2.02.2012

Coincidence....I think not!


Back in 2010 when I was pregnant with what we thought would be our 3rd and final child, I kept having 'feelings' like I would be caring for and dressing {because let's face it...that's what really is most important!}  a boy AND a girl.

It was confusing to me because at my first ultrasound there was only one fetus. But the prompting was still there. My heart kept feeling....BOY and GIRL.

Fast forward a year and a half to June of 2011. I couldn't get the idea of foster care out of my mind. We had lost our little one and tried for 6 more months to get pregnant again without success. It weighed on my heart heavy and one day while sitting at our community pool, I approached a woman I knew who did foster care.
I asked if there was a need and told her Dave and I were interested.
She gave me a number to call and I made the phone call on the very next day.

In the County of Napa, the foster care program is very well supported. We did our initial orientation with the licensing worker and I got butterflies in my stomach. We reiterated that we wanted 'itty bitties' aka newborns and were only interested in emergency and/or temporary placements. It felt so right.

We left for our annual summer vacation to San Clemente. I was still so preoccupied with the idea of fostering and couldn't get babies out of my head. While shopping at a mall down there with my sister and whole family, I begged to go into Janie and Jack. I just had to pick up a little outfit or two to start preparing for a baby in our home. I picked up a boy outfit and a girl outfit. Because that boy AND girl feeling was still so present. Dave was a little irritated that I was already spending money on 'baby items' and my sister thought I was crazy!

When we returned from our vacation we started our foster care training classes the end of August. They were amazing. 30 hours of training over a period of 10 weeks with 6 other couples all interested in foster care. We had two great trainers and a few special experienced foster care parents as guests who taught us about real life experiences as foster parents and what to expect.

We graduated the second week of November and by the end of November, when our first placement call came in, all we needed to do was complete our fingerprinting.

I will never forget that first phone call.
It was for a 1 year old little girl with SB and it wasn't emergency or necessarily temporary. It would most likely be a 4-6 month placement. We said yes because it was more than just a coincidence that a 1 year old with special needs the same as our son would need a home the same week we were getting licensed.

I joked over the next two days that we signed up for newborns....not a 1 year old and it was then brought to our attention that she came with a newborn. A baby boy. My heart skipped a beat as I thought...there it is...what I have been prepared for this whole last year...a girl AND a boy.



A few weeks ago I watched Little Miss playing on our family room floor and I looked at her. I thought of her birth date and then started doing the math. My due date with what would have been our 3rd was only two weeks off from Little Miss' birthday! What we had crawling around in our home...this toddler that we didn't necessarily 'sign up for' was the exact age of what our little one would have been if that baby would have been born. It was more than coincidence to me.

Imagine my surprise just two weeks ago when I found the Janie and Jack bag from our summer vacation last year. I gently pulled out the items, remembering I had bought a girl outfit and a boy outfit.

I began to cry as I lifted the little boy outfit out....size 3-6 months...exactly the size of Little Mister for this upcoming spring. And the little girl outfit I had bought....size 12-18 months...exactly Little Miss' size also for this spring.

Coincidence....I think not!

{If you have ever felt like you could possibly do foster care, I encourage you to check out your local area. There is such a need and I'm telling you...these little ones are so easy to love.}

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36 comments:

  1. Awww. They are so cute! And that little boy looks just like he belongs on Dave's chest. I love it. Bless you for opening your hearts and your homes to these deserving children.

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  2. Oh April...that's a beautiful post...some things in life happen for a reason and are just meant to be...i love life stories just like that...have a great weekend...xxx

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  3. Absolutely not coincidence. Clearly those babies were brought into your life for a reason and what lucky babies they are. So good to see you enjoying them and loving on them. And, glad that little mister is healthy now!

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  4. This made me a little misty. Blessings for all. xoxo

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  5. This "coincidence" you write of is what we call in our house "A God Thing." I truly believe God gives you what you need, and you *needed* these precious babies and exactly this time and at exactly these ages. Bless you for fostering. I would love to foster one day :)

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  6. I don't believe in coincidence. I believe in miracles. I loved this post and it gave me goosebumps. One of my favorite quotes and I'm sure you'll agree:
    "A coincidence is a miracle in which God remains anonymous." We have a wooden sign with that quote hanging in our house! I believe it 100%!
    You are doing what you are meant to be doing and I think it's awesome that there are people like you who will do foster care. I'm sure the blessings you have received because of it are better than you could have dreamed for yourself and your family.

