Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Cleaning, with a purpose!

SHOOOOO....life is nuts right now!

We have a homestudy visit scheduled for Monday to renew our foster care license!  We have been cleaning like mad every day for a week!  I actually emailed our social worker and asked, "Do you have to actually SEE the laundry room?  It's a wreck!"  She wrote back and said she did need to see it, but not to meticulously clean.  So I take that as a green light to leave some clothes in the hamper, and some on the floor, if necessary.  I'm just saying.

I'm shocked at how nervous I am!  This is our, um, third homestudy visit. (One for the China program, one for our initial foster care license, and now this one.) Why am I so freaked?

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About a million moons ago, I mentioned that one of my students would be coming home with me. Well, she has been riding home with me on Tuesday nights for over a month now.  She has also gone with my family to the children's museum in Indy.  AND, she has spent the night with us a couple of times on the weekend.  So how is it going, you ask?  It's wonderful!!!!  We are really enjoying getting to know her on a different level.  The girls adore her.  And she is very respectful and caring in our home!

Well, last night, the honeymoon was over and she tested me a bit.  But, honestly, I was so glad she did.  She now trusts us enough to let her guard down.  She flat out told me she did some things just to see how I would react, or what I would say.  I think that's healthy progress!  I'm actually very happy about it.  It wore me out, but psychologically, it was such a good step.

Where is this going, you ask?  I have no idea.  But what I do know is that Tony and I adore her.  Our girls adore her.  She has met everyone in both sides of our family and everyone sees how well we all mesh.  It is a great situation.  We pray steadily for her and with her. (She even asked her sister to pray before bed the other night!  Yippee!!)  And every time I think about what the future might hold for she, and her siblings as well, I hear God clearly whisper, "Just be in her corner for now.  She needs you in her corner."  So for now, that's what we're doing.  And we're happy to do it.  Does it give us gray hair?  You bet.  Would I trade it?  No way.

I'm so glad that once again, when God called us to do something...to step out in faith...we said yes.  Obedience is never easy, whether your two or 102.  But, it is oh so worth it to please God.  And we're being stretched, challenged, and blessed all because of it!

What has God called YOU to lately?  Have you said YES?

Philippians 4:6-7
 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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4 comments:

Adeye said...

Good and faithful servant!!!!!

I can hardly wait to see how things unfold, my friend. Ooooooohhhhh, that Almighty Father is at work!!!! Hang tight.

Shonni said...

I think that it is wonderful that you can be there for her. Praying that the LORD continues to show you His way.

Samantha said...

I remember our first homestudy visit... Our house has never been so clean before or since. In fact,our social worker wondered aloud because the place was so clean - she was worried that we wouldn't deal well with the mess kids can make - needless to say we relaxed on the cleaning after that!

So Incredibly Blessed said...

I guess I missed something - I didn't know you were going to foster!! That's great :) Tom and I have been fostering for almost 2 years and are adopting our first foster child very soon (she's almost 3 yrs old now) We have her little sister too, and a little 4 month old boy, all of whom we pray we'll be able to adopt also. Good luck with your journey in foster parenting! God Bless you two.