The magnitude of what family does for an individual is not lost with me. I have always known how blessed I was to be born into the family that I call my own. To say we are close is an understatement. My mom is my dearest friend. She's the first person I turn to when I have something to share. My dad is everything a dad should be. I have never doubted his love for me or the fact that he would protect me at all cost. My bother and I look out for each other to the ends of the earth. We are hard on each other, but at the end of the day, there's no one that stands up for me like my brother. Truth is, that's only the beginning. I have an extended family that isn't so extended. I have aunts, uncles and cousins with whom I have closer relationships than most people have with their own parents or siblings. I grew up with grandmothers that talked to me about life and love and grandfathers that took me on dates. We don't turn on each other when things are tough. We gain strength from one another. We unite. We pray for each other and support each other. Again, to say we are close, is an understatement.
My parents now have three grandsons. When we are out with them and someone they know asks, "are these your grandsons?" They, without hesitation, answer, "Yes!" Over the past seven months I have watched their love grow and grow for these boys. I have wondered lately how I forgot to consider THEIR hearts in making the decision to venture onto this journey. I ache inside thinking of the hurt and void they would feel if they no longer got to see the boys. I have come to the conclusion that we were ALL called on this journey together. I know for sure I've never been alone in it.
All of these things have aligned for a greater purpose than I can even comprehend. These boys have not just gained a foster mom, they've gained a FAMILY. And not just any family. The best family. They have witnessed good men being good men. This is huge. They have learned to trust people again. This is huge. They have learned how to gain attention in positive ways and that it's really better that way. This is huge. They've learned to love and be loved. This is huge. These months have had an impact on the kind of young men they will grow into. It is much bigger than me and my fears. It is far greater than the chance that my family and I have taken by falling in love with them.
To my family, I'd like to say....thank you for the part you've played in making me the woman I am today. Thank you for the love and support when life wasn't so easy. Thanks for the laughs and unforgettable memories that helped me learn not to ever take myself too seriously...to live in each moment and soak it all in. Thanks for the prayers. In this very moment, thank you for loving these boys no differently than you would if they had been mine all along. Thank you for the peace I have in knowing that I will face none of this alone.
To the rest of you that are following us on this journey.... Pray for me. Pray for my family. But most importantly pray for my boys. Pray that "the system" doesn't fail them. Pray that God's will aligns with their lives. Pray for their future and protection over the progress they've made. Pray that no matter where life takes them, they always remember what love and family means.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
