Well, I wasn't sure what it would be like to be a foster mom. As the case has been with me, my first experience in any form of "motherhood" period has embarked with our first foster child. He's a 13-yr old young man I appropriately deemed "little dude" within the first week he was here! Life has taken on some weird twists and turns since he arrived.

Some things I wasn't expecting:

1) to feel so attached so early, esp. to a teenager! Didn't expect the "mom" role to come so naturally!

2) to be willing to turn my whole world upside down for this complete stranger, and love every minute of it!

3) to feel like a prison warden keeping a kid from his bio-family. I knew these kids came from hard places, and no doubt wouldn't be comfortable living with us. However, I didn't realize just how homesick they would be.

4) to keep hoping things will slow down, and settle into routine, so I can get my life back together. I've realized it's never going to slow down, I must get my

life together in the midst of all this chaos!

5) that there would be SOOO.....many appts! Pediatric doctor appts (multiple!), dentist appts, eye doctor appts, teacher appts, school appts, you name it! Not to mention the myriad of appts that come with the counselors- DCS & Youth Villages. There's always something around the corner.

6) to want to invest in a child permanently, not just temporarily. Breaks your heart to not be able to see the person full circle so to speak. All we have is this

allotted time to make as big an impact as we can. It's just not enough time. Kids take time to mend.

7) To have your heart break when you hear their family not responding to their pleas for attention, love, security, affirmation. You want so badly to be that person to them

but you can't. Only their family members truly hold that place in their heart.

 

I end this post with a quote from a favorite Eagles song.  Sums up this time in our lives, it's chaotic, heartbreaking, you name it, but the Lord has us in this place for this time in our lives for a reason...of that I'm sure:

"We may lose and we may win
Though we will never be here again
So open up, I'm climbin' in
And take it easy"!