Spring Has Sprung

I have been distant on here for way too long. So much goes on in every day that I wish I could write about, journal on and reflect on, but I get to the end of the day and my brain can barely put one full sentence together. This pregnancy has caused my already jumbled brain into mush. Foster care and pregnancy makes for very interesting  emotions. The last three months have been full of; Izzie turning 3, the twins turning 3, Jake turning 5, homeschool, my mother in law in town for a month, my parents here for Easter, doctors appointments, dentist appointments, etc. etc. etc. It has been full, but thankfully full of so many good things to celebrate. With the twins here Izzie has definitely taken the big sister role and has grown in leaps and bounds. She absolutely loves to help the twins and do her schoolwork. The twins' growth is hard to even measure because we often forget where they started. They have grown in communication, listening, and understanding their roles in family. The days have often been hard yet to hear them say "Okay mama", "I'm sorry", or "Can you please help me?" makes all the hard days worth it. The three three year olds are hilarious to watch and they always come up with some funny imaginary game to play. Allie and Jake continue on their school year doing great and understanding that sometimes ministry takes a lot of our time. They so often strap on their boots and get to work. I am learning that homeschool is full of GRACE and that there are days we have hours on end to read, immerse ourselves in books, do art and take nature walks, yet a lot of days we are doing our school work in doctors offices, in the car or at a coffee shop. I am learning both actually have so many benefits and that learning happens in so many places. Thankfully my children are learning the gift of grace alongside of myself.

My parents made the trip out for Easter and it always goes by way too fast. My mother in law had been here prior for the month and oh my goodness was it a help. Nothing like being able to take just one or two to an appointment without having to drag the whole gang, or even going to the grocery store alone! So when my parents came and went in three days it felt like a blink. I sat on my couch this morning drinking my coffee listening to the quiet of my kids sleeping reflecting on this last month. I can't help but be so thankful for the 4 grandparents in my kids lives. I am so blessed to have both sets truly love on all of my children and that they love to just have fun with them, I am learning that a lot of people don't have that and I won't ever take it for granted. While my parents were here they got a picture into what welcoming a new kiddo looks like. 

11:30 Saturday night before Easter I was laying in bed attempting to fall asleep with this baby deciding to dance in my belly when my cell phone rings. "Hello, I know you guys are at 5 kids right now, but we have had 7 kids go into care this afternoon/evening. Any chance you can take a 2 year old boy?" I rolled over, woke up Rob and told him the situation. He says "Well they won't be able to find another placement tonight and we have room, tell her yes". I told her yes and she said the social worker would call me soon. 1:30am the phone rings again. "Hello, we are finishing up at the hospital and we should be leaving soon." 4:30am phone rings again. "Sorry it took longer than we thought we are on our way". 4:45 arrived at our front porch. I walked out to the car. "Ma'am I'm just realizing we said you would have the 2 year old, I have the baby in my car". I looked at her a little confused, "Well we will take the baby, it doesn't matter to me". I took the sweet 2 month old out of the car and we headed inside. She said she would call the worker that has the 2 year old to see if the other foster mom will take him. She said she would call me if she needed to come back. She heads out and I head upstairs. Rob wakes up as I am attempting to pull the pack n play out for baby boy. He looks at me confused, "Yeah they dropped the wrong kiddo off". 10 min later worker calls back "Sorry but the other foster mom is only able to do babies I need to come back and grab him and bring his older brother to you". I bring baby boy back out to her car load him up and head back to bed. 6am the worker pulls up again. Sweet boy is snuggled in her arms crying. I take him from her thinking no way this boy is 2 he is way too big. "What's his name?" I ask. The worker looks at me. "Hmmm I know it, but I can't remember I'll have to text you with it". She leaves. He's crying in my arms as I am trying to tell him it is safe here and we are safe. I walk upstairs to my room where we have made a bed on the floor in hopes to make him feel more comfortable next to us. I realize that he is pretty scared upstairs so we head back downstairs. I snuggle into the couch hoping he will rest a little bit since he has been up all night and my crew will be up in 2 hours for Easter morning church. He is crying and mumbling a lot of words I can't understand. He finally relaxes in my arms and falls asleep. 7:30 my parents are up in the living room thinking Jake sick and is asleep on my lap. Rob explains to them all that went on through the night. 8:00 my kiddos wake up Easter morning and make their way downstairs. We tell them we had a new little boy who needed a safe place to stay. The excitement in my kiddos is always the sweetest to see. No questions of the Easter bunny or how this changes Easter just excitement that we have another little one to love. 8:15 I start to get him to wake up when I see his hospital bracelet that has his name and birthday. He turns 4 in June. Hmmm interesting DSS told me 2? Alright another 3 year old in the house, bring on the goofy kiddos. We get ready for church and get little C man ready load up and head out. He is apprehensive, but seems to be doing ok. He smiles and sits during church and we enjoy a great brunch as a family. As the morning goes on we realize that he doesn't have much speech development, if any. I am always amazed when the kids do so well on the first day. I imagine all the fear in their little bodies and the uncertainty of where they are and what might happen to him. We all enjoyed a sweet egg hunt in the afternoon and my whole crew crashed during nap time. Needless to say Easter was an eventful one, but exactly what I want to teach my children that Easter is about. It is about The One who came to save this lost and hurting world. One that gave the biggest sacrifice, yet proved His power and redemption in His resurrection. A day about our own need for His Grace and healing. It was all these things shown to us in a hurting little boy that we could shower with promises of hope and healing. 

So now we are back up to 6 kiddos, but it is perfect, just as He intended for us right now. Little man C won't be long term since this baby growing in my belly will be showing its face sometime in July and we can't fit 7 in our car, but for now we are loving, teaching, laughing and being silly with this sweet 3 year old boy. As Allie was pushing him on the swing she says "Mom why can't he stay for a long time, can't you see how happy he is here and we have room in our car?". My heart almost bursts when I hear her love for these sweet children. I can not wait to see what the Lord is going to do in her life and in her heart as she grows. Chaos doesn't scare her, craziness doesn't either, the sweetness of these kiddos brings her joy and it brings this mamas heart extreme joy. Afraid of what foster care will do to your kiddos? Don't be. Be expectant of the amazing things that foster care will do for them.