Weekend Retreat...Kid Free!

This weekend The Call of Pope County hosted a foster parent retreat at Camp Paron (Such a cool camp, look in to it for your youth camps!!) to allow us a chance to get a couple of our training hours in and have a chance to relax, child-free, for a couple of days.

I had no idea how much I needed the time away and what a blessing it would be to get to spend time with like-minded people that share the same struggles, success and heart for the babies (big and little) in foster care.

For me this was my first full weekend completely child free since all four of my kiddos have been with me (February), and let me just say, I experienced every kind of emotion while away.

Ecstatic that I had a weekend free of homework, cooking dinner, changing diapers, pushing kids out the door so they don't miss the bus, etc.

Overjoyed that I got to spend time with humans of the adult variety!

Humbled to know that I have parents that are so supportive and were more than willing to take on four kids for the weekend.

Surprised at how quickly I missed my big and little babies!

Thankful for all of the valuable stories and experiences shared that will help me survive and thrive in the daily flow of things in the life of a foster family.

And above all else, I felt so beyond loved coming home to three big babies racing to my car the second I pulled in. Attacked by hugs before I could even get my seat belt off, and spending the afternoon cuddling and singing with the cutest little guy that was so happy to have his mommy home.

As fun as the weekend was, coming home was definitely the best part of my little mini-vacation. Crazy how much things have changed since March 19, 2014 when my first little was placed with me.

a little bit of the happy life

via Google

My house is super chaotic right now. Like, I have my sweet (newly 1 year old) Bubby, Miss Priss and a two sisters are living with us now (10 and 13). When I got the call from DHS to take two more kids I'll be honest, I kind of freaked out a bit on the inside. But I told them, "Sure, give me 30 minutes to get home." And by 30 minutes to get home, that meant 30 minutes to do a quick cleaning sweep through my house!
I ended up picking up the girls in town, for what was supposed to be only a 3 day stay. Well...that was four weeks ago yesterday and my girls are still here. And we are having a blast. It is a bit crazy getting four kids ready (or monitoring) for school and daycare every morning and then making four stops in two different towns to get them all dropped off on time. And the showering schedule is a bit insane (Thank God for 2.5 bathrooms!). These girls, and Miss Priss are CONSTANTLY hungry and I catch them in my kitchen at midnight more often than I'd like to admit.
More than the crazy though, these girls are so loving. They want nothing more than to cuddle up on the couch, all 5 of us, and watch a movie together as a "family". Little outings, like taking them skating on Friday nights and actually staying instead of just dropping them off, seems like a huge deal to them. And if you get them ice cream afterwards, well, you are just the best thing since sliced bread.
I say all of the time how weird it was going from a single 23 year old to a 24 year old with a baby and a  10 year old. Well, it just keeps getting weirder that I am now a family of 5, but I wouldn't change a bit of it! Love these babies like they were mine. Prayers appreciated for the girls parents and for me and my babies when we go back to court in April to pursue adoption!

more changes.

Just when things almost seem normal again one email can completely throw everything off.

So I knew what I was getting in to when I signed up to be a foster parent. You take in these kids who have all kinds of crazy pasts, horrible emotional and mental issues and even sometimes physical disabilities. You bring these kids into your home and family and you take care of them. Not just the basics, food, clothing, etc. You listen to their stories, their awful stories of abuse and neglect. You hear how they still love the people you consider absolute monsters for what they did to their own babies and you cannot imagine why they still have this connection with them. You deal with complete emotional breakdowns and hissy fits that would Kim Kardashian look like an angel. There are siblings in other homes, in other counties, and sometimes other states. You have to constantly be on look out for the last crazies these kids lived with.

It's exhausting really.

But then, through all of this crazy, you fall absolutely in love with these babies. There is a bond there like no other. You did not give birth to these kids but they are yours. And then, as fast as they showed up on your doorstep they disappear to go live with "forever families" or other bio family members.

You know what happens then? You cry. And then cry some more. And then ask yourself, "Why in the heck would I put myself through this insanity!?"
I can tell you why. I prayed for years for God to show me where he wanted to use me. I wanted a place to minister and be a blessing. I don't preach or teach. I sure don't sing. But I can take care of babies. I can love them and pray for them and prepare them for things to come.

This is my ministry. This is where God has placed me for this season of my life. And while it is so rewarding, yet absolutely heartbreaking, I will enjoy this time.

Please pray for one of my sweeties and my family and I as we start the process of moving her to a potential forever home. We want nothing but the best for her!