I don't know what is going on with my computer but I haven't been able to comment lately...I get asked to put in my "id" or something like that and when I do, the computer won't accept it. Ugh! So I apologize for not commenting lately...I just have to find time to navigate around to figure out how to fix that "bug".
Anywho...last weekend my dh and I had yet another talk about this waiting to adopt plan we have. It's going on 4 1/2 years of waiting. Yeah..talk about patience(NOT!). We have friends who are adopting a little girl with whom they've been fostering for the last two years and over the summer her mother had another child...and our friends are now fostering him..with hopes to adopt him as well. During dinner a few weeks ago,they brought up the fact that the foster care agency they are working with is always calling looking for homes for newborns or very young infants. What? These infants are in foster to adopt programs!
Now my dh and I did do the foster care classes last summer (I mentioned that right?). We just have to contact a social worker to get the license or transfer our license and from what I understand...it won't take too long. So, my dh and I are praying about whether we should go the foster care route. We won't do anything until summer (due to the fact I'm overwhelmed with being a new teacher) so we have time to discern. I just can't stop thinking about infants needing a home and how we have a home and lots of love to give to an infant. We know of another couple that are fostering a baby boy and they hope to adopt him. They get calls as well.
I guess in my heart I'm not sure I can take this huge risk....of falling in love with a child and having to send that child back home. I guess we'll never know if we don't take that risk huh? So..my dh and I are going to keep "waiting" to adopt until summer. IF no adoption comes about...Then decide to do foster or....just move on and enjoy our vocations as teachers. We can't keep waiting forever. At least now we have a plan.
Keep up that praying and God will show you what to do, I just know it. :)
ReplyDeleteHey J - I heard a quote today at Mass by CS Lewis that has me thinking a lot about vulnerability and love. I wanted to share it with you. I agree with Hebrews above - God is leading you guys on a beautiful journey and you are so right, you have LOTS of love to give and would be an amazing home for any infant. I will be continuing to pray for you guys and God Bless! P.S. I miss your musings and I am glad you are updating at least every now and then.
ReplyDelete“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” - C.S. Lewis
I notice I can no longer comment on my work computer because it does the exact same thing you were talking about. I notice it's blogs that require word verification and I think it must be because my work computer has some sort of pop-up/security blocker on it. Hope this helps you get things figured out!
ReplyDeleteThat is fantastic that you're considering foster to adopt! I have the same fears- but do you follow Elisabeth? http://www.blessed-and-broken.blogspot.com/ They foster and she has really opened my mind to it! IN fact we're loosely planning to grow our family via that avenue when we move (in a year or so...military). Elisabeth would be a great resource for you.
ReplyDeleteOne thing's for sure. Domestic adoption is always a risk. We weren't able to protect our hearts after all by avoiding foster-to-adopt.
Having a plan is always so good for the soul! We have done a lot of discerning about how we are going to pursue adoption because it is something we both want to do. I know after all these years of IF that international adoption is for us, I just can't take the heartache of the uncertainty of domestic adoption!
ReplyDeleteFostering is such a wonderful calling, I admire anyone that can find it in their hearts to do so. I sometimes wish that I could take home some of my students since I know they are not being loved the way that they should and deserve to be!
Praying for you!
p.s. For some reason when I look at your blog on my iPhone half of it just comes up blue and there are no words. I have to go on my laptop in order to read your posts in their entirety. Strange!
Wow - that path has a lot of upside and a lot of downside, to say the least. This much I can say for sure: if you open your home and your heart to a baby when you can't have one of your own, knowing that you might have to give him back, you are the bravest person in the world.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments! I'm having some issues at work right now so my dh and I are not really discussing foster care. We should be getting a call from our adoption S.W. soon, so that may sway us...since they haven't called us with any adoption possibilities since last summer. I know they are going through some changes as well. So...it's in the Lord's hands and we just pray for Him to help us as we keep discerning this important decision. :)
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