Not Trying to Put the Cart Ahead of the Horse....

I have sat down a few times this week realizing that day after day time has been going by without my blog being updated, but I have been speechless (for those of you who really know me, you will know this is a BIG deal) because I just haven't known what to say.

I have been nearing the end of my foster parenting classes and I have learned so much. I think that every one should take those classes because they weren't just classes for foster parents only, but I think they taught me things that would apply to all parents in general in learning more about their children, and how to better discipline them if need be. Oh sure, there is definitely the good, the bad and undoubtedly the ugly, but I am grateful to have seen and heard the things that I did. There have been times where things I learned brought me to tears but it has been an experience that has spoken volumes.

I have two more classes because I missed 2 classes when I flew to Denver to visit my mom last month. Since the classes are taught on a monthly basis, if you miss one of the classes one month, you have to wait until the following month in order to take the "make-up" classes.

The decision to take these classes and begin the process to become foster parents has been influenced by a combination of things: being unable to have a family of our own, family members struggling with taking care of their own children, and the prospect of adoption through the foster care system.

We didn't know where these classes or experiences would take us, but one door of potential opportunity came swinging open and knocked us topsy-turvy. About a week ago, my sister-in-law called us and asked us if we would be interested in adopting her son Taylor. You can imagine how I felt at that moment. Without missing a beat, I told her that we absolutely would be willing to bring Taylor into our home. She said that she needed to talk to Taylor's father to see if he would agree to this decision, and it turns out that he did. So here we are, after having made a million and one phone calls this week to everyone that could possibly be involved in this process. At first, things started to look grim because we just aren't quite educated in relation to this whole process, the paperwork, and whatever else. My emotions have been on a constant roller coaster (more so than usual) and stress has played a role in my life this last week. I tend not to stress about much, but this I think takes the cake as of late. So to make this story short, we have learned that we need to have a home study done in our home to see if we would be a suitable home for Taylor and it would be done after a formal request was sent from the case worker's office in Twin Falls to Boise, then from Boise to Salt Lake City, then back here to Ogden so that a local social worker can come to our home to start and complete the home study and the report that goes with it. We feared that this would take forever, and it may still, but the overall feeling is great because I heard today that in less than a week, the request had gone from Twin Falls to Boise and already was sent on its way to Salt Lake City. And we are also making a trip next Tuesday morning to Twin Falls in order to officially meet the case worker we are working with, and to talk to her about any possible details we may be missing. But even more important, I feel this is an opportunity for her to get to know us in person and not just work with her over the phone. The amazing thing is that I have only lost one night of sleep from all this. I have had some frustrations, some anxiety, and definitely felt the need to emotionally and mentally guard myself in this process because I don't want to get overly excited and then set myself up for greater heartache.

That was the nutshell version of what has been going on at our house. There have been many prayers said, and a constant one in my heart. I have had to keep my faith on the forefront of it all. I have had to realize that this is in the Lord's hands. I pray only that the best interests of Taylor are met. That is all that could possibly matter to me. But I know that my wonderful husband and I have a lot of love to give to this precious little boy, or any other little child. I have to keep thinking to myself a saying that I thought of long ago "In time that's THINE, not MINE".

Please keep us in your prayers. Please pray that all will work out the way it is supposed to.

I dearly love you all!

Lisa