The day my foster daughter arrived, I was launched into a world far out of my comfort zone. What I'd previously only written about, I would live for the next few years.The way she coped with her past experiences was to detach. If you don't care about anyone, I guess you can never be hurt.
She enjoyed riding Scamper with my youngest daughter and was so proud of the used pair of cowboy boots I found for her (that were several sizes too big!)
I taught her to read, and she could read far above her grade level. She loved the Sonrise Stable series. I began by reading them aloud to her. When I read about the foster girl in one of the books, she stopped me and asked if I'd written it about her. I told her that particular book was written before she was born. But it was clear to me God had a plan I was totally unaware of at the time - that included me becoming a foster parent - not just writing about it!
Through this experience, I lost many "friends" and left several churches. And the family who now has her refuses to let me have any contact. That was definitely not the ending to the story I had envisioned. I have to wonder if I made any lasting difference in her life in the years she was here. I know the experience changed me. God revealed character flaws I still need to work on.
If I had kept track, there were probably more bad days than good. But there are memories I treasure that give me hope for her future. Some day, I may write about that time. I guess I'm waiting to hear the end of the story. When she's an adult, I hope she looks me up.
