Amazing!
On tuesday of this week I recieved a card in the mail from my father. In side the card was a note that really touched my heart and made me smile so big. My father had taken the time to sit down and right me a note about how much I was appreciated, and how big of a help I had been over break and whenever I am home. I took the note out of the envelope and began to read it. When I first opened it I was surprised to see how much my dad had written. As I read the note tears came to my eyes. My dad had written the sweetest note. I just wanted to be able to give him a huge hug. Too bad home is 4 hours away, otherwise I would have.
This last week I have thought so much about my parents. My parents are the 2 most amazing people I have ever met. They are amazing parents, who taught me so many great things about life. They are now incredible grandparents and about to be again for a third time. They are amazing people with absolutely incredible attitudes. My parents are almost 60 (sorry) and it is easy to forget that sometimes when I see the wonderful things that they do for all those foster kids. With 8 kids at home, it has helped my parents to stay and look youthful. I know in many ways it has probably aged them, but hald the time you would never think so.
My mom and dad take so much out of their own lives, so that they can help others. They would do anything for any of those children. Having a new little baby in the house every single day has brightened the home. I noticed that it always made my parents happy. Especially the day that they argued over who was going to get to feed her. That was hysterical!
My dad told me that when I am home I bring a sense of youthfulness back into the house. He said that all the kids really look forward to that and to me. I believe though that my parents have a lot of the youthfulness, it takes alot of energy to do what they do.
I get excited when I know that I am going to be going home. I get excited because I get to be around my parents and all these kids. I will admit sometimes I would like it if it were just my parents and I, but when I see those kids my face just lights up. I grew up with those kids in the house for 3 years of my life. Not all the ones that are there now but some of them and others. I grew used to the idea. I became amazed and intrigued by what my parents did. Everytime a new child came into the home, I would get just as excited if not more than they did. It was hard to share your home with strangers, and it still is but I began to realize that they were not the strangers my family and I were the strangers. We were all of a sudden the driving force in their lives. We were their support system and their love and trust.
I look back now on the day that my parents first brought the idea of foster care to me. I remember my selfish thoughts. "Why are my parents taking their time from me, when I just have 2 years of Highschool left, why can't they wait until I am away at school?" "Don't they know that I am still around?" I look back at this day now and think to myself why did I even think that. I know why I did. I thought those things, because I was scared that these kids were going to push me to the side and that I would be forgotten. I know that would never happen, but at that time I just wasnt sure.
Home is something special to me. It is the place where I feel loved and safe. I am comfortable with who I am and I can be myself no matter what. Most importantly I can be with my parents and my brothers and sisters and niece and nephew (when they are all home) and know that I am loved. It is the place where I can be with 8 kids who I have come to love and care about very very deeply. Home is where I remember sharing so many great times with Aaron and where we first met. Home is where, when 19 people come together all at once I can call myself lucky to have the greatest family in the world and the most amazing parents who made it all possible.
(thank you Dad for the note (you really made me think about my family this week)
Love You All
~ME
This last week I have thought so much about my parents. My parents are the 2 most amazing people I have ever met. They are amazing parents, who taught me so many great things about life. They are now incredible grandparents and about to be again for a third time. They are amazing people with absolutely incredible attitudes. My parents are almost 60 (sorry) and it is easy to forget that sometimes when I see the wonderful things that they do for all those foster kids. With 8 kids at home, it has helped my parents to stay and look youthful. I know in many ways it has probably aged them, but hald the time you would never think so.
My mom and dad take so much out of their own lives, so that they can help others. They would do anything for any of those children. Having a new little baby in the house every single day has brightened the home. I noticed that it always made my parents happy. Especially the day that they argued over who was going to get to feed her. That was hysterical!
My dad told me that when I am home I bring a sense of youthfulness back into the house. He said that all the kids really look forward to that and to me. I believe though that my parents have a lot of the youthfulness, it takes alot of energy to do what they do.
I get excited when I know that I am going to be going home. I get excited because I get to be around my parents and all these kids. I will admit sometimes I would like it if it were just my parents and I, but when I see those kids my face just lights up. I grew up with those kids in the house for 3 years of my life. Not all the ones that are there now but some of them and others. I grew used to the idea. I became amazed and intrigued by what my parents did. Everytime a new child came into the home, I would get just as excited if not more than they did. It was hard to share your home with strangers, and it still is but I began to realize that they were not the strangers my family and I were the strangers. We were all of a sudden the driving force in their lives. We were their support system and their love and trust.
I look back now on the day that my parents first brought the idea of foster care to me. I remember my selfish thoughts. "Why are my parents taking their time from me, when I just have 2 years of Highschool left, why can't they wait until I am away at school?" "Don't they know that I am still around?" I look back at this day now and think to myself why did I even think that. I know why I did. I thought those things, because I was scared that these kids were going to push me to the side and that I would be forgotten. I know that would never happen, but at that time I just wasnt sure.
Home is something special to me. It is the place where I feel loved and safe. I am comfortable with who I am and I can be myself no matter what. Most importantly I can be with my parents and my brothers and sisters and niece and nephew (when they are all home) and know that I am loved. It is the place where I can be with 8 kids who I have come to love and care about very very deeply. Home is where I remember sharing so many great times with Aaron and where we first met. Home is where, when 19 people come together all at once I can call myself lucky to have the greatest family in the world and the most amazing parents who made it all possible.
(thank you Dad for the note (you really made me think about my family this week)
Love You All
~ME