The Path Ever Changing

Everyone that we've talked to about foster care has warned about how long and chaotic the process is.  Being aware of this fact doesn't make it any easier to swallow.  Anyone that knows me knows how difficult being patient is for me. 

At this point we have turned in all of the paperwork, had physicals and been fingerprinted at the Sherrif's department.  On Friday we had our first home visit, which lasted 2 and a half hours.  We planned on one training session that would have ended at the beginning of February, in Tulsa.  Our agency told us about one that they were having that would be a week at the end of January in the evenings + one Saturday.  It was in Owasso, which was awesome.  However, our trainer wasn't quite finished with her training so it ended up getting canceled.  This was, of course, after the initial training had started so we needed to find another class.  We settled for one the second half of February and would be finished at the beginning of March.  It wasn't as soon as I had hoped, but I'll take what I can get.  I have to keep reminding myself that it isn't on my timeline.

Yesterday, an article on the front page of the Tulsa newspaper spoke about DHS failing to keep children safe.  I can't say that the article was entirely fair in their portrayal of child deaths while in the system, but the main story about a young girl that was killed while staying with an approved family member was gut-wrenching.  The article went on to talk about how many children need homes and how few there are available.  It made me feel even worse about having to wait another month to even begin training.  I emailed our agency asking if we were for sure scheduled for the class at this point as I didn't want to miss another one.  She replied and said that she hadn't heard back yet.  I felt even more deflated.  Later that afternoon I received a message from her saying that she needed to talk to us about some other options.  My heart sank...  the classes fill up fast, I know this.  She didn't answer when I called back.

I got home that evening and we all went on a walk.  I was whining to B about it all when my phone rang.  Turns out that our agency had found another person to do the training and they wanted to start this weekend!  I called my parents to beg them to come down to watch the kids while we attended the class.  Of course, being the wonderful parents they are, they agreed.  B and I were trying to figure out who else we could ask to cover the rest of the Saturdays.  My sister had offered to come in from Ohio, because that is the sort of sister I have, but I'd hate to have her drive 24 hours and not even get to stay that long.  We woke up the next morning with a text from B's sister asking if we ever figured out training this month and if we needed any help, because that is the sort of sister B(I) has (have).  Um.. yeah.. that's the kind of family we have and the kind of God we serve.  Today I am feeling incredibly blessed.  Our family is the kind of family I want to share with others.. they ROCK! 

I received an email with a verse of the day from a co-worker as I was writing this blog.  I had already titled the post.. and it seems even more fitting now.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths

Proverbs 3:5-6

Of course.. I prepare myself for the possibility that tomorrow, it may change again.
 

God's Got This, Baby!

Foster:  encourage or promote the development of (something, typically something regarded as good).

Sometimes God taps you on the shoulder and let's you in on a plan he has for your life.  Sometimes, should you ignore or put off the tapping, he sticks out a Godly branch for you to to trip over.  As you fall face first to the ground you are left staring His plan in the face.  This is how it was for me and Gods desire for us to be foster parents.  

 The idea of adoption or fostering isn't' a new one for B and I.  We have talked about it off and on over the years.  It was always a nice idea for "down the road."  We had a picture of it in our heads, our kids grown and taking on some older children that struggled finding anyone else to take them in.  This was the plan.  I have learned though, God's plan doesn't always mesh with ours.  Our first Christmas in Oklahoma opened a door to foster care through our church.  Signing up to get gifts for local orphans was the first step.  This initiated a conversation about foster care in our family.  A couple of months later someone from school mentioned a meeting in our community where foster families got together and talked about the reality of fostering, their experiences, and answered questions anyone might have.  Then, a few weeks later, our church held an informational meeting on foster care and volunteer opportunities.  We took the giant folder of paperwork home to look through.  We still felt like it was an opportunity for us to seek in the future, but looking now wouldn't hurt.  

The packet went in my tray at the back of the office.  Later that spring, we participated in "Walk a Mile" at a local children's home.  They don't tell you when you sign up, but they have kids from the shelter all along the walk holding signs about themselves.  They ranged in ages from teens down to just a few years old.  I looked at B and told him I wanted to take them all home.  My heart broke and I knew that these kids needed our help NOW.  From then on I saw little signs everwhere.  However, now that my eyes were opened.. didn't mean that B's were.  God dropped hints everywhere.  There were plugs in the messages at church, news stories and from others in the community.  We had so many questions and fears so we kept putting it off.  In the end it took a great person in our LifeGroup to say to us, "If you are lead to do this, then why wait?  Do it now."  We called to schedule our physicals that week and began completing the piles of paperwork.

Don't get me wrong, we still have a million questions and fears.  I know that my heart will break a hundred times over and I have no clue how I will handle it.  All I know is that God has this plan and I have faith in Him to get us through all of the rest.