grandchildren from remembering me. This is very strange behavior coming from "So call professionals" It's not adequate giving the situation at hand. It's about the children and their family being reunited and getting out of the foster care system.

This is the case of the MAY, DAVIS, BENJAMIN, WALKER,

case# JD-06-180, out of the State of Oklahoma and the County of Oklahoma. The Judge over the case would be: Judge Richard W Kirby. The Assistant D.A. would be Jane Brown. DHS Director would be: Howard Hendrick and the DHS Supervisor would be: Tara Bone, By the way,was the initial case worker in 2006. She has played a big part in the case for it lasting for nearly 6 years. Oh yes! She has!

It's about Family and NOT the Foster Care System housing our children and keeping them alienated and isolated, from their loving and biological family that wants them.

Please pray for me and my grandchildren! Thank you & God Bless You and Yours.

Grieving Grandmother

Farina Maria Thompson