Another Road Trip

We just returned today from a wonderful extended weekend away at Emerald Isle. We were invited by my Mom and Annette. They were already there and had the beach house ready for us. The weather was simply delightful. We all had such a great time. I will post more photos later. Here are a few.

Class Complete

We completed our 5 week foster care and adoption classes. Tonight was our final meeting and we were able to bring our own families and have a ceremony of sorts. Scott was a part of a skit that demonstrated that every foster child needs a team of committed people behind him or her supporting the child and meeting his or her needs within the partnership of other team members. We kind of had a little graduation. Our instructors handed us each a certificate and a gift. It seems corny, but it was a big deal to me. I was proud to have completed this course. It was a lot of work and made us dig deep. Each week I would experience many highs and lows. More often than not, I was hopeful and eager. Although, several nights I came home heavy and doubtful. I think the classes did what they were supposed to do with my heart and mind. I feel more prepared to step into the role of a foster or adoptive parent.

There are many more steps that have to be taken to be a licensed foster parent or before adopting a foster child. Our hope is that we continue to stay informed and keep communicating openly with each other, our children and our social workers. We made our wishes known to the trainers/social workers. We filled out the official application, among tons of other paperwork, to become a foster parent hoping to adopt. Our next step is for one of the social workers to call us to set up a date for her to come and do a home study with us. That is our next step. From then on, we will work closely with our assigned social worker to jump through all the hoops necessary to become a licensed foster home.

Camping

This past weekend we took a road trip to the mountains. We were anxious about passing through Boone and meeting up with some of our best friends, the Kruideniers from SC. As we reminisced our way through our old hometown, we noticed quite a bit has changed. What hadn't changed were those cool mountain breezes and that small town comfort.

We met Daniel, Jennifer, Ellen and Arianna at the Grandfather Mountain campground. Spending an entire weekend with this family was sure to be a treat. We were delighted to find our plots right next to a creek and surrounded by woods and greenery. Up above our plots, there was an open field with mountains all around. It felt like a little piece of heaven.

Our families quickly set up camp in our little haven and began making memories. The smell of a campfire, laughter and wide eyes were all around us. The kids stayed in the creek most of that first day. They found several crawfish. Their sense of wonder was alive in the nature that encompassed us.

Our families are both vegan and we enjoyed bringing food to share and cook on our handy dandy camping stoves. We ate burritos, corn, spaghetti, green beans, oatmeal, hot tea, coffee and lots of other yummy snacks. Daniel brought some veggies from their garden and grilled them on the open fire. That was fun to watch and taste. Little did we know that fire roasted potatoes would be such a hit for the kids. They would put a slice of potato on their roasting sticks and stick it in the fire. Later, they roasted tofu dogs.

Our set up was all six kids in a huge tent that Daniel and Jen borrowed from a friend. Then each couple had a tent. So the guys set up all our tents in a row by the fire pit. We enjoyed being so close to one another. We had access to a bathhouse. We were not exactly roughing it.

We went out to the Hebron Rock Colony on Saturday. We took a death defying hike. (Ha ha ha- Jen and Daniel) The kids were so adventurous, much more than myself. I did alright though. I hiked with the best of them, Scott said. Such a sweet hubby. The weather was gorgeous. Jen took a lot of photos there. I will share those later.

All in all, our camping trip could not have gone better. I was so pleased with the kids' ability to sleep in a tent all together with Ellen and Arianna. Sure, they got up with the sun, but they are suppose to on a camping trip, right? That was an after thought though. Getting up just after 6am is not my idea of vacation.:) They were very well behaved and were content with being together and exploring in the woods. For me, the time outdoors was refreshing and revitalizing. Taking our family camping was a lot of work, but well worth it. Here are several pictures from our first Kruidenier and Morrison camping trip.

Just arriving in Boone.

A van full of happy campers anxiously awaiting a weekend away.

This was taken right when we arrived. This is just by our campsite.

Here's the gang just after meeting up. The guys didn't waste any time and began putting up the tents.

From left to right- Kalen, Arianna, Ellen, Brayden, Julian and Madelyn

Roasting potatoes.

Kalen holding a crawfish.

Roasting tofu dogs.

One of my favorite moments, a big game of UNO.

