I'm AUNTIE MIE again!!!

Over the last few weeks I've told you about my sister and her family who have been waiting for 6+ months to become a foster parent.  Add the time it took them to get into and then through training, then go through the process to get licensed, and it has been well over a year since they began the process to be foster parents.  

They've had a lot of calls - all for single kiddos I might add - but for one reason or another they couldn't take the children who the state was trying to place.  Their first call came a few days before they went out of state on vacation - they didn't think that would work though I reminded them to consider next time they could use us as respite!  They got several calls while they were out of state and then absolutely nothing until 2 weeks ago when she missed 2 calls in the same day.

Their wait is over.  

Last Thursday they accepted a placement for a NEWBORN baby girl.  She's a tiny little beauty.  My sister had the experience of picking her up from the hospital and going that route.  I met her afterward for lunch to see the baby.  This means I was the first one to hear of her placement and the first to see it.

Let me tell you - being a foster auntie is super cool.  My sister, though a year younger than mie, had all of her babies before I had any myself.  I have nephews and a niece on my husband's side but I'm not nearly as close to them as I am to my sister's kiddos - at least in part because they live so much farther away.  Bottom line - I didn't get to show her what it was like to be a mom - she showed mie - something unusual for a firstborn like mie and I missed out on the chance to show her something I learned was joyful.  As she chose to become a foster parent and hit every milestone along the way I've been so excited to share this journey with her.  Nothing could express the joy I've experienced in seeing her become a foster mom for the first time.  It has been a completely rewarding experience. 

All of my kiddos, especially the girls, thought this baby was super cool.  Summer is a natural momma and LOVES babies - the real ones - and so this has been extremely exciting for her.  They did a good job being gentle with this little baby, which is a really good thing because her ankles are about the size of a nickel, maybe a quarter.  

Congratulations to my sister and her family!  This is expected to be a short placement but marks a huge point in their foster care journey.

And yes, in case you were wondering, she DID miss this call too.  Her daughter had walked off with her phone.  This time it must have been meant to be because somehow 2 days later they were approached again and were able to accept the placement and bring home this precious baby girl.