We have had a busy last couple of weeks winding down from
summer and getting ready for fall. Jack started his three year old class and he
is doing really well. We are thankful he has an exceptionally wonderful teacher
and a great class. He is very excited his best friend Roman is in his class
this year!
I also wanted to write a short update on foster parenting…
Our first placement, a 21 month old little girl who stayed
with us for a week was very hard. It took me a while to process everything and
have thought a lot about what to share about it. I guess I thought it would be
a wonderful experience which would encourage other people to think about foster
parenting. But plain and simple it was a difficult experience, although at the end of it all very rewarding.
It was physically hard, especially that first day as all I
did was try to keep her and the boys (particularly Palmer) from fighting with
each other. By her last day here it was a night and day difference and she was
doing remarkably well.
It was also emotionally difficult. I assumed because we
are doing short-term respite care there wouldn’t be a risk of us getting too
attached. But I was wrong. From day one I gave her everything without holding
back- I sang to her every morning, rocked her extra to sleep, prayed over her
when she would get up late at night, brushed her hair, chased her around the house,
treated her as if she was my own. It was hard to say goodbye especially knowing
she was going back to a less than ideal living situation, which made me angry
at times thinking about the unfairness of it all. I cried when I kissed her
goodbye and for a few nights after she left.
And despite it being a rough start we want to continue doing
this. I can’t count the many times when I second guessed myself in our decision
to become foster parents (particularly that first day when I asked myself every hour- Why are we doing this?). As I processed it with Steve, I am so happy and
thankful that he feels that we should continue and so do I. It was an
eye-opening, difficult, rewarding first experience. But I hope it will bring our family and other foster
children to know God in a deeper level. To experience His love and grace even in the midst of unfair circumstances. And personally for me to depend on Him more fully on the days when I can't make it on my own in taking care of little ones. Because there is no way we would be doing this if it wasn't for the grace and love that God has already poured out on us. And we hope to pour that out unto little ones who come from such broken families and so desperately need Him.
And so we are waiting for our next placement which could be
at any time. Since she left, we’ve only
had one phone call to take in two boys- which did not end up working out as
they were not placed in respite care.
This post has been closed for comments, but if you'd like to share something please email me at carolinabriggs@gmail.com. Have a great weekend!
