foster

 [verb] encourage or promote the development of something, typically regarded as good.

Life is like a book. Like all good stories, the plot needs to thicken, there needs to be the twist and turns, and the antagonist and protagonist need that epic battle. Right now, we are in the thick of it. 

We’ve spent the past four years living on a glorious farm. Forty-four acres of roaming space, with a cute little barn filled with chickens and goats and pigs. The house, well, it was “fun.” Whatever the temperature was outside, it was the same on the inside. The rain came inside and the wind blew straight through it. But it was home. I would wake up in the morning and look out over thousands of acres of goats roaming and chickens flying around. I would watch stellar sunsets and stargaze on the clear cool summer nights. It was my piece of heaven.

I had a corner in my kitchen that was dedicated to my medicinals: home made creams, lotions, essential oils and all things organic and holy. It was my own space, until a kid would come wandering in needing some bobo cream, or lavender for a skinned knee. It’s my heart's passion to use the things God has given us and make something healing with them. There’s so much, a lot of which I hope I can share with you. But this is just one part of my story. 

Ever since Toby and I first married, we knew we wanted to foster and adopt a child or maybe two or three. This past winter we really felt that push and met with Hope Cottage to see what it would take for us to get started. Right off the bat, we knew we would have to say goodbye to our farm home and move to a home with 3 bedrooms. Moving would mean giving up so much. My little space for healing, my 44 acres of space to hunt for herbs, my ginormous bedroom and closet! But, I didn’t care. My eyes were set on the prize of something far greater than all of those things. I needed to find a house that I could bring more kids home to. 

During a birthday dinner in January with Jana and Alyssa’s families, we saw a home for rent. The backyard was shared with theirs and that’s when the “wouldn’t it be awesome” started. It was a shot in the dark. It was priced more than we could afford and it came with a lot of work. So we pulled out some negotiating skills. We have a lot of updates to make on this old home, but at a reduced rate. It was overwhelming, very overwhelming. But all good things take time and work. 

It’s hard to let go of something that has taken 4 years of your life. So rather than letting it all go, we are going to try our hands at urban homesteading. We have a cute little garden and Jana and Darron have built a lovely coop so that we can have chickens!

Everyday feels more like home. It’s wonderful to be able to look outside and see my neighbors. To talk across a fence or have an early morning cup of coffee with my new neighbor, Jenny.

I’ve been brought into the fold of something I had honestly forgotten about. Living in the country is something I hope to one day have again, but I have to say, this new place has many perks. I have a great sense of community and I still get my fresh eggs and veggies. Best perk of all, I get to share it! I get to get dirty in the garden with my friends, and chase chickens with Cyrus and Max! And I still get to have my little corner to make my “healing potions.” 

The journey to fostering and adopting has unfolded rather quickly. We are almost done with our training and about to start the home studies. This process has felt like a magnifying glass has been placed over us, but I have nothing to hide, so it’s all good by me. I’m settling into the dreams of a new little baby or toddler picking vegetables or eggs with me and playing outside with our neighbors, learning what community is. Believe me, I couldn’t have lasted this long in the process without my community. It’s strange to feel like I’m in 10 different books at once. Some are ending, some are in the middle, and some are just beginning. 

Amber