Halloween is on Sunday. I don’t have a traditional costume for Baby E. I have the most adorable black long-sleeved onesie with an orange pumpkin on the front and an orange tutu attached for her to wear. A friend offered a vegetable costume, but I opted to pass. It’s been so warm that I can’t put Baby E in the Halloween outfit that Grandma sent for her. I can’t see letting her sweat out the night in a big costume and the stroller. She’s only three months old and isn’t going to know what’s going on anyway. My husband and … Continue reading →

We joined the Foster and Adoptive Parents support group close to us in our county before we were licensed. We knew we were going to need not only the continuing education credits, but the support of other foster parents. I was really excited about the group at first. I sent off the registration check and application and then forgot all about it. I never heard a thing from the group. I didn’t know if meetings really happened or what the group did. The group’s website wasn’t updated and I didn’t get any emails. I was still alone. Our first placement … Continue reading →

We went through PRIDE training with C.H.I.L.D, Congregations Helping In Love and Devotion. C.H.I.L.D. is a faith-based arm of CPS, and was over a single weekend instead of many weeks. Even though there were many at the informational meeting, there were few at the actual PRIDE training. After PRIDE training we still had to get certified in CPR and water safety. We did both and passed the TB test. Just when we thought our training was over, licensing would be happening soon, and a placement was near, we learned that another training had been added. We had to go through … Continue reading →

We tried to conceive for over seven years. We had one failed IVF, three failed IUIs, three unsuccessful rounds of Clomid, and two miscarriages with D&C. So many disappointments and so much money wasted on the endeavor to birth a child. We didn’t want to adopt, but were open to it. Our attitude was that if God wanted us to adopt, He would make it perfectly clear. When we moved to Texas from California the first people we met lived across the street. They were in the process of adopting from China and helped to found the adoption ministry at … Continue reading →

We got our first foster placement on November 2, 2007. The baby was the most beautiful thing. Pumpkin was 11 days old. She was a wonderful and easy baby. Our second placement followed closely on the heels of the first. I couldn’t hold fast to our plan to start slow and foster only one when we were told the child shared my sister and niece’s (her daughter) birthday. Gemini was 21 months old and so smart. She celebrated her second birthday in our home. She grew and changed so much in the four months she was a member of our … Continue reading →