I loved getting to have Lysa TerKeurst here to record a podcast with me. Look for the details on our episode tomorrow!
Lots of baby food and trying new foods has been going down with the babies this past week. Champ is doing feeding therapy and he’s been getting to explore lots of new foods so Kierstyn is enjoying trying some of them, too!
Every morning Silas comes down to talk with the babies before he leaves for school.
Kaitlynn did a photo shoot with Kierstyn this past week.
Jesse went to Walmart for formula and came home with this for the babies. 😉
Champ loves playing with the ball with Silas. It’s so fun to watch them play together.
Champ is likely going back to his mom full-time this week. We are experiencing so many emotions leading up to this day — joy and excitement for him and his mom and sadness and grief at the loss of him not being here with us like he’s been for the past 8 months.
We are focusing some time this week to do a few different things to help us process this big transition — including family photos with him, a special shopping evening to buy matching stuffed animals for everyone, finishing up the chapter book and book of the Bible we’ve been reading, and lots of extra snuggling and rocking and playing time. And probably quite a few tears thrown in, too.
Champ has brought so much laughter and smiles into our home and it’s hard to imagine him not being here. And yet, we are so grateful that we’ve had the opportunity to love him as our own on his mama’s behalf. It has truly been one of the greatest honors of my life.
Last Week’s Goals
Personal Goals
1. Get 48,000 steps in.
2. Read 5 chapters of Atomic Habits. Read 5 chapters of Forgiving What You Can’t Forget.3. Finish listening to The Body Keeps the Score.
4. Do pelvic floor exercises at least four times.Home/Family Goals
5. Read 10 pages of A Boy’s War as a family.
6. Read three chapters of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the babies and Silas.
7. Work on photo book for Champ.Business Goals
8. Map out dates and project timelines for my book launch.
9. Put together two gift guides for Christmas.Word of the Year Goals (my word is “savor”)
10. Watch an episode of The Amazing Race as a family.This Week’s Goals
Personal Goals
1. Get 42,000 steps in.
2. Read 5 chapters of Atomic Habits. Read 5 chapters of Forgiving What You Can’t Forget.
3. Finish listening to The Body Keeps the Score.
4. Do pelvic floor exercises at least four times.
Home/Family Goals
5. Read 10 pages of A Boy’s War as a family.
6. Finish reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the babies and Silas.
7. Finish reading Proverbs with the babies.
8. Get family photos done. (Someone whom I met at a foster care meet-up offered to come take our family photos before Champ leaves.)
9. Take kids out shopping to buy matching stuffed animals (we wanted all the kids to get to pick out a matching memento that they’ll have and then that we’ll send home with Champ to have, too.)
Word of the Year Goals (my word is “savor”)
10. Watch an episode of The Amazing Race as a family.
My mom left out of state right before I turned 3. My brother was 18 months. My dad became a single dad over night, and we went from being stay at home kids to being watched by whoever he could get. I had never known until years later that others had stepped in to help before we could start going to daycare. I LOVED going to daycare, because I could nuzzle my head in my teacher’s skirt and soak in her hug. I looked forward to that every morning! The Lord used people I don’t remember and those I vaguely have a glimpse of a memory of to meet my needs. He has used you and your family to be His hands and feet. Champ is in good hands! And he always will be! Praying for him and all of you along with his birth mom!
I can’t even read your story in full. It takes a special family to do this. I am in tears.
There have been lots of tears at our house recently, too. But also excitement for him and his mom and what the future holds for them!
Prayers and positive thoughts during this time for your family, Chanp, and his birth mom. No matter what, rest in knowing you provided Champ with the best family and love he could have. ..he learned to attach and that will help him his whole life.. His heart ❤️ will always remember you! I truly hope you can carry on a relationship with him and his mom.
Thank you so much!
Wow! Would you ask Champ’s mom if she’d share a nickname she makes up for prayer purposes?
I know God knows when I say, “Champ’s mom.” Still, it would be nice to have a name she’s chosen. They will remain in my prayers.
I am thrilled for her. I’m in shock, really. TN really values reunification, huh? Incredible!!! I’ve only seen foster care as a frugal way to adopt. (Everyone I know only does it for that purpose and is done after adoption.)
I’m honored to have met you, a bold woman for Christ who loved him as your own even while supporting his family. Wow!
I can’t imagine your feelings this week, but I’ll pray for you and your children too.
Will he need financial support for cochlear implants? Ask your followers if he does. We’ll help. Or maybe the 100,000 of us can buy his mom a house. Or pay for his private elementary school and beyond. Let’s think big! You have many followers who have enjoyed watching him grow. A Former Foster Foundation? 🙂
You are so amazingly kind! It means the world for you to be so supportive and thank you for praying for his sweet mama. We are so proud of her and how hard she has worked and we are so grateful for the relationship we have with her and that she desires to continue the relationship even after reunification. Our heart is that we can continue to support and encourage her in the months to come. I see so many answers to prayer and God’s hand in this over and over again. He is writing this story and it’s not finished yet.
Friends of ours adopted a baby boy this summer and asked his bio mom to do a recordable story for him (books where you can record yourself reading it). I thought it was so sweet and such special idea. Maybe you could do something like that in reverse? You could record a storybook from his foster family? I’m not sure if that would be allowed, but I wanted to share the idea.
Your family is a huge blessing to so many. Prayers as you go through this beautiful, heartwrenching, bittersweet time.
Thank you so much for this great idea! I love that your friends did that… what an amazing way to honor his birth mom!
I’ll be praying for your entire family as you transition your relationship with Champ back to his mom. What a blessing you’ve been to them for several months!
Thank you so much!
Prayers for your family and Champ and his Mama during this transition time!
My in-laws did foster care for a time and sending the children home was always so bitter-sweet. I know it’s rough and good all at the same time!
Lea
Yes! That is definitely true — so many emotions all at once! Thank you for your prayers.
Prayers are with you. Saying goodbye to the 1st one is always so hard. We have been able to stay in touch with our last two which helps quite a bit. Blessings
Thank you so much!
Are you able to stay in contact with Champ’s mom? I know this is encouraged in some localities because the resource parents are able to be a support/encouragement to the birth parents. Your family has been such a blessing to this sweet little one.
In our area, it depends upon the situation but it is usually encouraged if the mom is willing/open to it. We have indicated that this is something we are absolutely interested in and mom has indicated that she would like to continue the relationship, as well.
What a blessing that would be to the mom, Champ and your family. You have done such an amazing thing! Blessings