What Then Will This Child Turn Out to Be?

When I awoke one morning years ago, I realized I'd had a vision! I saw babies, lots of babies, superimposed upon one another and going on and on into the heavens. I felt thrilled by it, and yet I did not know what to think about it in relation to our family and our circumstances. I prayed, I talked to my husband, and I stayed in a seeking and searching attitude as I read my Bible and pursued God about the meaning of the vision. Six years later, back in our hometown, Reno, NV, we began...
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When I awoke one morning years ago, I realized I'd had a vision! I saw babies, lots of babies, superimposed upon one another and going on and on into the heavens. I felt thrilled by it, and yet I did not know what to think about it in relation to our family and our circumstances. I prayed, I talked to my husband, and I stayed in a seeking and searching attitude as I read my Bible and pursued God about the meaning of the vision. Six years later, back in our hometown, Reno, NV, we began foster care and the babies and toddlers began to arrive. Our fostering years were extremely full and very fulfilling.In the book, I discuss the perks and snags of fostering, how the system worked, and how we fit into it. I also suggest ways to succeed as a husband and wife and as part of a team in cooperation with the social workers and the biological parents. We adopted our first foster baby, David, who is now 22 years old. There have been many high points and a succession of on-going challenges in his life, but we have continued in close relationship with him and have secured guardianship to guarantee our uninterrupted involvement in his decision-making and for his protection. We remain in hope and prayer for his deliverance from birth defects so that he can live a more normal life. I give accounts of our story, discuss the reasons people adopt, and share Bible verses about helping the orphan and the needy. Dan, a Marriage and Family Therapist, has contributed articles on relevant topics, such as attachment theory and insights about parenting a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Included is a short article written by our daughter-in-law, Jessica, about a few of the nitty-gritty issues the adoptive parent faces. We have also incorporated parenting tips from three of the therapists who have advised us along the way.We strongly believe in fostering and adopting. God cares deeply for the orphan and the dispossessed. We have striven to be realistic rather than idealistic. When you decide to care for other people's children or adopt other people's children, you enter a realm in which you will need staunch solidarity with your spouse and the support of capable and caring and prayerful friends.