November 2002This picture was taken right before Alex left our home forever. Alex was our foster son (our 4th placement). He came to our home from the hospital at 2 days old. Alex was "our son" in every way possible. He knew us as Mommy, Daddy and Sissy...he had never known another family. We were devestated when a great aunt and uncle came forward to take Alex after we had been asked if we would adopt him. These relatives lived many states away and it took a lot of paperwork and time for Alex to go live with them and was an uncertain situation right to the end. When Alex was 12 1/2 months old, the great aunt and uncle (whom Alex had only seen once) came to our home to pick Alex and all of his belongings up and drove off with our baby...leaving us in tears.
This was the first of many heartbreaks that we have endured as a foster family. It felt like there had been a death, we mourned for a very long time. This was also when we decided that even though we had not planned to adopt, we now knew we were able and would very much like to give the love of a forever family to another child(ren).
We have gone on to provide a loving foster home to many children that needed one in the past eight years. We have adopted one wonderful little girl to add to our forever family. I still think about Alex (and the others) everyday.
What I'm now wondering is what's suppose to be next. A lot of the time, I don't feel like our family is complete yet but recently I have been feeling like our time as a foster family should come to an end...maybe I'm misreading messages or not truly listening to that inner voice... Hopefully soon God will reveal to us what his plans for our future are, whatever they may be.
To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !
4 comments:
Boy do I remember that heartbreak so well. It was so hard sometimes to let babies go.
We had a little guy named Thomas that when he left, I think i cried for 4 days straight. It ripped me apart :(
I pray His plans will be revealed to you soon.
Blessings and happy Whensday!
Oh Mylinda...my heart breasks reading your words. What an incredible, incredible gift you gave to Alex and the others...and the families that eventually came for them. You gave those children not only love, but parents...when they needed them most.
My hat of off to you, and my heart and appreciation go out to you. Our country and society and humanity are all better for the presence and sacrifice of loving people like you.
Peace.
Ugh, thanks for your story! Happy WW!
That is the one reason right there I dont think I could be a foster parent. As much as I would love to, I couldnt handle the heart break.
You are a strong and wonderful person for what you do.
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