Update

We just wanted to update everyone on how things are going. We have attended the orientation to start the process to be foster parents. We had a ton of paper work to fill out for that. After all of our record checks go through then they will contact us to set up a time to start taking our ten week class (PS-MAPP). Around week 8 of the class we will have home interviews and they will do a home inspection, just to make sure we have adequate space and that our home is safe for children. Then, after the class is done DHS will have to approve us to be a foster home. That could take any where from 30 -60 days. After we are approved we will start having children in our home. At the beginning of the orientation we had the opportunity to let them know the age group that we are willing to take and also the severity of mental, physical and emotional disabilities. So that is how they determine which children they will call us about. Then when they call us we again have the opportunity to to ask questions about the child and decide if this would be a good fit for the child and for us.
After the child comes to our home it is completely based on the situation how long they will stay. Also, if we think that we can no longer care for the child they would be placed in a different home. The majority of children that enter the system will be reunited with their families. We feel that this is a great opportunity to really show these parents the love of Christ. Some of the children that enter the system will eventually be adopted. If the child has been in a home for a year or off and on for 21 months than they are put on a permanency program. DHS and the courts talk with the biological parents and decide whether they want to make an effort to keep their child, if they want to voluntarily give up rights or if the courts need to take those right from them. If their rights are taken away a family member has the first option of adopting them, then the option is passed to the foster family and then to any other foster family or just plain adoptive family. It is a long hard process for some children and if we are put in that situation we are praying that God will help us to comfort these children and really show them love and peace in this time or chaos.
We are already so in love with these children and we have yet to meet them. God is already softening our hearts for them and their families. Please pray for us as we go through this. We already know that showing the biological parents love is going to be that hardest part for us, but feel this is what God has called us to do. Please pray that these parents hearts are softened to us as well. I think it is easy to forget that even though they have done something to lose their children that they have to deal with the fact that someone else is raising their child. Also, God created them for a purpose too. Help us to show unconditional love for them just like Christ shows us.