For the last three years I have loved participating in my friend Rebecca’s December Photo Project. She hosts it from her blog and encourages people to take a picture daily from the beginning of December through Christmas Eve. It’s been a fun way to be a little intentional during the holiday season to stop and reflect. This year I have chosen to document the life of a foster mom through an image a day. For confidentiality reasons, there won’t be identifiable photos of our foster child, but I struggle with feeling like confidentiality means our kids become invisible. It’s easier to ignore what you can’t see. So I’m documenting the impact a foster baby creates in a home, like the waves that happen when you throw a pebble in the water. And what lovely waves they are. (For the record—I am not a photographer, don’t necessarily enjoy taking pictures, and have done zero editing to any of these images. I like to document, but I am not artistic.) Enjoy!
25 Images from a Foster Mom
(Week 1)
Week 2
Day 8
Middle of the night feedings. Not my favorite part of the infant experience- adopted, biological or foster. But this is what love looks like.
Day 9
Packing up the newborn things to make way for the next size. It’s always an emotional moment, but especially so when you’re not sure if you’ll ever need them again or if you’ll be unpacking them in just a couple months for a new little person. Lots of uncertainties.
Day 10
I had a woman say to me she couldn’t be a foster parent because she wasn’t sure she could attach to a child she didn’t breastfeed. I have breastfeed one child and bottle-fed four and I can tell you the attachment is no different. I love bottle-feeding. It’s beautiful and special and such a sweet time with Baby. However you feed your child is special and can be a vehicle for creating relationship if you’re intentional.
Day 11
Just two former foster kids I’m blessed to call my children. This rugged journey? Worth it.
Day 12
A special birthday for a special girl. When the biological sibling of your child is someone else’s child, you get the challenge and privilege of building family connections for the good of your children. It can be awkward and hard, but also beautiful and totally worth it. We’re thankful for the opportunity and love this girl and her family. They feel like family to us, too.
Day 13
A meeting with the caseworker at our house this morning to touch base about how things are going and so the caseworker can see Baby. I’m ready with the essentials.
Day 14
Being a foster family has its perks. Today’s perk was donated tickets to The Nutcracker. I love the picture of Bethany and me- the dress she’s wearing was mine when I was her age and I’m wearing a dress that was my mom’s when she was in college. We love passing down and creating family traditions with our biological, adopted and foster kids.
