As many of you know I started the process of fostering with the hopes of adopting a little less than a year ago. Well, with all that went on over the last yr. Anna was sick, she has another ear surgery, and the normal (for her) fevers... I just have not gotten around to posting... so I will catch up!
Last August (2012) I inquired with a fostering agency to become a foster parent. I had gotten to know a couple of people who had adopted through the foster care system and this seemed like the way to explore adopting a second child. I really wanted Anna to have a sibling and knew a second private domestic infant agency adoption was not the direction I felt God was leading me. After much prayer and research I contacted a wonderful fostering agency about an hour from me. Give Children a Chance of Georgia has an amazing mission... to simply give GA foster children a chance at a wonderful life while they are in their case. Going into this experience I knew I would just be fostering but that a child would likely eventually become available for adoption. I felt God was leading me to walk this journey.. and so I leaped!!
I met with them for the first time in Aug. of 2012. My approval took a little longer but because I had an approved home study from Anna's adoption it was not crazy! Yes, there is always a LOT of paper work with adoption/fostering.. and this fostering agency has a few extra things they do. So I finished all my paperwork, counselor meeting, finger printing, giving blood... (YUP literally- for the medical labs required for the medical exam portion of the process). Then I waited... waited for the required fostering class (IMPACT) to be offered! After completing IMPACT on a Saturday I was told I would be approved by Tuesday and ready for a placement! That was a little scary.... but I was off that week for Thanksgiving.... but the call did not come that week.... Then.. 9 days after approval... I got a call for a 2 month old little girl. There were some things I had prayed about and things I wanted about a placement. I will not go into specific detail... but ALMOST everything I prayed for was present in this situation... I will be honest.. the only thing that was not "close to perfect" was her age! I had prayed for a child who was born before Sept 1, 2012... because of school cut offs.. my little was born after that... but God has and will continue to provide....
Fast forward... some unexpected things came up... and God has provided for this little one and for us as a family... for that I am very thankful! The way God has protected this sweet little girl humbles me each day. HE is ALWAYS in CONTROL!
In July, there was a hearing... it was about the 4th hearing in her case... I knew what was supposed to happen at this hearing (I was not present- my agency represents me/child at these hearings and the child also has a state DFCS worker). As I was at the case review panel meeting. I prayed for a miracle and we ALMOST got one!! Of course I figured out what I prayed for legally could not have happened.. so what happened was exactly what needed to happen... the judge requested Termination of Birth Parents rights be filed... this is early as they generally wait till the year in care mark and at the time it had not even ben 8 months yet... once again, I could feel God's hand in this all.
So where are we now?
We wait... first we wait for TPR to be filed... then we wait for the hearing... and go from there... LOVE this little one! And I pray it is God's plan for her to be part of our family!! Anna LOVES her too.
