Do You Need a Safe Place

I was chatting on the phone with a friend yesterday, and she mentioned that their home seems full of turmoil lately.  

I told her that very recently at a court hearing for our newest arrival I felt so anxious, and my mind and the courtroom itself felt the same way.

During this time the verse below kept running through my mind.

There is great power in God's name!

If you are having turmoil in your life think of it like the picture above--high in the hills--above all the circumstances--is a strong tower

Run to it!!!!!

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are safe. 

Proverbs 18:10

Yikes

We are starting our school year next Tuesday.

I'm feeling a bit of panic.

I have a nine week old baby.

My two year old is acting his age--think flopping on the floor and screaming when life doesn't go his way. :(

I'm still taking baby to two birth parent visits a week which removes about 5 hours from my week.

Oh, and my canning is not done.

However............

I'm ready for the more scheduled days.

The quiet mornings when all that can be heard is pencils scratching.

The restful afternoons when the little ones nap and the older ones have quiet time.

In the words of my oldest son.......

"Summer was fun, but I'm ready for school."

Smile

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” 
― Dr. Seuss

Home

We recently returned from a several-day trip out of state.

We pulled in our driveway in the half-dusk, and I peered anxiously out the window at our house like I was seeing it for the first time.

It looked like a mansion!!!!

As I staggered up the porch steps with a baby on one arm and an over-full diaper bag on the other I felt like a queen.

I was home!

Maybe the reason this hit me so hard was that I haven't always felt this way.

There were seasons in my life when I would have rather been anywhere but at my house.

I'm not really sure what changed that.

Over time my home has become a haven for me.

A "safe place" where my family can hide when life gets rough.

It's not perfect--there are dust bunnies, clutter, and noise.

.......but it's home!

As I thought about this while sorting through the suitcases it hit me.

Maybe this is what heaven feels like--like going home!

Sacrifice

Currently I'm struggling with something.

Every year our church has camp meetings just across the state line about 150 miles from where we live.

I've been attending quite regularly since I was a baby.

This year and last year we've had to miss them.

To go out of the state with a foster child requires written permission from the birth parents.

We already had a wedding this month that required an out-of-state permission slip.

Birth mom is not real cooperative about this, and we figured once a month was pushing it.

The sweet little gal who is currently snoozing in my arms is totally worth this.

But there is a part of me that struggles with this.

Being a parent is hard.

You will miss important events because your children are sick.

You will lose sleep, dignity, and privacy.

It just comes with the territory.

~~~~~~~~~

Little Boys

Upon hearing a bit of scuffling in my younger boys bedroom this morning I entered To get them up.


"Good morning" I sang out cheerfully, and this is what I heard in reply.


"I poop!!!!" (from the two year old)


"I didn't pee the bed mom!" (from the three year old)


Bodily functions are a big part of their world right now. :)

Things I'm Happy For This Saturday 6

Haven't posted one of these in a while. :)


My Washer and Dryer I can't even estimate how much time these two appliances save me.


Children waking up happy  My almost two year old is always cheery in the morning--snuggling with me and saying "Luf oo mom"


Garden Produce We don't have a garden of our own this year, but so many of our friends have blessed us with their bounty--thank you!!!!


My Case Worker She went on vacation this past week, and I truly missed her--I know case workers sometimes get a bad rap, but this one is a GEM!!!!


A Husband Who Understands I've had a number of days this past week that I didn't accomplish much--due to a baby that wanted to be held, and he never complained once--just pitched in and helped when he got home after working all day in the heat--he's one of a kind!!!!

What makes you happy today?

In A Nutshell

Sometimes I feel like my life is on a carousel that is spinning out of control.  It is going faster and faster, and I can't get off--nor do I really want to--and I can't slow it down.

Currently Sweet Pea ( our newest foster placement ) is getting three birth-parent visits a week.  I transport her to two of them, and they take place in a town about 45 minutes away--so I spend about three hours a week driving.

Thankfully both of these visits take place late in the afternoon--a time of day when I'm not very productive anyway, but sometimes it seems like all I do is run out the door.

I would have to say that birth-parent visits are one of the more difficult parts of foster parenting for me.  They tend to be stressful, and confusing for the children often causing fussiness, acting out, and sleep issues afterward.

I try to constantly remind myself to put myself in the birth parents shoes, and think how happy they are to see their little ones.  When I have to travel a distance for the visits I pray for the birth parents during the drive.

That's my thoughts in a nutshell right now.