Sense of Humor

I'm frequently asked what brought us to Miami, my initial response: God has a sense of humor! I've known since the time I was 15 that I would like to work with kids coming from not-so-great  situations. Before we were married Matt and I agreed that we would eventually (in God's timing) love to do SOMETHING to help children coming from various backgrounds. We even decided we were done having our own children to save room for our future children, ones we knew God was saving for our family.

After almost 15 years of having this desire on my heart  I was starting to question how God would want to use us, if he truly still wanted to use us. After laying it all out in earnest prayer God then started flinging open doors so that we would move to Miami and care for many of his beautiful children! I wish I would have kept better track of all the children we've been blessed to care for! From what I do remember we have been blessed to care for more than 25 children in our home here. From the tiny newborn baby addicted to drugs to the 10 year old...... God has shown me to expect the unexpected.

While I always wanted to help kids I always thought it'd be through adoption. I always thought foster care would be too difficult on my heart. I couldn't imagine pouring myself into a child then having them go to another home/ back to a parent. I love these kids SO much!

Here's 2 of the most painful stories so far: After loving on and caring for the most difficult 4 year old I've ever met we saw improvements in behavior, a birthday and pure joy come from this sweet child! We were shocked to find out he would be going back with his family (from the information we had it looked like he'd be going up for adoption soon). I loved this little guy so much! For 8 months I was able to love on him,  now I trust that God is watching over him and reminding him what it means to be a gentleman.

For an entire year we were blessed to care for a 1 year old little guy! He turned 2 in our care and was all boy! He's going to be an NBA star someday, he thinks he already is:) God placed his grandparents in the picture to care for him and his older brother. After fighting for a year to be able to take their 2 grandsons they were able to get them just before Easter! We didn't have the pleasure to care for his brother but I hear he's just as sweet as our guy but had been through so much he needed very high level therapeutic care.  God answers prayers!!!! Just before the grandparents came to pick up the boys the 4 year old learned how to walk!!!!! HUGE milestone for this little one! God answers our prayers!!!!!!!!!

So God has yet to do what I expect but SO much more. I've lived through many kids moving on to where God wants them next. I'm learning to be a little more flexible (I'm slow).

Life Lessons:  (This is where God gets to show off his sense of humor while teaching me to grow)

• Try to be Patient (I'm so not patient) 
• Be slow to speak (I've found very nice people here and some NOT so nice people-sometimes I need to bite my tongue instead of giving a piece of my mind)
• Be slow to anger (When people are more than an hour late or just mistreat others for no reason I tend to get REALLY upset at how inconsiderate they are- I'm slowly learning to let things roll off my back...........slowly)

God has given me talents-I've just always taken them for granted. I've always felt like I received the short of the stick when it comes to talents. Living here has taught me that Loving on people through cooking is a God given talent! In Iowa it seems everyone knows how to cook. Here, I seem to have a talent.

Well that was one long post. Thanks for hanging in there til the end. Perseverance! May God bless you with His sense of Humor and allow you to laugh today.