1. The adventure of not knowing who, and how many will be at the dinner table every night.

2. The rewards that you receive from your foster children. You may have to really look but most likely they are there. It could be a smile, to overhear them talking about you as the mom to someone else (you might not have ever realized they thought of you as mom), to see them developing skills that you have been working on (in the beginning under their breathe they mumbled how stupid it was), for them to ask to do errands or help you with chores (you then know they do not see spending time with you as a punishment), a hug and to see a tear running down their cheek when it is time for them to leave.

3. Teach a child how to be a child and to show them how a real family is.

4. To give a child the chance at a real life. Hope that their lives can be different than what they have been living in. They can not change if they do not know what their possibilities are.

5. Knowing that you have made a differences in every child that has come through your home. No matter how long or short the stay has been.

6. To allow your children to experience the true unconditional love, helping others, and see children healed by time, love, support, your family, etc..

7.The joys, laughs and unforgettable memories for this journey of foster care. Granted you will have your share of difficult memories but they will be outweighed by the good ones.

8.To find the child that is waiting for your family to adopt them.

9. To know that you have made a difference in this world.

10. To see you and your family grow in ways that you ever imagined.

Please feel free to post any that you may think of.

“One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.”
Chinese Proverb