In a former life I worked as a writer and editor for a feature magazine. It had its perks and fun sides like most jobs, but a huge plus for me was working with and getting to know people in the community. I truly enjoyed hearing the different stories, learning strengths and passions, and the ability to connect people to each other as well. Recently that life circled back around when one of my former freelance writers Meagan (who now runs a major online blog) asked me to guest write in honor of National Adoption Awareness Month. Me? Of course I was honored and accepted likely faster than I should have and before I truly thought about it. Who could say no to Meagan after all? And this was a great opportunity to continue being an advocate for foster care and adoption. What I didn't consider was what on Earth I would have to contribute to these already experienced mamas. I was excited. I was motivated. But I was stuck. There are absolutely a ton of topics! Why foster care adoption? What is involved in the licensing process? What led to adoption? What have been your biggest challenges so far? How does the workplace treat adoption differently? And the list goes on. But my mind circled back to 1 John 4:19: We love because he first loved us. Simple yet packed with some very important implications. We are able to love because we were first loved by our heavenly Father. What was demonstrated to us we are now expected to demonstrate to others. I myself was statistically fortunate to have grown up with both of my parents and their marriage still fully intact (after over 40 years thank you). No home or family can ever live up to "perfect," but we sure tried hard. They attended choir concerts, volunteered for church trips, cheered at volleyball games, drove to band competitions—whatever my sister and I participated in, my parents were right there, too. (Even through college, and if we're honest, my mom came up to celebrate with my student group last year so...) We are able to love and love well through Foster Care because we were first loved. It is unfathomable to us what children are sometimes subjected to because that was not part of our equation. So as Houston Moms Blog made the commitment this November to celebrate the journey of foster and adoptive moms, I used my web space to celebrate another group as well, foster grandparents. An open letter of love letting them know that we see them. We know that they are scared for us and that they have concerns. We know that there will be times that our hearts will be broken and there will be nothing they can do about it. But also thanking them because even if they don't fully realize it yet, they fueled and empowered this mission we are on. Read my full letter to foster grandparents here. And take a look around the site! You may see yours truly on there again some day soon.
xoxo
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AuthorWriting is really my outlet, so you'll mostly see my prose on here. But William might occasionally make a guest appearance. Archives
May 2021
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