10 nessesities if your a foster mom

{10} Coffee, even if you don't get a baby there will be many a sleepless night.

{9} Coke or other choice of caffeine drink for the rest of the day when the coffee is cold and you don't have
       time to brew more.

{8} Chocolate, this is needed as moral support for the emotional roller coaster you ride. Such as waiting for a placement and after you receive your placement during those stressful times like Dr. appointments,
       before visitations, during visitations and after visitations, court dates and trips to the mall.

{7} Sense of humor and quick wit (I'm still working on the quick wit part) this is for the previously mentioned trips to the mall (or store) where if your kido doesn't look like your other kidos you will be asked why...  many, many times. This is where that quick wit comes in as I heard one story of a foster mom when
      asked for the ump-teenth time that day if her son looked like his dad (because he obviously didn't  
      look like her)...her response...we don't know who dad is.

{6} Stock in IB proffin, this is needed for the stress headaches, caffeine headaches, lack of caffeine headaches...

{5} Bible app. My time for bible reading has gone down my need for it has gone way up. My bible app has been great, I can read and renew in those said times of waiting for Dr. Apt or visitations to start or stop.

{4} Family and Friends. Both those that have been there and know the hoops your jumping through and those that have no clue but are very good at pretending and support you no mater what.

{3} Supportive Husband. With out him, no amount of chocolate or caffeine would get me through the crazy times I am being completely neurotic.

{2} Patience. Once you start the process of becoming a foster family it is a waiting game...waiting for paper work, then more paper work, then meetings, then paper work, then waiting for approval. THEN once your approved waiting for a placement...THEN once you actually have a kido in you home you w.a.i.t. wait for family to get involved in kidos life or not, wait for the courts to make decisions...w.a.i.t.

{1} Grace. give yourself some and give birthmom some. Grace for yourself over the guilt of emotions you will feel...the hint of joy when birthmom doesn't show up for a visit, the hint of sadness when she does, the anger when she's uninvolved. Grace for birthmom when she doesn't show up, when she's late showing up, when she's not the mom you think she should be to this little miracle in your care.