Movement

I am about to wrap up my first Spring Break as a teacher! Since Sean and I are both teachers, we have been off together. We visited my Mawmaw and family and friends in Southeast Louisiana and we have been spending a lot of time with Sean’s family here in Texas. Our week has been packed full because we have also been trying to prepare our home for foster-to-adopt. Since my last blog 5 months ago, we vetted a new agency and made the decision to pursue foster-to-adopt! The story to choose this path is quite long and I am sure I will share it at a later date, but I just wanted to provide a quick update now.

Currently, we are in the middle of completing 52 hours of training in one month. We have a lot of homework- tons of paperwork, background checks, drug test, TB test, bloodwork, and a physical. We have home improvements to make, inspections to pass, and we are preparing children’s bedrooms. We are open to fostering and adopting a sibling group of 2-3 kids, ages 0-5. The agency requires us to be ready to receive a placement as soon as we are licensed. We should be licensed by early June if all goes well.

So, things are in full swing over here! We are excited, nervous, and trying to pace ourselves! I have a “get er’ done” attitude and I am working on making time for rest. I think I will always have to be intentional about that as it is my struggle. You really have to pace yourself in the midst of a “project” or you will burn out. Projects are longer races, not a sprint.

I think the behavior strategies and skills we have obtained as teachers are really going to help us as parents and specifically as foster parents. I feel really grateful that for the experiences I have had this year with some of my students. I’ve learned how to strategize regarding behavior and academics, get to the root of the problem, and de-escalate situations.

We found an agency that seems really balanced in their approach- they are proponents of reunification, but they are also excited for fosters that want to adopt in the case that is needed. Many agencies are not balanced and so we are grateful for this agency that seems to be excited about fosters who are willing to adopt. Our goal is to love on children while they are in our care, to provide a safe home, and to eventually adopt… understanding that some children may reunify with their birth families. In the end, we want what is best for the children.

We appreciate your support all along the way! Please keep us in your prayers now- that licensing will go smoothly, for the strength to get everything done in this window, to not get overwhelmed with all we have to do, and that God will connect us with the right children for our family- that the fit is mutual. Pray that we will make an impact, show God’s love, and will have the opportunity to adopt some babies!