Plug Protectors

I'm not sure why we thought we could walk into Wal-Mart and just figure out what baby products we'd need, but yes, that is what happened tonight. I thought it would be exciting to go "baby shopping" for the first time, but it was actually pretty overwhelming. And tiring. We decided we needed to get out fast...we were both becoming progressively sleepy and hangry (hungry-angry - yes, it's a thing.)

Now that I think about it, it is pretty silly to think we'd just know what to buy. We walked the aisles 3-4 times before deciding on ONE purchase. Yes, just one - a 24-pack of plug protectors.



First baby-proofing purchase!

I'm hoping that I'll be more confident about purchasing different items once we have a better idea about the age range we're comfortable accepting into our home. For now, we know that we'll definitely need these plug protectors...even if it's just MJ and Bennett who will be crawling around the house.

We've been reading a lot over the last few days about FMLA leave for foster parents. We didn't realize that we might be able to qualify for this. I have setup a meeting with our Director of HR on Tuesday to find out more about how this would work. From what I've read here, it sounds like we could take up to 12 weeks of (unpaid) leave if we receive a foster placement. We were under the impression that FMLA leave was only for birth/adoptive parents. This could be a game changer, people! :)

I came across a blog post this morning called, "The Top Ten Signs You're Ready to be a Foster Parent." She writes:

Here are my thoughts on if you are ready to be a foster parent…
10. You don’t mind your entire life being an open book. Literally. The moment you decide to move forward with foster care your life is documented over and over again.
9.   Being finger printed doesn’t scare you.
8.   You are able to free up your schedule to attend hours of training, some relevant and some not-so relevant.
7.   Having access to extra clothing, diapers, baby items, books, toys, etc is very helpful. Sometimes the agency will provide them, but many times it‘s what you have on hand.
6.   You are able to be flexible. Very, very flexible. Even after a year, it still surprises me how quickly situations change and children are always caught in the balance.
5.   You have a strong support system. Having a good case worker is awesome, but having a group of friends who you can call when you need to laugh or cry or vent is priceless.
4.   You understand that while you are paid a stipend while you care for a child, it will not make you rich, and you probably spend more than you take in.
3.   You can listen without judging. You will instantly learn more than you wanted to know about a situation, and it can be overwhelming.
2.   You are able to not gossip about the child that you are caring for. Even little ones hear more than we are aware, and it‘s so important for them to know that they are in a safe place with people they can trust.
1.   You can drop everything at a moment’s notice when that phone rings and be ready to go.  When a child needs a placement it generally happens within 24 hours, often times sooner.

I highlighted in yellow the things that I think we're ready for...#7 (highlighted in pink) is the one we haven't figured out yet, but I'm sure we will soon...and the three highlighted in blue are the things I'm still unsure of. These are the things I'm still praying about. I want to be flexible, non-judgmental, and able to be ready to go at a moment's notice, but realistically, we're not even close to being ready yet. I'm sure things will fall into place quickly if the time comes that we both feel like we are being called to this, but as of right now, I can't say we're 100% ready for all 10 things on this list.

We're basically counting down the hours until Tuesday night when we can finally learn more about the agency near our house...I really, really, really, really, REALLY want this place to work out. We'll see what God has planned.

I'll finish this post by showing you a pic of something I'm absolutely in LOVE with. If we do find that fostering is the direction God has for our family, I will definitely want to steal this family's idea of a fostering photo session. If you can't see the card well enough, the signs say things like, "Growing in my heart," and "Waiting for you." LOVE. THIS. :)