This blog post is written by Jeff’s mom, Heidi Marburger. Heidi has been married for 34 years! WOW, right? She has 3 grown children (2 sons and 1 daughter). She has 9 grandchildren and has certainly been a Grandmother to the foster children that are no longer with us! We really wanted to give a Grandmother’s perspective of foster care and if I’m being honest, we wouldn’t be able to do half of the things we do without this woman! We are so grateful for her! Heidi is not a licensed foster parent… but she is doing “her part” in the call to take care of the orphans of this world simply by giving our kids a loving Grandmother! She loves them like they are her own! She makes them feel special, important, valued and loved so much! Hopefully her words will encourage you.
“Actually these are all my grandchildren” I said with a big grin.
I was enjoying story hour at the library with 5 of my precious grandchildren when a lady came over to me.
“I was just wondering……. You do childcare correct?! “
I smiled and glanced down at the TOTALLY OPPOSITE looking children holding my hands with the other three close by.
“No I replied …..(trying not to laugh) these are all mine …..my grandchildren!”
Truly red, yellow, black, and white they are precious in God’s sight.
And I am blessed to have quite a variety of grandchildren that are SO precious in my sight as well!
Our middle son and his sweet wife have 4 children currently. There have been several months (several different times during the year) where they have had 5 children in their home . These include biological, adopted, and foster children. Two of the current foster children have been with us for over a year ….. and so we wait, pray and see what God will do!
I love this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Now I don’t want to give the wrong impression as if this is all easy and wonderful! That would be a lie. Life is hard raising children and extra tough when they are children that are sad and hurt when mom doesn’t show up for the scheduled visit.
I will never forget when our kids began fostering.
Gloves were required to change the baby’s diaper because there was a possibility he had contracted AIDS from his birth mother. Talk about a real fear .… and if I were honest probably more of a fear for my son, his wife and their biological child rather then for the foster child. I hate to admit that.
I remember babysitting and thinking this child might not be here very long and recognizing my love was not the kind of love God expected from me.
I remember the first time this same child started crawling towards me and reached for me………… my heart broke and the wall I had erected came tumbling down!
I was hooked!
Then the emotions of fear swept over me as the following weeks brought with it a love that was deep and pure. I began to think WHAT IF…….he gets taken back …….WHAT IF he’s not cared for well…….WHAT IF …… WHAT IF…… WHAT IF…..
God in his grace and mercy has slowly taught me through the past 4 years of being a foster grandma that HE IS GOD! His ways are not my ways but His ways are much higher and much better. It’s hard and it’s a tough, scary road but with God we can do the hard things! What is impossible with man is possible with God.
So even though my grandchildren don’t look alike because, by blood, they aren’t related, they are all MINE and I love each one so deeply. I don’t know what might happen as the time goes by but I know I GET TO LOVE these precious children for a season that they so desperately need love and perhaps for a lifetime!
And if not me then who?
