Chapter Four- Baby Steps

It was time to put feet to our faith. 

But how do you make a step of faith when you really don't know where you are heading?

Baby steps!

(That's Josie-- for illustrative purposes!)

We attended some informative meetings and adoption events.  

We then met with people and asked questions.

  International? Domestic? Foster Care?

Given that we had to make a choice somehow,

we started with the most obvious and practical realization--

 international adoption was expensive and travel would be hard on the home school. 

Okay then! 

Domestic adoption it is! 

Wait! You need to have a foster care license to adopt domestically?
Then how about we try fostering, with the possibility to adopt?

Alright-y! 

Foster care licensing here we come!

(Josie again...)

By the time we took the required training, finished the home study, and completed piles of paperwork, half a year had gone by.  We received our license from the state, and the wait began.  The first referral call fell through. So we waited some more.  Then came the call that would rock our world--would we foster an infant with significant health issues and special needs?  Oh, and you only have 45 minutes to decide.

Todd knew something big was up when he was called out of a board meeting to answer my call.

How could we say no?  This was the moment we had been waiting for.

We said yes. 

(...and one more shameless Josie plug!)

That evening we met our foster daughter and took this precious baby girl home to be loved on and cared for by the six of us.  Finally, after all this time! It was the beginning of a heart-growing faith-stretching relationship with this little one and her world. It was also the beginning of a whirlwind of the unknown, the unexpected, and the unpredictable.