That Mother Lode

I decided to turn the grief from my divorce into a positive, and I became more intentional about inspiring other people's children the same way that I wanted someone to inspire my future children.  That included volunteering to teach children's church.  I planted seeds by mentoring.  I bought books.  I sponsored scholarships.  I wrote letters to pen pals.  I visited juvenile detention centers.  I stood fully as a member of the village that raises children to fulfill their potential, and I embraced my support role.  My desire to be a mother didn't end.  I am blessed to have several close friends who have shown me that there are many paths to motherhood. They showed me what was possible. Their personal experiences taught me about IVF and IUF, gestational surrogacy, and donor sperm. (Aside: Why did autocorrect change that to "superman"? lol) At the beginning of 2021, two things happened that drew me closer to the foster care system. First, t...

You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today... It's official!  I'm licensed as a foster parent with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).  Today, I signed the paperwork and I will be eligible for placement after 24 hours.  It took a lot of work to get to this point, and it's just the beginning.  I'm grateful to everyone who has supported me on this journey.  I'm grateful for the people who asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this.  I'm grateful for the advice and the questions, because I know that they all came from a place of love.  I celebrated this special moment in my life by having dinner with a group of girlfriends.  They each experienced childhood trauma and were not protected by the people who were supposed to take care of them.  In spite of the challenges that my friends faced as kids, they are phenomenal mothers today.  It is very likely that I will have a kid in my care who has ...