Preparing to fill our Rooms!

I mentioned before in my post It Wasn't in the Plan... that all of our children came to us in different ways.  Our first was meticulously planned after a devastating miscarriage and arrived c-section into this world.  Our second was planned through the way of adoption and travel to Guatemala.  Our third child was a miraculous surprise who came into this world the old fashioned way.

With each child we have had to do different things to prepare for them.  This time around will be no different.  As I mentioned earlier we are currently going through the process of becoming licensed to be foster parents for refugee youth!  That certainly seems like a mouth full, but what it means is that a child who has fled from his or her country and is unable to return safely to their home will become part of our family!  I will become a mother of a teenager most likely!  We will not be able to adopt the children as they may still have family living in their country or elsewhere, but we will become their forever family!  I said children because we will be licensed to have up to three children with us. 

For the last  two weekends we have gone through 24 hours of training.  I have already turned in the paperwork.  For most the paperwork alone is overwhelming and can scare you away, but after filling form after form, making four copies, and having to get notaries with specific dates and stamps to sign them for Guatemala - this is a piece of cake!  I am talking an entire file cabinet drawer filled with paperwork for Guatemala compared to a file folder full!

In a few weeks will have a home study done.  The Licensor will come to visit the house and will interview all of us including the children.  This is the part that makes me a little nervous.  Last time it was just Jackson and he was a perfect three year old.  This time we have two more children to add in the mix who are a little more rambunctious. 

To see what the kids would say to the Licensor I asked the two little ones what happens when they make bad choices.  Lola ducked her head - I think she thought she was in trouble- and Tyce asked for an apple.  Then I gave them choices of what could happen.  "Do you have to eat peanut butter if you make a bad choice?  Do you get locked outside?  Does Mommy stand on your head?" "Do you have to sit in time-out?" Enthusiastic "yes"es and "yup"s were the answers for them all!!  We may be in trouble!  I'll let you know how it goes!