14. I heart my family.
A couple years ago when we moved to Sydney, we couldn't find a babysitter to watch our kids on Valentines Day so at the last minute we decided to go, as a family, to our favorite local Indian restaurant. They made the restaurant extra special at Valentines with flowers, candles, and decorations. Our children loved it so much we went back the following year and would have continued the tradition, had they not closed down.
We actually had an offer to babysit this year, but when I thought about it, I realized that I love celebrating as a family. It was a busy day (isn't it always?) and I just had to make do with what I had in the fridge, and multi-tasked making dinner and talking to our caseworker who asked to come by for a visit.
I spread the table with my Grandmother's cloth, and put out some special pieces, with red dahlias in red glasses. We enjoyed our little celebration of love, and maybe it was the wine, or maybe it wasn't, but my eyes turned into puddles.
Never trust a caseworker who comes over just to "check in".
We don't have our names down on the foster care list right now because we have a trip to Holland planned in just a few months and aren't sure we are comfortable moving a child to respite care again, while we are gone. We did say we were open to being respite carers for other foster families in the interim.
Our caseworker asks, as casually as she can, while I roll out pie crust, and read over a recipe, "well, there is something I wanted to ask you about while I'm here..."
The long and short is there are two sisters, 2 years old and 9 months old, that need respite care for 2.5 weeks, and could we take them? My brain started spinning calculating car seats and sleeping arrangements and, and, and...
At suppertime we told the kids what our caseworker had mentioned, and asked them what they thought. They immediately began working on us to convince us that we should take these girls. I explained that they were very little and that along with Finch, I would be very, very busy and it might be kind of hard for the big kids.
Small Sun and Sprout proceeded to explain their detailed plans of how they would help me so much! They could hold the babies until they got tired! They could carry them to the car and put them in their car seats! They could take care of all their school things on their own! Please, please, please, can we take care of the baby girls?
Our family is still young, with our oldest only being six, and we are still new to the world of foster care, but already our children's hearts are completely sold out to helping little kids who need some extra loving care. I wasn't sure if I felt that I could manage five kids, with three of them being two and under, even for a short period, but my kids really, really want to say yes. That just melted my heart.
I love my family.
Happy Valentines Day. Whether you are alone or surrounded, coupled or separate, with children or without, you are loved.
wow this really pulls at my heart strings (again!). Love the story of the indian restaurant, your grandmother's cloth, and am holding my breath to hear what happens with your fostering adventures. Thanks too for making my Valentine's Day special. God Bless xx
Posted by: Sarah B-D | 16 February 2012 at 08:24 PM
Oh how I also heart your family. What precious seeds are being permanently sown in their hearts: seeds of caring and sharing, seeds of compassion and loving. What a way to celebrate the holiday in the true spirit of the saintly man for whom the holiday is named, whatever your decision may be. All your posts leave happy ripples radiating from my heart.
Posted by: quietstream | 17 February 2012 at 02:23 PM