Why fostering?

We're going to back track a little here and I'm going to personal, hopefully not too much though. I am almost 30, and to me that number means the end of the world. I believe it comes from growing up surrounded by people who were in a religion where they believed they were get married and have kids, ASAP. Although I wasn't a part of this religion, the need to have a family was slowly ingrained it me. In my "life plan" I said by the time I was 30 I wanted to be married with kids...  Fast forward 30 years and here I am, single with ZERO prospects, like, negative prospects... So being the Little Miss Independent that I am, I decided to go on this adventure solo. My mother raised me for most of my life as a single mom. My cousin did IVF and has a beautiful daughter. Might as well carry on the tradition.

I was also adopted. I've always felt that eventually I would adopt. I don't feel this need to give birth, it sounds tortuous actually. I had a unique situation growing up where I kept in very close contact with my birth family. I grew up feeling like I needed to be part of a huge family. I have a great family, an amazing mother, but my cousins are all a bit older than me. When my biological father passed away, I met a lot of my extended family, I saw little pieces of the whole. I could see where the chin came from, and the sarcastic, dry sense of humor. It's hard to think about NOT knowing my "roots". When I had a life threatening medical condition and was in ICU, the contact with my biological mother was invaluable.

Initially though, I'm not starting out foster to adopt. I need to see for myself that I can do this on my own. I know dang well it won't be easy. There's just such a need in this area for foster parents, even respite care (later post). I have more than I need, I can help a kid or 2 (or more) while I continue to figure myself out.

FOCUS

As much as I also feel the need to partner up and find my Mr. Right, I also have a pretty good sense of reality, and Mr. Right only exists in books written by Nora Roberts or Kristin Hannah. Romance books  should actually be called Fantasy... Mr Right = flying sparkly unicorn.

So here I am thirty-something days away from my 30th birthday, surrounded by more animals than one person probably should have. A kid should share this cool place with me!! An older kiddo would probably get more out of the animals but this is where I'm going to be selfish and set a bracket of ages 2-5. Even with the end goal of a child being reunited with their birth family, I can help provide routines and stability that that age of a child needs. Help lay a few pieces of the foundation...