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Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Hard Goodbyes and Following His Plans

If you look in the notes on my phone, you'll find several unfinished blog posts. I have started writing several and for many reasons never finished them. To busy to finish because we have had four kids, scared to post during a termination process due to privacy, to emotional to write as we've said some hard goodbyes, and at a loss for words because of the thankfulness I have to Jesus.

  So, since I haven't wrote a blog in about 7 months, this one may be a little all over the place trying to piece together all unfinished blogs, and catch you up on our crazy wonderful life.

Hard Goodbyes 


  Five weeks ago we said goodbye to one of the sweetest placements we've had. A small six year old girl who we nicknamed "Kat." We had Kat for ten months. Never in those months, did we think she would be ours. When she is all the way transitioned home, we probably won't get updates or talk with her. We hope so, but the chance is slim.


  Two days ago, we said goodbye to another one of our placements, two year old, "Little Girl." We've had her for almost a year. Never have I met a little girl with so much personality. She returning to her parents, who we have a great relationship with and are graciously allowing us to be "Aunt Kay and Uncle Kyle."


With each goodbye, I have to remind myself of why we foster. I have to remind myself of why we continue to take children in to our home, love them like our own, and then grieve the loss of them leaving.

 My prayer for their life is they will one day be a Christ follower and their testimonies will lead 5,000 to Him, but if God uses their stories to only touch one person, their suffering and heartache is worth it. I have to remind myself of a greater and eternal purpose that we may not yet see. I have to remind myself that God will comfort me as I grieve and He will be with them also. I have to remind myself it is not about me, only about Him. 


His Plans

When we first started fostering, we didn't think adoption was going to be such a quick step. We thought "God is calling us to foster so we will have 500 kids, invest in their families, and they'll go home." Boy did he have other plans. Not only did we adopt our very first placement, Michael, we are in the process of adopting our second son, "Baby E."

Since my last post, our sweet little guy has been freed for adoption! In less than a week, he will be ours.

From the time Kyle and I have been together we have tried to follow God's will for our life. A year and half ago, God called us to serve at a church in a small but great town in Louisiana. At that time, we thought we would be there a long time; however, God had much different plans than we did.

About 7 months after moving to Louisiana, we became certified foster parents and took our first placement. At almost 3 years old, Baby E came into our lives and nothing has been the same since. Becoming parents to a special needs child has taught us so many things about life: from a patient love to some serious medical terminology.

We will no longer be just his foster parents. He will forever be ours and we will be forever his. He will have a mama, daddy, and big brother to love and adore him! We are so excited and I am so thankful!

In February, with us knowing Eli would be adopted and us wanting the best school and therapy for him, we began to pray God would open a door and provide for him. We wanted so bad for the Lord to provide for him in our current home, but the more we prayed and sought His will, we began to realize God may be calling us somewhere else.

A few months back we were contacted by a church in Florida.  The city is on the Atlantic coast and is about 45 mins away from Orlando. The area is quite large in population and is saturated with the necessary healthcare and therapy E would need both from the school system and general audiologists and auditory-Verbal therapists.

We have joined alongside this church now in prayer and conversation for quite some time about the possibility of our family coming there to serve as Student/Music Minister, and are excited to be moving there in just a few short weeks!

There are so many things God has done for us and things that have come together that only He could receive Glory for! From our girls transitioning home at the same time to E's adoption date being moved up! We are without a doubt this is where God is leading.

We are beyond sad to leave our current church but very excited to see what the Lord is going to do there with E's therapy, serving in a new church and new place, and becoming foster parents there. (However, we've adopted our first placement in Alabama and Louisiana so I better be careful about our first placement there! Haha)

This is not the life Kyle and I had planned but one of my favorite verses, Proverbs 16:9 says, " The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." Please pray for our family as we make this adjustment. Pray for Kyle and I as we handle the stress of these next couple months, Michael as he starts a new school, and for Baby E. We believe one day he will fully communicate!!


Blog Change

**With us moving, my blog will be going through some changes. Where we will be relocating to is further away from family so my hope is my blog will become a way to keep them updated on our family. More frequent posts, some video blogs, and eventually a facelift! Thanks for following our journey!!