Changes

Wow.  I just clicked to come write this blog post and I'm blown away by the change in our family.  The picture at the top of our blog was taken in November.  We had two sons, age 4 and 2.  Now, just 7 short months later, I have 5 children to care for.  We added Ryan on the first of the year, and last week we added two foster daughters.  Gaining 3 children in 5 months has been quite the whirlwind.

We got a call last Sunday about a possible 9 month old foster daughter.  We found out Monday morning that she was placed in a different foster home.  Just a few short hours later, we got the call about T and D.  Since this was our third placement call, I didn't let myself get too excited.  Sure enough, over the next three days it was a roller coaster of changes and emotions.  Finally, at 1:30pm on Thursday the 13th, we got the call that we were getting the girls.  They arrived two hours later.  Miss T is 4 years old. She is energetic, talkative and spunky.  Miss D is 5 months old (only a few days apart from Ryan) and super sweet with heartbreakingly beautiful eyes.  We've dived headfirst into the foster care system.  We've had 4 meetings with social workers, scheduled 3 doctors visits, scheduled a visit with the GAL, had numerous phone calls, and filled an accordion file with paperwork.  And that's just after one week.

There have been moments filled with lots of joy, moments filled with lots of fear, and moments filled with lots of stress.  Through it all, God has been guiding us, protecting us and showing us that He is here, right here--in the midst of laundry piles, tears, new hairstyles and children everywhere.

The parenting devotional that I read everyday had this verse listed for the day we received the girls:

"Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works.  We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work in his orchard.  As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work.  We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul-not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bring and beautiful that he has for us."  Colossians 1:9-12

I don't really have words to describe how these verses touched me.  They were exactly what I needed to read to prepare for the girls' arrival.  I have returned to these verses several times this week to remind myself of our goal--to make God proud of us as we work in HIS orchard and to remind myself of HIS glory-strength that he freely gives.  If you are praying for us, please pray these verses over our household.

I only have a few minutes before the babies wake up, but here are a few God moments from our first week:

1.  Grant and I had recently changed our foster occupancy to include 2 children, age 0-5.  (Instead of 1 child age 0-3.) The paperwork hadn't been filed yet.  The social worker called and asked us about the two girls, and asked us to make an exception and take 2 children instead of 1, and a child over the age of 3, NOT KNOWING that we had already changed everything.  It spoke volumes to me that God knows exactly what is going on.  It also told me that they were having a hard time finding a home for these girls, and it was a true need.  God knew these girls would need us and had us set things into motion to have them before they were ready for us.

2.  I am having to learn how to do T's hair.  Her hair is so different from mine.  Not only did my best friend send her mom over to teach me, but I ran into two different friends at Target who were able to guide me in products to buy for her hair.  It seems like such a little thing, but I really want Miss T to feel beautiful, clean, cared for and put together.  God was (and is) right there with me, sending me people at just the right time to help.

3.  My Strategy for Mothers group has AGAIN stepped up to bring us meals.  They just brought us meals three times a week for 6 weeks when we had Ryan.  They are again bringing us yummy meals as we adjust to life with 5 kids.  What a blessing.  These women do the work of God quietly and steadfastly following his will.

4.  Watching little Miss D and Ryan snuggle and play with toys together.  So sweet.

5. Hearing Miss T say "Never!" while reading "The Pigeon has Feelings Too!"  The pigeon books are a family favorite.  To have her know the words, and enjoy this book after just a few short days at our house gave me such a burst of joy deep, deep in my belly.  She loves being read to.

6.  Watching Miss T prance around Winton Woods water park in her bright pink bathing suit, pigtails bouncing, running through the water she was scared of 30 minutes earlier.

7.  God spoke to us through a dear friend at a time when doubts were running high.  God gave her an overwhelming sense of peace for our family and of how marvelous God's love is for our family and for these little girls and for bringing us together.

8.  This song:

I WILL LIFT MY EYES By Bebo Norman

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near calm my fear and take my doubt
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let mercy sing
her melody over me
and God, right here all I bring
is all of me
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
of the mountains I can't climb
[From: http://www.elyrics.net]
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
the Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
so hold me now