Seven strong.

Overnight our family grew from five to seven. Adoption was nothing we planned. A series of events had us filling out paperwork and enrolling in foster care classes. Two children that we knew, from another state, needed a home quickly.

When I placed the call to DCFS they were happy we were asking to be considered. “Oh! You have your license for foster care?” they asked excitedly. No, actually we have nothing for this process. The only thing we knew for sure was that God placed it upon us to figure it out.

Less than three months later, we were seven strong. We kept hearing, the “system” never works this fast. How strange?! Well, it did.

They arrived with the question of a name change. We did not encourage Cinderella or Cyclops as requested. So much had been taken in their short lives, the last thing we wanted was for a name to be taken as well.

Request upon request, we explained they absolutely could NOT change their middle names and they must keep their birth names. The compromise was adding a new name and answering the “why not?”

We gently explained, each of our children have a family name. One that belongs to someone else in our family, in their honor. God knew, way before us, that you would be a part of our family. How do we know this?

BOTH of you, not one, but BOTH already carry your Daddy’s parents middle names. Those names are family names given to you by your birth mother that are OUR family names. Isn’t God amazing?!

Peace, blessings and miracles abound,

MamaC