Siblings Reunited

A few days ago, we got a call about Chip and Smallz's 7 year old sister (we found out about her existence about a month after getting the boys). She was staying with a relative, but now had to come into foster care. They wanted to know if we could take her. It was a hard decision at first. We already had 4 kids and weren't planning on going back up to 5. Things were comfortable. We had all just adjusted to Taz leaving a month previously. Did we really want to change things up again when things are going so great? Yet how could we say no? We had the extra bed and car-space. We knew we could handle another (especially an older school aged kid) if we really wanted to. And most importantly, we knew how much it would mean to the siblings to be able to be together. So we said yes.

And we are so glad that we did. That first night, the boys' sister (Sweet Sis) thanked me for letting her come, that she really wanted to be with her brothers. At that moment I knew that we'd made the right decision. She has been so sweet and helpful. And she is wise beyond her years. She says so many things that touch my heart deeply: "I'll be good for you." "You guys are helping my family by taking care of us while they're working on getting better." "You guys take care of us like we're your own kids." "You guys keep us really safe."

She's going through so many changes with a new home, new school, new people, new routines, and new foods. As glad as Sweet Sis is that she's with her brothers, she still misses the rest of her family a lot. One thing that has helped her a lot is praying. Praying for help to feel better, praying for her parents to be able to do the things they need to do, praying that they can all be together again soon. Coloring/drawing pictures for her parents also helped. And just talking about how she's feeling. Sometimes I've had to put off preparing dinner or getting the kids ready for bed to sit with her while she cries and we talk. I'm glad she trusts me enough to tell me those things that are in her heart.

Having Sweet Sis here has been a little of an adjustment for Tigger and Ethan as well, but everyone is getting along pretty well. 5 kids is a lot, but when they're all so well-behaved and play so nicely together, it doesn't seem like it. Of course they all have their moments and fight and hit and argue, but really, they're just such good kids.

Well, until further notice we are again a family of 7. Current kiddo line-up: Sweet Sis (7), Ethan (4), Tigger (4), Chip (4), Smallz (2).