Can you believe it is the third week of February already? Since we launched our LOVE campaign at the beginning of this month, we hope you have had an opportunity to think about what LOVE means to you. As an adoptive parent and former foster parent LOVE means helping new foster, adoptive, and kinship parents as they begin this journey. Remember how scared, apprehensive, excited, motivated, and all other descriptions of this journey when you began? We know that feeling, we know what help is needed, we appreciated that support and motivation. One way to develop those friendships and supports in our village is by attending a support group for FAK parents. As we are still in a worldwide pandemic, having those relationships and supports is so important! Watch your email as there will be opportunities to attend virtual support groups and Fosterware informational presentations. Networking with other families in your community and introducing those newbies to the world of foster and adoptive parenting...I cannot think of a better way to share LOVE!
We have enjoyed hearing your messages on “What LOVE Means to You?” Just a few that we have read so far:
“When my husband and I decided to foster, we did so with the goal of helping others. We never expected to grow our family, but that is exactly what happened. After adopting two beautiful girls we also gained a second bio family that needed us for love and support. Words cannot describe the feelings after helping the bio parents FaceTime our kids and having them thank us for our time. It's heartwarming to receive a message thanking us for allowing the adult siblings of our foster children to visit our home. It is a great feeling to do more than what is required and put families first. I feel like all the children have learned acceptance and unconditional love from this. Family is our biggest value, and this is how we live it every day.” – Audrey M.
“What does LOVE mean to me? Aside from living our value everyday as a family and acknowledging that we ARE valuable in our own unique ways and as a family, love to me, means being selfless, which is huge. Sure, I loved my parents growing up, my brother, my nephews, my friends, my aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, pets. Then my husband, his family, my new niece, my new nephew, our fur baby Smore. However, I truly did not know what love was until I became a foster mom- now adoptive (we call it forever). To me, love is putting yourself behind those that you love and guiding them. It’s building them up even when you feel like you, yourself are falling apart. You find this strength to keep moving forward and loving them through the hard trials in life. The more you love, the stronger that love grows. The stronger that love grows, the stronger the foundation becomes. That is what love means to me.” – Samantha W.
Thank you to Audrey and Samantha for sharing their messages. They are entered into a drawing from an Opulent Blends gift basket. What does LOVE mean to you? Please share your thoughts at ldavidson@fecfamily.com. You could be featured in our weekly blog and receive an opportunity to win that amazing gift basket.
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