This forum has been such a breath of fresh air! Thank you so much for your responses.
Thank you for saying that I sound strong. I've always been a very strong person that has fought for myself and others most my life, but this situation has a way of making even strong people feel pretty weak, as I'm sure you know. I'm working my way back there! His father has his quirks, but he has always had my back. I don't think we would have made it as far as we did without being on the same page. Even minute to minute, you just have to be.
I have a cousin who has been a foster mom for the state for a number of years, and she has really been a wealth of information navigating this part of it. That's what she mentioned to us, that the only way to really get him the placement that he needs is to let CPS take custody. Knowing that has actually been really comforting in all of this, because no one from the state tells you these things of course. That is all we have ever wanted for him, is the resources to help him. It sucks that you have to sign over your parental rights to actually have some hope of help, but it is what it is.
