Friday, June 25, 2010
A new baby in the house!
We have a new baby in the house! Yesterday around dinner time we took placement of a 3-month old baby boy. I found out today that it looks like he'll be placed with an aunt on Tuesday afternoon, after a court hearing. So we won't have him for very long. I don't know what is more of a challenge - taking care of an infant again, or keeping my own kids out of his little chubby face! They just want to surround him constantly, and I think he gets a tad overwhelmed! He slept ok last night - down to sleep around 9 pm, up at 1:30 and 5 am for feedings, and up for the day at 8 am. This afternoon has been a struggle for him - I think he's realizing this is not home, and has been very fussy. But he's good right now - he's cooing to my daughter while he is in his swing. Hopefully those coos won't turn in to screams!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
An update - finally!
It has been a long time since I updated this blog - wow! Life does get busy!
We are still licensed foster parents, but we now mainly do respite care and emergency placements. We took quite a break in 2009 - too many things going on in our lives, and a big surgery in October for me - but since the start of 2010 we've gotten back into fostering. We've done three respite cares - a 10 month old boy, a 4 month old boy, and a 3 year old - and we've done one after hours emergency placement for a 12 month old girl. We had to turn down a second after hours placement due to other family commitments, but we are back on the list again. It's a good fit for our family now - our kids (all three adopted in 2008 from foster care) know that we are just "babysitting" and that the kiddos we take in aren't staying forever. We had thought, or at least, I had thought, that I wanted one more child to adopt, another girl. But after doing the respite care for the 4 month old, I realized that adoption of more is not on the books right now for us. We are so set in our schedules now, that having a new baby on a permanent basis would not be a good fit. So, we continue to do what we feel called to do right now - helping other foster families and taking in the late night, after hours emergency kiddos. I am really beginning to see the difference in what I want versus what God wants. He really does speak to your heart if you just listen! I'm a poor listener sometimes! I always want to thrust my own ideas and opinions out there, and hope that God makes them happen. But when I just wait patiently on Him, and listen to what He wants me to do, things work out perfectly! At this point I know that unless God really puts a new baby in my lap and speaks loudly to me for adoption, we are done. But it's a good feeling, not a bad one!
It goes the same for home schooling. I guess people just automatically assume that if you are a foster parent, or an adoptive parent, that you want to, or have a great desire to, homeschool. That has never been the case with me. But I felt so pressured by others at times, thinking that was what I was "supposed to to". I feel that if God really wanted me to homeschool, it would be on my heart, or that He would need to really shout it out to me. I think that our public schools need Christian families involved in them. My husband and I both attended public schools, and I think we turned out just fine! I want my kids to be an example to others about God's love and I want them involved in public school. And to be even more honest - they need a break from home just as much as mommy needs a break. I want them to learn that mommy and daddy aren't the only people in life you need to listen to and obey.
Saying all that, our oldest starts kindergarten in the fall. He is so excited about it! He tells everyone that he gets to go to "the big school" after summer is over. And my youngest one starts preschool this fall, 3 days a week with our middle child. So, for three mornings a week, all three of my young chicks will be at school, and mommy will be home for 2-1/2 hours by herself! What a concept! I'm not sure what I'll do at first, but I know it will be a good time to get caught up on things at the house. School is only 5 minutes from our house, so it will be easy to come home right after drop-off. All three of our kids love school, and look forward to going. I hope it will be that way forever!
PS - I will be back-updating some posts, just to get current on some things. I hate things being out of order, so as I post about old news, I will back date it. Hope it doesn't confuse anyone!
We are still licensed foster parents, but we now mainly do respite care and emergency placements. We took quite a break in 2009 - too many things going on in our lives, and a big surgery in October for me - but since the start of 2010 we've gotten back into fostering. We've done three respite cares - a 10 month old boy, a 4 month old boy, and a 3 year old - and we've done one after hours emergency placement for a 12 month old girl. We had to turn down a second after hours placement due to other family commitments, but we are back on the list again. It's a good fit for our family now - our kids (all three adopted in 2008 from foster care) know that we are just "babysitting" and that the kiddos we take in aren't staying forever. We had thought, or at least, I had thought, that I wanted one more child to adopt, another girl. But after doing the respite care for the 4 month old, I realized that adoption of more is not on the books right now for us. We are so set in our schedules now, that having a new baby on a permanent basis would not be a good fit. So, we continue to do what we feel called to do right now - helping other foster families and taking in the late night, after hours emergency kiddos. I am really beginning to see the difference in what I want versus what God wants. He really does speak to your heart if you just listen! I'm a poor listener sometimes! I always want to thrust my own ideas and opinions out there, and hope that God makes them happen. But when I just wait patiently on Him, and listen to what He wants me to do, things work out perfectly! At this point I know that unless God really puts a new baby in my lap and speaks loudly to me for adoption, we are done. But it's a good feeling, not a bad one!
It goes the same for home schooling. I guess people just automatically assume that if you are a foster parent, or an adoptive parent, that you want to, or have a great desire to, homeschool. That has never been the case with me. But I felt so pressured by others at times, thinking that was what I was "supposed to to". I feel that if God really wanted me to homeschool, it would be on my heart, or that He would need to really shout it out to me. I think that our public schools need Christian families involved in them. My husband and I both attended public schools, and I think we turned out just fine! I want my kids to be an example to others about God's love and I want them involved in public school. And to be even more honest - they need a break from home just as much as mommy needs a break. I want them to learn that mommy and daddy aren't the only people in life you need to listen to and obey.
Saying all that, our oldest starts kindergarten in the fall. He is so excited about it! He tells everyone that he gets to go to "the big school" after summer is over. And my youngest one starts preschool this fall, 3 days a week with our middle child. So, for three mornings a week, all three of my young chicks will be at school, and mommy will be home for 2-1/2 hours by herself! What a concept! I'm not sure what I'll do at first, but I know it will be a good time to get caught up on things at the house. School is only 5 minutes from our house, so it will be easy to come home right after drop-off. All three of our kids love school, and look forward to going. I hope it will be that way forever!
PS - I will be back-updating some posts, just to get current on some things. I hate things being out of order, so as I post about old news, I will back date it. Hope it doesn't confuse anyone!
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