His Promise....

Today is a new day, a fresh outlook, a chance for new hopes or maybe just a renewal of the "old" hopes.

I'd like to share a little something with you...Chris and I have been foster parents for about 11 years. We have shared our family and opened our home to several children. Each and every child who has come into our home has touched our family in a very positive way. Of course, every child has their own story and each story has a different ending. We have had an amazing little one with us for awhile and our whole family has really grown to love her and appreicate what a unique, special child she is. Yesterday, her story with our family ended. Or so we thought. That's what I'd like to share with you...

We found out yesterday afternoon that the little one would be returned to her mom and that they would be leaving the Island (PEI). I was really heartbroken when I heard the news. I was also told that the family would be leaving very quickly and I wouldn't get a chance to visit the little one before she left. We had prepared a package for her - some toys, coloring things, stickers, hair clips and a picture album of the time she was with us. Our social worker said we could drop the package off to him and he would make sure it got to the little one.

About 1 hour after we heard the news we received a phone call...from the little one! She wanted to talk to each of the children (by the way...she LOVES to chatter!) and I was thrilled at the chance to be able to speak to her one last time. I told the little one that we had a package for her and we would get her Social worker to bring it to her. She started to get anxious and said that she was leaving tomorrow and wouldn't be back. I kept asking her if she was sure she was leaving that soon. The little one talked to her mom and then asked me if we could go over and visit them before they left. Her mom doesn't speak very good English as she's from another country but I did understand that "yes, her mom was saying it was okay for us to visit the little one". So, I told her I would come and see her!!! The little one called back to ask if EVERYONE could come and visit her...again, I talked with her mom as best I could and explained that we had many children and was she sure she wanted me to bring everyone??? So, it was agreed that our whole family would go and visit.

I wasn't sure what to expect as we had never met the mom in person. I had talked with her on the phone a few times but had never met. We arrived at the apartment and were met with such friendliness and hospitality. It was amazing! We could have been seen as the "enemy" as can be the case in fostering, but instead we were welcomed with open arms and invited in to share with this family before they left. We stayed about 1 1/2 hours and I was able to speak with the mom for a bit. She comes from a country that is war torn and desperate. As I listened to the mom tell me a bit of her story, I was overcome with all she had suffered and lost in her life (she is younger than I am). I wonder if I would even be able to function if I had suffered all she had. She cried with me as she talked about how happy she was when the judge said she could finally be reunited with her daughter.

The little one played with all our kids and was excited and happy to be with her "friends" again. Her mom kept telling me "she is so happy with them". Yes, the little one fit in very well with our crazy crew and loved being part of a large, energetic family!

As we were getting ready to leave, the little one and her mom invited us to go to the airport and see them off. I told them I would do my very best to be there but as I was working, I wasn't sure if I could get the time off.

We went home and I have to admit, my (our) spirits were lifted a great deal! Being able to hear the mom's story and to see her joy at being with her daughter, eased a lot of my anxiety.

This morning I arrived at work and do you know what they said??? "We don't need you to come in until 12:30 so feel free to do whatever you want until then!" For real!!! Well, you know what I did - I hightailed it to the airport and saw the little one and her mom!

Again, I was blessed to be part of a tiny group of people to be there with them and to hug the little one again. We talked and laughed and hugged and shared stories. I had given her mom our phone number and address so that the little one (or the mom) could call me anytime if they needed anything at all! (I think I can now understand what it was like for Evan's foster mother to give him up after loving him for so long!)

I guess what I'm trying to say is...God did NOT close the door on this little one and our family...he left it open a bit - enough for us to stick our foot in and open it whenever we want. No, it didn't happen the way I had hoped it would but perhaps what I was praying for was selfish. I wanted the little one to stay with us. Maybe she needs her mother more than she needs a large, energetic family. God gave me the chance to meet her mom, form the beginning of a relationship with her and provide all our contact info for our future relationship. And I truly believe the door will stay open just a bit. Just enough that we can always enter through it, or the little one can come through if she needs too.

A few other interesting tidbits in this story...

While the little one lived with us, her mom called me a few times asking me to pray for her (the mom), she would call during very scary times for herself and during periods of very real grief and anxiety. A woman I had never met before but could sense that I loved her child and hoped I could help her in some way as well. I always prayed for her and helped her however I could when she called.

If you read my last few posts, you know a loved one is very sick in Toronto. My husband and I have been trying to find a way to visit her, to find when the time is right to go (more about this another post) and so on. Last night we found out the little one will be moving to Toronto and her mom has invited us to visit them there. Here are 2 very traumatic events happening to me at the same time, yet there is still that small opening in the door...

God never promised a life without pain,
Laughter without tears
Or sun without rain.
But He did promise strength for the day,
Comfort for the tears
And light for the way,
And for all who believe in His Heaven above
He rewards their faith in His everlasting love.

God did give me strength for the day, comfort for my tears and a light for my way.

Readers...would you do something for me? I'm sure you can offer much more objective views that I can for myself :-) I want you to watch the movie "Gone Baby Gone" and tell me if you think he made the right decision at the end. You will know exactly what I mean when you watch it.