My daughter moved out today. My 6th foster child that we've loved and nurtured and has grown up. I cry every time they decide to make it on their own. When our first one left, I cried for 3 days. I told myself that this time I wouldn't cry. Then I walked into her bare looking room, saw her empty closet and found something she wrote on her board. I cannot stop crying. I was just kidding myself anyway. But they are supposed to graduate high school, go to college, get married and make a new start in life. You can't keep them forever. But we will still be seeing her.
Originally, I didn't want children {gasp!). Then I met my Christian husband and welcomed the LORD Jesus Christ into my life. I started teaching Sunday school with my husband and decided to quit my office job and become a preschool teacher. All I wanted was to become a mom and work with children. The later became true, but after many painful miscarriages, I never was able to have children. I didn't understand God's plan in this, but we felt lead to become foster parents. And let me tell you it has been the biggest blessing of my life. Our daughter Bailey, our first daughter has been such a blessing and a joy to us. She has taught me just as much if not more. She has personal reasons, which I won't share, to be bitter and complain about life, yet she never complains about anything. And despite wearing a leg brace, she helped lead her high school color guard team to state champions. Think about it, she has marched in parades, throwing a heavy wooden rifle in the air and twirling and catching it without ever missing a step, while having to wear a leg brace!
It has been a blessing to send her to Christian foster camp where she eventually became a junior camp counselor to help other foster kids learn about Christ. We as foster parents, aren't allowed to post about our foster kids while they are in the system. So many times, I've wanted to post her picture and brag, but couldn't. That's O.K. of course. I understand that it's for their protection.
At any rate, I told myself I wouldn't fall apart, but here I am blubbering away. I just want to praise God for blessing us with the 7 foster kids we've had. We still have number 7 who enters 9th grade this year. We only take teenagers in our home. If you're considering foster care, don't overlook the teenagers. They are at a cross roads in life, and it is such a blessing to send them on to the right road,
