Parker Family

Our friends Mike & Sasha are bringing home their adopted son Joseph from Ethiopia this week! They have such a sweet story on their blog about how the Lord has been grafting Joseph into their family. I think I've cried while reading every blog post! Click here, then scroll back and be BLESSED!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Home Study Completed!

Today we had the last home inspection of our home study to become foster/adoptive parents. This process began last August and has involved many meetings, classes, paperwork, appointments, and more personal questions than I care to recount (God forbid you tell them you have ever been to counseling! Opened that can of worms way too many times.) I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulder. We should have our final approval within a week and then can accept a placement at any time.

I have to brag on my wonderful husband who has been a solid rock partner and never failing encourager during this process. I should write more about that soon. But for now I'm just going to enjoy my nice clean and deceptively barely organized house. And we are on our way to hang out with our friends Ben & Julie for an evening chat taking with us a fresh baked chocolate beet cake. Yes, David Leibovitz Moist Chocolate-Beet Cake.

Booster Shot Needed

My husband recently asked me if I had my pertussis booster (whooping cough). He had just had his booster shot. I told him I would call and check before we become foster parents. Then I got a cold. Then they announced an outbreak of whooping cough at our school. It does feel like I work in a germ factory during the winter. An early dose of antibiotics has suppressed the illness in my body but I spent the last week feeling MISERABLE. On the mend now and scheduled for a shot next month.
But the commercial keeps playing over in my head "Your arms should be the safest place in the world for your baby.........". Make sure you've had your adult booster if you are around kids!

DIY Disaster

For about a year I've been making my own laundry detergent. It's saves me tons of money and I only have to make up a double batch about 2-3 times a year. Though money is not the main drive behind this DIY routine. I hate buying cleaning products and resent bottles of laundry detergent. Can't really explain except to say that I really hate them.

Lately I noticed that my liquid detergent was leaving the whites kinda dingy so last night I doctored the recipe. Note to self: Do not add oxy clean while you are still cooking the detergent. Foam was everywhere and kept growing. Had to throw it out and start over again. Oh well.

Kid Stuff!

I've said that the thought of becoming "instant parents" has been daunting to me and John. I'm less scared about how-to's of parenting, but worry more about making our home a place where a small child would want to live. We've been given a few baby things and know the basic equipment needs of babies/toddlers. We are open to taking in children ages 0-5. I want to be able to have a few things on hand for each of those ages so we are a litle prepared before we get the phone call. If you have young children, what are some of the things that you can't live without?
Can you advise?????

Due Date

This week our home study is due to be completed (minus the licencing inspection). The process started in August with an initial inquiry sent in via the web while driving back from family vacation in Michigan. Once our application was submitted, the state agency had 100 days to complete the home study. This has included three home visits with interviews, about 24 hours of training classes, mounds of paperwork (thank you John!), moving around bedrooms to make a "kid's room", a few tears, too many anxieties, and MANY prayers. After the home study is reviewed this week, a different state agency has 30 days to complete the inspection. Which means that I have less than 30 days to make this house "kid safe".

Why Foster Care?

I realize that many of you may have questions about why John & I are progressing down the route of caring for foster children. Hopefully this post will answer some of those questions.

What type of children are in foster care?
Children who are in foster care have usually been removed from their parents custody because of abuse or neglect. All ages of children are in foster care. The purpose is always for the parents to work toward reunification and they usually have about a year to do so. If they don't fulfill the requirements, their rights are terminated and the child becomes available for adoption. (This is the most straightforward explaination, however, there are about a million variants in individualt cases.)

Are you struggling with infertility?
Yes and No! Shortly after getting married we found out that I had a congenital defect resulting in a malformed uterus which would make it impossible to carry a pregnancy. Two surgeries later I supposedly have a safe womb. However, there have been many bumps along the way that have forced us to reflect on what it best for us and how might God have already planned to put our family together. This opened our hearts to pursuing this journey toward foster care and adoption.

Why foster care?
Foster care was something that we talked about before we got engaged (initiated by me, Christine). For many year before I was married I wondered if my calling in life was only to love and care for other people's children (through my vocational ministries and relationship with families). I was much at peace with this idea. Foster care was modeled for me at the youngest age. My grandparents had over 100 foster children in their care. I can remember playing with them when I was a little girl. I worked with foster kids in a group home when I was just out of college. For years I have envied the many families I've known who have done Bethany Cradle Care (caring for infants before they are placed in adoptive homes). Foster care was just always something I hoped to do in life. I also loved the idea of adoption. Foster care and adoption after biological children. John was open to the idea though he also thought it would follow having biological children. The Lord used some hard struggles to help us accept that the picture we had in our head may not actually be what He has drawn for us. Slowly our hearts began to change and we were led to pursuing foster care now. Sometimes all it takes are the simple words of a friend to change your persepctive a great deal.

What if you get too attached?
This is a common question, along with the comment "I would get too attached.". Turns out that attachment is the purpose of foster care! While children are not with their parents they need to form loving and secure bonds with their primary caregivers. They need to know that they can trust you and that you will care for them. Healthy attachment  is the best thing that can happen in a foster family. The hard part is letting go. And it will be hard. Maybe too hard. It just makes me think "I'm so glad that John is my partner in this adventure." Sure and steady John.
For a good rant on foster attachment, read this.

This post is too long already! That's all for now (though I always have more to say).

Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas to you, our friends and family!

Every year seems to pass more quickly than the last. 2011 allowed us a chance to “catch our breath” after John completed the 2010 Census. We enjoyed making memories with vacations to California and Michigan. Christine got a new job working in a Glen Rock elementary school as a third grade assistant. John is currently being challenged through supervising a survey for the eastern half of the country.  We are so thankful to have jobs that we love. In January we “adopted” a small mix breed dog named Bodi. She has been a sweet blessing in our home and we enjoy her so much.

We have great expectation that 2012 will be full of adventure for us.  We are about to complete our home study to become foster/adoptive parents. This has been a huge faith challenge for us. The object of foster care is to help children develop healthy attachments while they are not able to live with their parents. Our hope is to give temporary care as well as build our own family by adopting children that become available through the system. We trust that God has written our family story for us and our hearts are steadfast in trust that He will reveal His plan one step at a time.

As you celebrate the holiday season we hope that the greatest story ever, the Word becoming flesh, is made real in your hearts. Joy to the World!

(Dog picture not included with Christmas cards. Just an added bonus for those reading here. ;)