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.