1. Yippy!
2. Wow!
3. That's so cute
4. I really miss my sleep
5. Why the heck did ____________ just do that? (blank can be filled with child's name, DCS, parents, Andy or myself, etc.)
6. My heart is overflowing with happiness
7. What did we get ourselves into
8. This is too much
9. God has called us to do a mighty thing!
10. We're never taking another placement
11. Yippy!
12. Wow!
13. That's so cute
14. I really miss my sleep
..and so on and so forth.
Getting the picture? After our first month, it's very clear that fostering children is the most complex and dynamic thing we've ever done. And even though all of the thoughts and emotions above play through my head on a daily (sometimes hourly and sometimes by the minute) basis and I'm constantly thinking of how demanding raising children really is, it's always indescribably sweet and reassuring that we've done the right thing when C runs to me to show me something new he's learned or M smiles the second she sees me or S gives me a hug out of nowhere.
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Acts 20:35
Though we don't know how long we'll have these little ones, I have a strong feeling that we'll have them with us through the holidays and alongside us as we ring in 2013! I've already been daydreaming about little hands and feet in the house at Christmas - what a blessing that will be!
I wish I could share every last detail of life over the last month and include pictures, but for privacy and confidentiality, obviously I can't. But, here's a little snippet for your reading pleasure!
C - the oldest boy. Super smart and pretty funny. Always wants to be the best at everything. Loves bossing around his little brother. Loves his baby sister. Protective of both his siblings. Loves preschool.
S - the youngest boy and middle child. The mischievous one! Very familiar with our time out corner, which we have affectionately called the Wall of Tears, because it's stained with C and S tears. It sounds more dramatic than it really is, I promise :-). S has a smile that will melt your heart and he wants to be just like his big brother. Over the last two weeks we've noticed S making huge strides in his speech and is saying more words and even stringing some together to form sentences! Great to see since he's been working with a developmental therapist for a while, now.
M - the baby girl. Such a happy, easy-going baby. Very smiley and entertains herself easily. We're blessed to have celebrated her latest achievement, pulling up, and her 8th month b-day in our home :-) Still doesn't sleep through the night but we're getting more accustomed to disjointed sleep schedules. M loves to watch her older brothers, even if she sometimes looks at them like "what are you DOING?!"
Even though the kids are very well-behaved and are filling our home with so much joy and so many laughs, Andy and I still struggle occasionally to have gone from 0 to 3 children overnight. In those times, it's good to remember the words and promises of our God:
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Proverbs 3:27
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 1 John 3:17
Until the next time...
Until the next time...
