James

I need to write this down before I forget it.  One week ago we were given a call about taking a foster kid placement of a little 2 year old boy that we had watched on a respite visit maybe a month ago.  We said of course and told the social worker that we would be glad to take his 10 month old brother as well to keep the boys together.
Ultimately they just sent us the 2 year old James.  He is a typical 2 year old boy.  Into everything and can figure out every lock, door handle and loves to touch everything that he is not suppose to touch.  I am out of practice and it has been quite the process of making our home kid safe for him.  To say the least he has worn me out everyday.  It is hard enough watching your own 2 year old but for some reason the anxiety goes up alot when you are trying to keep some one else's 2 year old safe.
Two days ago I text Mike that it was very hard.  Two year olds take so much time and patience. I was wondering how I would be able to take care of James along with all of my other responsibilities.
Mike gave him a blessing that night.  Blessed that his anxiety would leave and that he would feel safe here.  Mike also gave me a blessing.  The blessing had a lot to say and talked a lot about how being a foster mom was part of my calling. Part of why I'm here on earth.
The next day was so much better.  He calmed down a lot and started to respond to me.  Taking commands and not running every second.  As I put him to bed that night I sang him A Child's Prayer, as the word came out "pray he is here, speak he is listening, you are his child, his love now surrounds you", I had the overwhelming feeling that James is God's kid and that God was there surrounding him right then

with his love.  It was a sweet moment.  Not because I didn't already know that but because I needed to know that God knew us and our situation right now and that he would love and protect this boy during this mess that poor James has been put in.
My kids have been so good with him.  They hardly skip a beat.  They love so purely so Christlike.  The other night Wiley my 13 year old teenager during family prayer thanked God for giving us the chance to have James in our home.  He is not mad that James takes so much time and patience and changes alot of what we do, no, my teenage boy was thanking his Heavenly Father for the chance to love this little boy.  My kids never cease to amaze me.  They teach me so much about what it is to be a disciple of Christ.  I've come to understand that this foster thing is not a Mike and me thing this is a family thing and these kids were hand picked to show these kids what true love really is.