Our Story!!!

   

With May being National Foster Care Month I thought it would be a good time to share our family's story on how we became foster parents. Having a large family has always been on Nick and I's hearts for as long as I can remember. We have aunts, uncles, and friends that have fostered and adopted, so we have been around this ministry for quite some time. After we had our three biological children we felt the Lord impressing on our hearts more to foster. At first we called and had paperwork sent to us. I'll be honest we looked through the paperwork and put it aside for quite a while. We ended up moving as we were blessed to be able to build a house out in the country in 2007. During the time of moving into our new home the Lord was impressing on our hearts again about foster care. We had no excuse. He had blessed us with a new home that we had more space in, land for children to run and play and good health. We needed to just obey. Thankfully we did! During the time of obeying my husband lost his job, but guess what? The Lord still met our every need through His wonderful provisions and using others to bless our family. Surrendering to God's will for your life does not always mean it will be easier. A lot of times it may seem like it's the opposite. It does mean though you will not walk that journey alone that He has called you too. In January of 2008 we started our classes to officially become foster parents. We went through all the classes, home inspections, fire inspections, physicals, etc... and in September of 2008 we were licensed!!!!!!! It took several months before we received our first placement of children. I won't share every story but our first placement was two teenage girls. Man, did we learn a lot then! At that time we had not raised teenagers yet so our eyes were opened up to a whole new world.  Different placements through the years. Some little children, some teens and some in between. Some came through foster care and some came through respite care(providing short term foster care). Then our Kaitlin came. Kaitlin came as a 10 year old girl the summer before her 5th grade school year. Kaitlin also had a sister that came to live with us as well. Her sister stayed with us for around one year then moved on to get help to meet her needs. I remember Kaitlin with her long brown hair and buck teeth and quiet personality. It took her awhile to warm up to others but when she did she was a giggly, fun girl. You see she had been hurt one too many times in her life so trusting people did not come easy for her. Through time she was able to let her guard down and be a kid instead of a parent. After 2 1/2 years in foster care she officially became ours, although she was already ours in our hearts. Any of you who know Kaitlin now know how God has done a complete transformation in her life. During her time in foster care at youth group she prayed with one of our church helpers to ask Jesus into her heart. She wanted to live her life for Him! To God be the glory!!! She is now in high school and plays in the school band, runs track, is a part of NHS, our church's youth group, helps in our church's nursery, sings with the teens on 5th Sunday, does 4H and shows animals at the fair, and is part of our school's art club where she is one talented young lady. Kaitlin has chose to be a survivor and not a victim. We're beyond thankful that God chose us for her and her for us. We're excited to see what the Lord has in store for our family in the future and who else He may bring to our home through foster care and adoption. So why not? Why not get involved in opening your home up to a child in need? Are your excuses more important then surrendering to God's will? It won't be easy but man will it be worth it!!!