For This Child I Prayed

The end of our first day together.

4 years ago today was a game changer.  It was the most out of the normal day of my life.  I was headed to pick up our little man for the first time.  He was coming to live with us and I was so excited and scared I couldn't hardly stand it. 

The day before, Scott left for Argentina on a Missions Trip and I was about to become a single mom for 10 days.  I figured I could handle it.  I'm a pretty independent and strong woman.  No problem!

On my way to pick up Trent I had to stop and pick up a carseat.  (This is VERY important to my story.)  Since everything had happened so quickly, I hadn't been able to go register for a state of the art car seat or diapers.  We barely had a crib and bottles!  Most families get 6-9 months to plan for their baby, I think we might have had 2 weeks!  God was working so quickly, I could barely keep up.

I arrived at my destination and walked in to meet the foster mom.  This woman was a Godsend.  She was a Kindergarten Teacher who took in drug babies and raised them until they went back to their parents or were adopted.  She was and I'm sure still is an amazing foster mom.

We talked while Trent had his visit with his birth father and sister.  She had written out a schedule for me, she gave me a keepsake box, and lots of pictures.  Most foster children do not have a story to tell because they are going from foster home to foster home, but she saw the importance of my child's story and kept it for me until the day God put us together.  Because of her I have Trent's first Christmas ornament, little shoes, and TONS of pictures of all his firsts.  She had experienced those milestones and documented them for me. 

I can't imagine the pain she felt when she held him for the last time.  She had raised this perfect little boy for 10 months and now she was placing him in my care.  She had the opportunity to raise Trent as her own, but she chose not too.  I will forever be grateful to her.

So, there I stood with my little man for the very first time.  He was mine.  I can't begin to explain to you the joy in my heart.  Even now, tears roll down my face as I am reminded of that day.  I had prayed for this child.  I had begged God for this child and He had granted my prayer.

I put Trent in his carseat and started to strap him in.  There was only one problem.  I didn't know how the car seat worked!  Here I was with a 10 month old in the backseat of the car and I couldn't figure out how to expand the straps to put him in!!  I didn't bother to keep the box or instructions when I left the store so I was at a loss!  I turned the car on (because it was so hot) closed the door and worked on the carseat.  After about 10 minutes, Trent began to cry.  After about 20 minutes I began to cry.  I'm sure you can imagine the chaos going on at that moment.  I don't think I have ever prayed so much that God would help me figure out how to work a carseat, but there we were hot and crying together.  Our first experience as mother and son! 

Now before you ask, why I didn't go back inside and ask someone to help me, I will tell you.  I was so afraid that they would (a) think I was crazy for not knowing how to work a carseat and (b) wonder who in the world thought it was ok to place a foster child with a woman who didn't know how to work a carseat.  I'm so serious!  I was afraid they would take him away.  After about 30 minutes (maybe more) I finally got  it.  Victory! 

We finally made it home and we began our life.  I'll be honest those 10 days that Scott was gone were hard.   There were times that I thought we had made the wrong decision.  I honestly didn't know if I could make it, but we did!  2 years later he legally became our child.  He is my sweet boy and I love him so much. 

This little man will be 5 in August.  I cannot believe how time has flown.  We have been blessed from the very beginning and I wouldn't trade anything for it.  Even now, I'm reminded (as he pitches a fit in his room) that for this child I prayed.