Moving over!

I have loved sharing with you my thoughts on all things adoption, Christian parenting, and navigating this life through faith. I hope you continue to follow me as I move my blog over to WordPress. Same thoughts spilling over the keyboard just a different format.

Follow me over to http://thehopkinsfam.wordpress.com

See ya there!

Kelly

Camper daze

Someone recently asked me if I was cropping my photos poorly. Truth is, I can't identify our foster son right now so this is what we can share with our friends online.

 Both of our son's experienced their first overnight camps this summer. Our foster son got to experience a camp structured solely for other foster and adoptive children his age. Later, they both got to travel, along with this mama, to a Royal Ambassador's camp while I was the official campus photog. that week.

Our foster son led the prayer here with his brother and friends who joined him at camp during Worship.

We prayed this first extended time away from us, a full week's worth from his family, would be a blessing to our foster son. Days full of laughter, memories, understanding that there are other foster children like him – 8,020 in Georgia to be a close estimate – would give him a fresh perspective on what God has in store for him despite the challenging circumstances he has had to stumble through in his short life.

We prayed that he wouldn't have any anxiety that we might not be here for him when he returned, that when he laid his head down at night he knew we were waiting for him at his home sweet home. Unfortunately, too many times before he met us when he or a foster family left for a period of time, the next thing he knew he was returned to a different address. Issues were sugar coated or he was shown that's how you deal with hard seasons, you just walk away. Not us, big boy. We are here for you – always. Family sticks it through, works it through, and prays it through – we will always walk together toward the Lord's leading.

Two days in to the camp week for foster/adoptive kids our other son said, "I sure do miss the lil' guy, or the big guy in my case!"

And two days before camp began, our foster son had gotten frustrated at emptying his seat in the car of things he made at another camp because it would take two trips in to the house.
That turned into 1 1/2 hours of tantrum while we had friends we haven't seen in 2 years coming over for dinner.  Of course, when we break down it's always perfect timing, isn't it? He threw every verbal and physical threat at us he could and finished with packing his bags, not for camp, but for good because he was done with us – the expectation of cleaning up after himself felt like too much to him.

And this isn't the first time this has happened. How do you ever put away emotions you feel from your life being turned upside down? You don't, but we are all trying to help him discover better ways to respond, and learning quite a few things for ourselves through his therapy. When he came home to unpack his camp bags we asked him to also unpack his other belongings he packed up in a fuss and he did just that.

He's learning you don't just walk away in the hard seasons. We are all learning how to love unconditionally together; how to keep from hurting one another with words or actions no matter how we are feeling; that it's OK to feel feelings, no matter how big – it's how we respond that matters most.

And for the week of Christian R.A. camp both of our boys were away with me, there were many new traditions and transitions to learn from and grow through as well. For one, I was often visible on campus, but not accessible because I wanted them to draw close to their fellow cabin guys and counselors. I was able to join them for Mission, Worship, meals, and activity time at times letting loose and having fun through a child's perspective along side them. But how sweet were the words to my heart when my foster son would notice me in a canoe on the opposite side of the lake and he called out "MAMA!" and the words echoed across the water ripples. I know I'm not his only mama in his heart, but I treasure our relationship and that role that God has called me to for His precious one. Our children aren't really ours anyway, the Lord has simply trusted them in our care and arms to raise them for His purposes. They are all His. And He is theirs.

Worship by the water – learning characteristics of our Lord like "Father"

I treasure these sweet times with them – the good and the not so good. Because we all learn through every situation as we learn how weak we are, how much we need Jesus Christ. Now in the moment when it feels like turmoil I may have a different answer, but when I look back on all we have grown through together my heart smiles and I know God's does with mine.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4