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  7. This is so beautiful! We are not able to do it now (hubby is doing a medical residency & not home much & our current rental home is not big enough) but I'm really feeling the pull to do this one day. We probably wont be able to think seriously about doing it for another 3 years, but I feel that eventually we will. It is so great of you to take these children in. What a blessing to both them & your family as well!

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  8. What a wonderful....no coincidence at all....story about God's love for you and those little ones that he knew would need you and your family!
    How do you not get soooo attached? I would be afraid that I couldn't do a good job because I would be such a mess over the fact that they would not be in my family forever.

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  9. Well that was awesome! What a story. I love hearing how God's timing is so perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    You two rock and I love that you are doing this!!!

    xo
    paige

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  10. Such a great post! What cuties! It certainly sounds like it was all meant to be. I think it is amazing what you are doing. :)

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  11. We've been doing foster care for four years - our first placement was a newborn baby girl who is now our "firstborn". I also had a miscarriage and was due in November of 2007 - her birthday was the next March but we wouldn't have gotten the call for her if we had had a three month old baby in our home. God is mysterious, indeed.

    It's always good for me to hear new foster parents talk about foster care with enthusiasm. We have had over thirty kids and it's not always glamorous and sometimes heartbreaking but it is always worth it. Blessings to you and your family!

    Sarah

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  12. this is such an incredible story April!! I got chills over and over again reading it. God is doing something so special in the lives of these children because you and Dave chose to be obedient to God's story for your lives. Love you friend and I'm so excited for this wonderful journey you are on.

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  13. You made me tear up. What a beautiful adventure!

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  14. We cared for foster children for 12 years, newborns to age 5, around 45 in all. When we started our youngest (birth) child was 6 and we stopped when she went to college. So many thoughts and feelings are bouncing around in my head after reading this! I wish you many, many blessings! We are now busy with grandkids--8 of them!

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  15. Wow! What a blessing! They are beautiful! And you and Dave are too for opening your hearts and home to these beautiful children! Thanks so much for sharing this with us. xoxo

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  16. What an awesome story April!! I can't believe that the outfits you bought actually fit the babies!
    She is absolutely adorable! I am sure you are having a ball with her.
    You and Dave are doing a wonderful thing!

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  17. Awwww, you make me cry! What a beautiful story!!

    Leanne

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  18. Amazing - I have chills. What an encouraging God we serve.

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  19. I have goose bumps! I don't believe in coincidences. God was preparing you and your family for the wonderful gift you would give these children. I was a foster child and I will never forget the love I received from my "Mom" and "Dad". There is nothing I could do or say that would come close to expressing how grateful I am for them!

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  20. Thank you for sharing your heart! It's so obvious with the benefit of hindsight where God was directing you. I love that your little family is growing. I love how God spoke to you and you heard your calling. Can't wait to see those Janie and Jack outfits on your Littles :)

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  21. Oh my! This gave me chills. What a wonderful blessing your family received. Undoubtedly the Lord prepared you and your heart to welcome two sweet Littles into your family.

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  22. April that is incredible! God sent those babies straight to you. They are absolutely stunning babies!

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  23. Oh April,
    This was beautiful and really touched my heart. I have puddles in my eyes from the truly "God" moment you had in Janie and Jack and later when you pulled out the clothes. We don't always know why things happen to us but, this was just beautiful.

    be blessed my dear.

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  24. Love that you were able to post pics! So cute....

    Jen

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  25. AMAZING!!! They're so precious, oh their hair!! :)

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  26. April, I just love your posts! You help strengthen my testimony. Our third was a little boy stillborn at 20 weeks. It's such a painful experience that most people just don't understand. I am grateful these precious babies have helped fill that void and fill your heart. They are beautiful! The hair on that little guy is great!

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  27. What a wonderful story.. SO thrilled that it feels so right.. it is part of the healing for sure.

    Maddie

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  28. I randomly came across your blog and was enjoying all your fun posts and photos when I hit the "home" button and read this post. Tears began to swell up in my eyes, my husband and I have been trying for so long to have a little one of our own, our journey has not been an easy one and the thought of adoption and foster care has many times occupied my thoughts. I do not think it was a coincidence that I found this post. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story, the children are breathtaking beautiful and I wish you and your family all the best!

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  29. April...this is beautiful and what you are doing for these two little ones is wonderful!!!

    Have a beautiful day:)

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  30. Definitely more than a coincidence! You and Dave are amazing!

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  31. Wow...this is the very first blogpost I've read of yours....chills! You are an inspiration. Thank you!

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  32. What a beautiful account of God's quiet voice whispering directly into your heart and soul! :)

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  33. Aww!! Seriously This picture is so adorable!! love it!! http://www.canieathere.com/

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