GratiTuesday-Adoption Story part 3



I began sharing our adoption story here.  Go back and catch up if you haven't read it yet :) 

So far I've told you the story of how Shea came to our home.  She was supposed to be with us for the weekend.  My friend prophesied otherwise. 

Shea came to our house and it was bizarre.  I will tell you, I'm still in awe of how well she fit from the very beginning.  It was never like we were watching someone else's kid.  She always felt like she belonged.  This was something I didn't expect.  My husband and I talk about that a lot.  So, we had her for the weekend and when the weekend was over her foster mom called- she had hurt her back.  She wanted to know if I'd be willing to take Shea for another 2 weeks while she did physical therapy.  Of course I would!  So, Shea had to go home for a couple of nights so we could restart the clock- you can only do respite for 2 weeks at a time, and we didn't want the last few days to count.  I got her back a couple of days later and was very excited to get to spend her 1st 4th of July with her.  She had a visit with a potential adoptive family while she was with me, so I had to take her to that.  It was weird for me to take her to a visit.  I was so protective of her already.  I stayed in the building, not wanting to leave in case she needed me for some reason.  I had a bad feeling in my gut about this visit.  When I left the visit her foster mom called and I told her how the visit went and how I felt.  I told her I didn't know if I was just being over protective, this was our first foster child after all.  She told me no, that I should always follow my gut, and I should talk to our agency and at least let them know my feelings.  So, I did, and I wasn't alone in my feelings.  I put it in God's hand and continued to pray for God's will in Shea's life and had my close friends and family praying for God's will as well.  This would become our foundation, we just didn't know it yet.

About a week into the respite care the foster mom called again.  Her back was worse that she thought, and she was going to need surgery.  She wasn't going to be able to take Shea back.  She asked if I'd be willing to take over Shea's foster placement.  I didn't even have to ask my husband, I already knew the answer.  Yes.  So, she was officially placed with us when the respite care ended.

Another couple of weeks went by and it appeared that the placement with the potential adoptive family was going to fall through- she would be with us a bit longer......  There were still 3 other families in the running for her at this time.  My husband and I had a real serious talk one night, and decided to take a risk and put our name in the hat as a potential adoptive family.  We fell in love with Shea the first moment we met her, and that bond was only growing stronger by the day.  We knew of 2 of the other families that were interested in Shea, and made it very clear to the CPS worker that they were good families as well, and we would understand if we didn't get her, just wanted her to know if she decided we were best for Shea we were willing to take her.

There is a bit of a heart change that takes place when you see yourself in the future with a child.

To be continued....  :)