Becoming a Foster Parent

Again... it's been a long time since my last blog. :) no excuses, it just is what it is. I am a busy girl and sometimes life turns in to triage rather than doing whatever I want. Who needs me most urgently to do what/be where? So my blog time gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list *shrug* it is what it is. And I am OK with that. One day my kids will be all growed up and on their owns and I will have all the time in the world on my hands... *sort of* knowing me, I will find a new priority to fill the emptiness. I am who I am, I need a job to feel important and when I don't have one, I make one or find one. So, most recently I must have "needed more on my plate" because Honey and I spent over 2 months getting certified and back ground checked and house rearranged to welcome 2 littles girls into our busy home who needed someone to guide and love them. We became foster parents. I have to admit-it is rather annoying to hear so many people rave about our act of kindness because we didn't do it for the "atta boys". We did it because there is a need. Because we have children we love and can't imagine that someone would be blessed with these gifts of life only to abuse and neglect them. No one asks to be born so when God gives parents these precious gifts they treat them like garbage. It's sad. Honey and I feel like we have been blessed more than we could have ever imagined. We have a great life-no bragging, only very grateful! We KNOW like we know like we know-only by the Grace of God go I! We have a relationship that works, more often than not :) we have healthy loving children who are perfectly imperfect but who are loved and placed on top of our priority list. We are blessed with God's favor in employment, finance, provision-so we pay it forward. We feel like one day these children who we get to spend time with that don't belong to us may be changed in a way that will help them be the best possible person they can be. We can so we do. The "rent" for living is service. And as quoted from Matthew 25:40- "...In as much as ye have done it unto least of these ye have also done for me" so we do what we can. I have found that I can be tested beyond what I thought I would be and that my patience endures. I have found places where I thought I was on top of things and realized I need to do more. I have prayed to be the Mother these kids deserve more than I have prayed for anything for myself. Praying for patience only gives God opportunities to allow you to show patience and sometimes I wish he didn't trust me so much! LOL But I endure. I have also found that when I think I am at my wits end-there I find strength to go further. A pretty neat part of this journey for me has been that I thought I could not love these kids. I thought I could care about them and take care of them but that they were not mine and so I could not love them that way... but that is not so. I do love them and I feel especially protective over them. I am so grateful that my kids understand that these girls need to be shown care and concern so they don't get jealous of them :) instead they follow our lead and show them compassion and care. Don't get me wrong-they sure no how to push our buttons-but it is easier to handle when you know WHY they do what they do. So that is our biggest news lately. So much more has been on my mind and with so many lessons I have learned recently I feel like there is more to write. It has been helpful for me to go back and read what I was feeling and thinking during certain growth spurts :) so I will try to get back here more often. Happy May! :)