Respite #1

Last weekend we did our first Foster Care Respite.

Respite connects licensed Foster Care Homes (like ours) with other Foster Care families that may need a break.  You can't leave your foster children with a regular babysitter, or even with family members, unless they are fully cleared by the state and your agency.  Even then, usually you can't leave them overnight.  Respite is a much needed break, rest, rejuvenation. 

The family we were connected with has 3 FC kiddos right now, 2 different placements.  We took all 3 for the weekend.  Our home was filled and it felt so good.  Easy.  Busy.  Fun.  Perfect. 

I know we were truly blessed by all those praying for us because the weekend went so smoothly.  Henry and Owen were awesome with the other kids, and the kids responded well to our home and family.  Yes, there were a few minor kid type things as kids will have.  Yes, getting a meal on the table for everyone to eat while it's still warm was challenging.  But doable.

The whole weekend was doable.

And then we gave them back to their FC family.  We offered to take them again sometime.  We offered our prayers for each child and their families. 

The sadness of them leaving is lingering with me ...

Oh man, I'm going to feel this way after every single child we help leaves our home, aren't I?  I'm so in trouble with all these emotions.  But I'll do it again.  And again.  As long as we're called into this hot mess of helping children.

¹⁰ Feed the hungry,
    and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
    and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

Isaiah 58:10

 

 

 

 

Saying Yes

Did you know that Dude 1 and Dude 2 have a little sister?  

Probably not - because I haven't really been telling anyone.  

But last night - when we were at our last training class (woot woot!!) - our licenser was putting some finishing touches on our paperwork and asked again what age range we want it to say.  

First, we decided 3-9 (to cover Dude 1 getting older).  

Then I stopped her.  I looked at husband.  He looked at me.  And we said ... 

"Welllll... there is sister." 

"Do you want me to put infant-9?  You'd need to set up a crib."

"Sure okay, we'll put it in our bedroom." 

What?!?  We can't take baby girl too.  We wouldn't even be able to pay for daycare - I'm certain of it.  When we first read their 17 page life and it mentioned her, we talked about it and said, "Maybe when she gets older like 2 or 3..."    (side note:  she is not even available right now, her goal is currently reunification) 

But we just couldn't exclude her from our license age range. 

Which means I guess we're putting the crib back up. 

I'm telling ya ... when you're stepping out into the work God is calling you to do - don't put stipulations on it. 

Example:  Sure God, we'll look into adopting from foster care.  But we only want kids younger than our own kids.  And only one child.  Maayyybe two. 

Ha. 

Keep praying for us!!  We are trusting that HIS plans are greater than our plans!! 

Forward in Faith...

Yesterday was a roller coaster day.

I got an email that gave us seventeen pages about a sibling group we've inquired about.  Let's call them Dude 1 and Dude 2.  Seventeen pages of their lives.  And this is supposed to help us decide if we'd like to pursue further. 

I left school with anxious and excited knots in my stomach.  I was talking like a crazy person in the car all the way home.  "I'm scared I'm scared I'm scared"

In perfect timing, on comes this song:



(first line hint:  "Jesus, my soul is fearless ... for You are with us, fighting for us"

I also notice on the way home that Owen is falling asleep in the car, which is odd.
Then we get home and he starts acting sick, not eating, not moving, and oh yeah - he has a fever of 102.  So I start gearing up to take another sick day and plan for a sub - again.  This is the third time this year already that I've had to stay home with a sick child.  Nick has also already taken 3 days.

Then.  We get a call that our well water test came back positive for coliform bacteria.  Again.  He recommends another smaller treatment.  Which is fine - no one wants bacteria in their water (though I'm guessing it's always been like this, from what I read online it's pretty common for private wells to have a trace of this) But we just spend over $200 on the first treatment.  And more than that on getting our septic pumped.  Did I mention Owen needs a new window in his bedroom?  Or the car repairs we just did?  Or how I got a ticket for expired registration for our car?

And so begins the debate ... are these signs for us to slow down?  Or are they road blocks from the enemy trying to stop us from doing God's work that He's called us to do?  Or BOTH?