We said "Yes!"

It's just respite, but we finally got to say, "yes!"

When I first heard the voicemail from Bair, I thought we were going to have to decline again, because it's over the weekend we're going camping with some friends, but through a frenzy of back and forth texts and IMs with Jason (in God's perfect, yet inexplicable timing I got the call on the way to school today, the one day of the week I have 3 classes and Jason has back to back to back to back meetings), we decided to at least ask if we could take him camping, and they said, "yes!"

So, T is a 16 year old boy.  He has a foster family in the area, but they have a commitment to a family event out of the country, and you can't take foster kids out of the country, so we get him for a few days!

Please pray for all of us.  T has had a hard life.  His father is dead.  His mother is in prison.  His grandparents raised him, but have passed away.  He was passed on to some other relatives who weren't equipped to care for a teenage boy, so he's landed in foster care -- and for a brief season he'll be in our home.

Please pray that we will love him and make him feel loved.  Please pray that we will all be physically well during this time, so we can treat him to a wonderful, family camping trip.  And most importantly, please thank God for working all things together so that we could share a few days with this boy.

I'm so excited!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

(James 1:17)

Another call...

Bair called again.  And bless Justice, it took him a long time to get to his point...which was just to set up a time for our quarterly home inspection...sigh...

So, no...we weren't placed with our child this week while Jason was MIA, but we sure did get enough phone calls to make me think we were going to.

I did figure out during those long seconds on the phone, though, that I'm ready for this.  All this waiting has, at the very least, worked to overcome my fears.  I am now actually more excited than scared!

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

(Psalm 27:14)

Bair just called...

I almost had a heart attack.  I know I said I thought they would call while Jason was on his Canadian expedition, but when the phone actually rang, I was stunned.

...but they just needed to follow up on a signature that was missed.  No referral.

He did assure me that we're at the top of the list for referrals 5, and we're also on the list for respite care, but nothing today.

I'm fairly sure that the fact that this involves so much waiting is a clear sign that I still have a long way to go with that whole patience virtue.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

(Jeremiah 29:11)

The Next Best Thing

This is such an exciting day!  A family who is close to us (they go to our church, I work with the Dad, teach two of the daughters and got to know the mom much better last week at the Women's Retreat) just found out that they will be placed with two little boys today!

They have three biological daughters at home and will be adding  three year old and four year old little boys to their family today.  I don't know if they are foster to adopt -- they hoping to adopt, but also open to standard fostering -- but I do know that these boys are going to be extremely blessed.

The mom and I were chatting just last Saturday morning about our different plans and how we both had already figured out sleeping arrangements and furniture (much to hour husbands' amusement).  She had even purchased and set up bunk beds, while I'm still working on getting Jason to let me buy the trundle/storage/day bed that I want.  And today she's getting two boys!!!  How crazy and exciting is that!?!?!

They've already signed the older boy up for Jr Lions Volleyball that starts next week.  It's just so exciting to know what a beautiful plan God has for these two boys and this lovely family -- and to realize that our day could come at any time!

"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but Him who sent me."

(Mark 9:37)