Next Steps

Last month we started the process
to become licensed foster parents again.
It's been the plan that once we bought a house
we would consider becoming foster parents.
We bought a house.
We considered.
And now we start the process.
The long process.
So while other people visit dr.'s
and experience contractions
and the like,
my labor pains
started with a three hour orientation
followed by 27 hours of training,
6 hours of first aid/cpr,
and E and I each writing a 20 page novel about ourselves
in the form of an application.
To start.
Then after the licensing department finally gets around to it
they will process our paperwork,
we will get fingerprinted,
and wait up to 2 months for background checks to come back.
In the meantime,
we prepare our house
with locks on cabinets, fire escape ladders,
and beds and clothes ready for all children from 0-6.
If back ground checks pass the test,
we complete the homestudy
with three visits from our licenser.
And then
we will receive our license
to be official Washington foster parents.

In going into this,
there are many things I could be worried about
 . . .
who will we get? boy, girl, baby, toddler, child
how many kids will join us? one or maybe two
how long will they stay? a day, a month, a year, forever
when will they get here? next month, 4 months from now
. . .
It is scary not knowing what will happen
but it would be scarier
not knowing that a loving Heavenly Father
is there to give us
more strength than ever we could have on our own
and more peace than ever we could feel without Him.
I read the scriptures, and I know who to trust.
I pray, and my mind is clear.
I attend the temple, and I feel peace and understanding.
I feel blessed to understand now
that there is no need to worry and fear
and harbor bitterness for the things I can't control
because all things work together for good.