Kid's Room

Ever since we picked out the house plan in fall 2007, I knew exactly which room was going to be the nursery. I had dreams of how to decorate the nursery if there was to be a baby boy or girl to sleep there. While we were in the midst of picking out paint colors in April 2010, I had my 19-week ultrasound to determine if our baby was a boy or girl. I thought it was perfect timing, as paint was to go on the walls in two weeks. However, after receiving the news that she was very sick and would not survive, I couldn't bring myself to pick out a special color to paint the room. So, we opted for the same light brown color that was going up in most of the house. 

Ever since then, my dream of the "middle bedroom" becoming a nursery was tucked back into a corner of my heart. I still had dreams, but wanted to guard my heart against making any specific plans. So, the room was used as extra storage.

 Sometime last summer I decided to make that room useful. I did some organizing and converted it into a craft room, where I made a couple baby quilts for my nieces.

 After we decided to do foster care, I was excited to finally turn this room into a kid room. The neutral wall paint is good, since we don't know what gender we'll get. We received many baby/toddler items/furniture from our generous friends. But, my favorite part was going down the baby aisle at Target. I never got to register for a baby shower or pick out cute bedding for myself before. It was surprising how happy it made my heart to pick out a couple sets of crib sheets and blankets. It was even more fun to put in the kid's room. We don't know the exact ages, but I'm planning on a baby and a toddler. We'll have a crib (pack n play for now) and a toddler bed sharing one room. We switched the dresser with the guest room, so I could have a changing table on top. We received toys, swings and an exersaucer from friends, which make the room so fun. I love the way it's coming together and makes my so happy to think children will be staying in here soon.

 This is still a work in progress. I need to get curtains and maybe something to hang on the wall (that picture was left over from above the craft desk). I also need some books to put on my empty shelves. So happy this room will finally be a kid's room.

Becoming Foster Parents

Adam and I have felt a desire to become parents for a few years now. However, we have not been able to have children the "normal" way. We have been through years of trying with no success. Two years ago, we had to say goodbye to our sweet Hannah when she was stillborn at 23 weeks. We have even tried through fertility testing and treatments. However, nothing worked.

 All of this, as well as an ever growing desire to love children, has led us to the path of becoming Foster Parents. We were made aware of the need through families at our church. We saw as a few families were able to adopt children into their family, saving them from the neglect and abuse that had been their whole lives. We sensed that God wanted us to love children in this way, caring for them for however long they stay in our home. Trust me - the potential heart ache from giving back a foster child into a situation that I don't deem acceptable would keep me from doing this in my own power. But, God is bigger than I am. I have come to the understanding that no matter how long they stay in our home, they will be better off because they once felt love and care. We would love to adopt out of the system, but the main goal for foster care is to reunite the children with their biological family. While this is not always possible, it will be our goal throughout the process.

 After some research, we decided to go through Florida Baptist Children's Home. We took the 10-week required parenting class beginning in January. We have steadily been sending in our piles of paperwork, references, financial statements and family profiles. We have gotten physicals, finger printed and we're working on bringing our house up to their safety standards. This is a lot of work, but it's worth it. It's what we need to do to bring children in our home, who are so desperate for love. We're excited.

 Yes, we can say what age, etc we would accept. As of now, we're willing to accept a sibling group of two children who are three and under. No, we don't know who they are. They call you when there's a need. As in: they picked up the children this afternoon while their mother was drugged on the couch and they need a place to sleep tonight. They call you and want a response within 0 - 20 minutes. We need to be prepared with everything as soon as we're licensed. There's a large need for sibling groups, so we'll probably get a call within a few days, if not hours.

 I want to share part of this journey on the blog, but for privacy reasons, we are not allowed to share pictures, names or specifics about the children we foster. I hope you understand. But, that won't stop me from sharing general information and how life changes for Adam and me.

 We appreciate your prayer for us and the future children that enter our home. This will be a difficult journey, but we know it's right where God wants us.

Blog Renovation

Adam and I moved into our house in October of 2010. I think it's about time to update this blog from building our house to keeping up with our day to day adventures. Thankfully, we have more to our lives now than using all of our spare time to build a home.

 All the old posts are still there, but I'm updating the format and hope to be better at posting updates regularly. I plan to share about weekend trips, projects around the house, my garden, my nieces, and the journey to becoming foster parents.

 I changed the name to Walking the Lighted Path. Life is a journey where we are called to follow the path that God has called each of us to. It may not be easy, but God will provide everything we need to see just far enough ahead to know the next step, but not too far where we don't need His guidance. Thank you for taking the time to ready about our journey.