I am torn between wanting to share out loud (this here feels pretty loud to me) and sticking to my safe spiral notebook. I want others to know what fostering feels like but this is all so new and still very raw. Someone had their child taken away (or lost their right to parent for the time being, depending on your angle). And then they gave that child to us. My emotions run the gamut but are quickly gathered and sequestered. There are four children to care for as well as a husband. Managing all the feelings may be the biggest challenge of it all. Snippets from the past month....
Within the span of three hours (from call to pick up), everything changed.
For an indeterminate amount of time, we are a family of six instead of a family of five.
For four days, sleep eluded half of us as we slowly (three weeks slow) and softly fell into new patterns.
Our children are amazing. They've opened their hearts and affections and have become his favorite toys to play with. They have their own feelings (mostly good). We talk about them often.
My ever-so-long summer to do list has flown out the window. And I couldn't care less.
This has been one of the hardest and most rewarding weeks of my life. We are doing it.
For reasons I cannot share here, I now know why we had to wait for our first placement.
He has stolen our hearts. They are his to take- both now and again when he leaves us.
Trust and obey. There is no other way.
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Wednesday, July 23, 2014
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Praying with you!
ReplyDeleteGod's Blessings on you and your family. This child will be a better person having lived with and loved and been loved by you.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your family as you love this new little one! God has supplied him with a wonderful home as long as needed - and a wonderful, caring family. Thank you for being willing and obedient. Thinking of Jesus with the little children - "Let them come to Me." Mutual blessings! And thanks for the peek into your lives. - Esther in NJ
ReplyDeleteJane,
ReplyDeleteMay God bless you for your willingness to foster children in your home. One of my nieces and her husband also felt the call to be foster parents several years ago. What a whirlwind of emotions! It was only through God's sustaining grace that they were able to endure the late night calls to take in children, the heartbreaking events that brought the children into their home, the grief of separation when the children moved on, and the frustrations created by a well meaning but absolutely dysfunctional Family Protective Services organization. They could also see first hand and up close how very healing a loving family environment was for the children. In the end they ended up adopting a wonderful, loving little boy whose situation had left him with some special needs. He continues to grow and thrive in his new family. I pray you and your family will have the strength and endurance to accomplish all God has called you to do.
Mark
I can only imagine your "new" life as foster parents. Our daughter and her family have been " fostering to adopt" a set of 2 year old twin girls. Lots of emotion involved but they wouldn't trade it for the world. God bless you for what you are giving for that little fellow. Nancy
ReplyDeletexoxoxo Bless you for providing a safe and loving place for him to be while his parent's figure out what they need to do better and (hopefully) work toward doing so. xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you feel. Fostering is harder than anyone can imagine. Adjusting seems to take forever, but you will be blessed knowing that the Father made this placement for His reason and in His time.
ReplyDeleteI have tears in my eyes! Beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteKK @ www.preppypinkcrocodile.com
Tears here also. Thank you for your example in humbly seeking God's guidance. God bless you all.
DeleteI am very happy for you that this has now come to pass for you. I cannot fathom how intense this experience has been. Not sure I could do it, knowing I would have to return the child at some point. My thoughts are with you and your family!!
ReplyDeleteYou and your family are making a difference. No small thing. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteYou bless me time and time again. Praying for you and your family as you walk this blessed and challenging path.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing out loud. I'm sure someday you'll hear the words "well done, my good and faithful servant."
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! That last sentence...
ReplyDeleteMy parents started fostering children just after I married. It was truly a family endeavor as one of my brothers and my sister and my husband & I all became foster parents. My husband & I had several placements and they all finally settled in. We loved each and every one of them and felt blessed to be able to bring some stability to their lives when they were in need. We were sad to see them go but it was truly just a time for the parents to get the help they needed. Our 4th placement was a 3 year old boy who was a 3 time looser. They tried to keep him with his siblings but our boy just could not settle in anywhere. When they placed him with us, his next step would have been a group home for emotionally disturbed children. Long story short, we adopted him several years later. My family was amazing and opened their arms to him. That was 35 years ago. We did not intend to adopt but God led him to us and we became his only option for a family of his own. It was not easy, there were times when he was a handful, but he has blessed our lives in so many ways. God always has a plan if we're only open to it. Blessings for your family as you offer this little one a home and your love. Prayers for all of you that God's plans for this child are achieved.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your story and for the encouragement.
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