And... We're Back...

Well... after a six month break from the world of Blogging.... I'm back. Just shy of two months from the first foster care placement we received our second placement... a little 10 month old boy. Fair skinned, blonde hair, blue blue eyes and starting to take steps.... a ball of energy. Our lives changed instantly.

It's hard to describe the feelings one experiences when you get a call to go pick up a foster child. Life is happening as usual and then you get the call. A few hours later you're driving to pick up your newest family member. It's exciting and scary all at the same time.

Nick came to us on a cold and foggy February evening. At 7 p.m. we were to meet the temporary placement at a McDonald's parking lot on Michigan Avenue. Wow. We pull up and she's there waiting with the baby in the van. She hands him to me and I get a brief glimpse at this quiet little baby, wrapped in a thick fleece ducky blanket. She told us he's a good baby with a healthy appetite. She doesn't know much else about him. We put him in the carseat and pull out of the parking lot. The car ride home was silent.

Life as we knew it was changed. No more sleeping in. No more spontaneous outings... or really any outings for that matter (for the first couple of months). Diapers, diapers, diapers. Ear infections, colds, virus'... doctor's appointments every other week. As all parents know, the list goes on and on.

We missed the non-mobile baby stage. Nick came to us, crawling and cruising around furniture. The first weekend with us he took five steps on his own. He was into everything (and still is). By 11 months he was walking everywhere. Now he runs or stomps instead. It's never been a dull moment around the house.

Long gone are the evenings of relaxing on the couch or watching a netflix. We've traded movies for throwing balls and relaxing for playing chase. We've voluntarily entered into a world that revolves around a precious little boy who needs a mommy and daddy. For how long we don't know, but are trusting that God has a plan for this little boy. We've been blessed with big smiles, belly laughs and slobbery kisses being blown at us from across the room. There have been many hard moments, but we know this is exactly where we're suppose to be. So, we wake up every day waiting to see what is next.