The kids playing duck duck goose.

Kalen, Arianna and Julian

We took a hayride around the grounds.

Yes, we saw that Maddie. The kids passed around the orange juice.

Madelyn was in heaven this weekend with Arianna and Ellen.

Thoughts

I am so thankful.  Thankful that I am surrounded each day by family.  I am truly grateful that our family's story is sweet and full of growth.  Through changes and challenges, we have held on tight and fought for our family.  We have remained determined to love.  Scott and I have worked at our marriage and have succeeded at keeping an amazing love for one another.  Some families are not as fortunate, I am learning.  

As I sit in the social services building on Tuesday and Thursday nights, I am constantly aware of the brokenness, betrayal, and heartache that many families face.  The information that is being relayed to us in our foster care and adoption classes is heavy, as you can imagine.  Many of these nights, I just want to curl up and cry for foster children.  Really.  It is sickening what foster children and their birth parents deal with.  I am immersed in it all right now.  The process of going through this training is not all fun and games, although we have had a lot of laughs.  The social workers that have been teaching us have been amazing.  Truly.  I have greater respect for what they do and why they do it.  They are special people that do really important work.  They fight for children.  They are detailed and organized.  They don't mess around in letting us know their expectations of us and what it takes to do what we are interested in doing. 

Throughout our classes, we have had to fill out paperwork.  Some of our homework has just been about reflecting on the previous class's subject matter.  Other writings have been about our own lives, childhood, current family life, tendencies, desires, and expectations.  It has been interesting each week to be met with so much information through our training, the stories and then dealing with my feelings toward all that.  Whew.  But, I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I am right where I want to be, soaking it all in.  I am grateful for our family's desire to help a child.  I am hopeful that we will be able to one day wrap our arms around a child that needs love and a home.  We have a lot of love to give here in the Morrison home.   

You know, adopting from our county's social services department isn't going to be super smooth and dreamy.  This child will have either been abandoned, abused, or neglected.  This child will need a blanket of grace along with patience, compassion and tons of unconditional love.  It won't be just like previous baby experiences with my birth children.  This will be different.  

How often do we welcome change that may bring hardship?  Aren't we quick to lay in our own contentedness of life and pray that our boat doesn't get rocked?  It is hard to step out in faith and walk the unknown path that may be rocky.  When I think about fostering a child or adopting a child, I sometimes feel scared.  Oh no!  This child may not sleep well or may be angry or cry a lot.  Oh no, imperfection!  Life can be messy, right?  I am sure that feeling scared is natural for a prospective foster/adoptive mother.  As I deal with fears concerning fostering and/or adopting, I am becoming more aware of my tendency to want life tidy and neat and not so messy.   

Pool Clip

Laurie and the boys

My dear friend, Laurie, came into town recently to visit her mom and just so happened to be able to spend the morning and afternoon with us.  We had such a wonderful time being together.  Laurie, for me, is one of those forever friends.  You know the kind that sticks with you no matter what.  She was one of my very influential roommates in college and my maid of honor in my wedding.  She has a very real presence in my life and I am so thankful for having such a life giving friend in her.  

Her boys, Owen, Griffin and Tate, are delightful.  Our kids loved hanging out with them here at home and then we took them to our neighborhood pool.  Needless to say, the pool was a hit.  I have pictures to prove it. 

Owen and Julian play chess.

Brayden and Tate hang out at the pool.

Mister Tate loving life.

(from left to right) Madelyn, Brayden, Julian, Owen, Kalen, Griffin and Tate

Our Day At The Zoo

The kids and I met my mom at the NC Zoo in Asheboro.  We had a wonderful time!  The kids are at great ages to really enjoy it.  Here are a few photos.  

Soccer

Soccer games and practices have come to a halt.  Our boys did an amazing job this spring with playing soccer.  We have seen each of them improve so much, even Brayden.  

Here is a clip of Kalen scoring his fourth goal of his last game.  He was on fire during the end of his final game.  

Kalen is number 20.  He is the one that won't get away from the ball.  :)

We are so proud of Julian this soccer season.  He has shown tremendous growth.  Brayden, soccer guy as he refers to himself, has suited up for every game.  He loves being out on that field.  We look forward to his future in soccer as well.