need kinship advice ???????/

We have walked this same path. Our great nieces were our foster children at ages 2 and 4 - we adopted them three years into the journey. We had their little brother from 3 months to 16 months and the judge returned him home. As soon as we adopted them in November and closed our foster home, he came into care in December and stayed for 9 months before being returned home. Like you, we have remained a constant in his life with visits, holidays, vacations. Now he is 9 years old and has been placed with us since May of this year. Just as I opened your post, he kissed me goodnight and said "I can't wait to be adopted...it can't happen fast enough!"We contacted everyone under the sun to intervene, from the Governor's office down - and they opened files and truly investigated. If the state is doing nothing wrong and the State feels they can't prove their case, no one you contact will be able to override it.My sanity came from my faith. That there was a reason that he was where he was when I couldn't move the mountains. It was painful, felt like I was dying when they took him from us each time, and it was painful when he begged at the end of each visit for us not to return him.If the Judge feels strongly about him being with you could you go for permanent guardianship? The parents would retain their parental rights, but if they wanted to contest in the future, they would have to do it on your turf, where the child lived. And the burden of the proof would be on them (whether they had supported the child, maintained contact, etc.) Just a thought. We are holding out for adoption for this very reason - we don't want them hanging over our heads for the rest of our lives.You will be in my prayers tonight...hold fast and remember that you are his vision of family and stability.