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We live in Manitoba, Canada with our foster children. Over the past twenty years, we have been blessed and privileged to be foster parents to many little ones while raising our own children and spoiling our grandchildren.

In October 2009 I started a new business working from my home. I was not really looking for a home business but this one jumped out at me and I just couldn't pass it up. I provide "Do It Yourself Stuffed Animal" Workshops for daycares, birthday parties, seniors homes, fundraisers, corporate family days, etc. It's easy and fun and I am having a blast and getting paid to do so. Considering this is early days I can only imagine how far this can go. Now how great is that!

In 2000, at a time when foster homes were in desperate need here, I decided to leave my full-time job and be a Stay at Home Mom. This was a huge change for us because we had both worked full-time and we really missed that second income. The funny thing is that during the years of adjusting to one income we have come to realize that the love we get and receive from our foster children more than makes up for any loss of income. These little ones that are "on loan" to us give back to us far more than we give and enrich our lives in so many ways. Truly nurturing these children is a labour of love, no matter how short or long their stay with us each one takes a little bit of our hearts with them.

Currently we are a licensed foster home for four children but currently have only three children in our home because the youngest two have kept us on our toes the last little while. The youngest finally got past the two hour feedings (it took what seemed like forever) just in time to start teething. I never realized how much sleep you don't get when children are teething especially when it happens to two at the same time. I certainly have a new respect for families with multiples I have no idea how they do it. This month we are saying good-bye to our middle foster daughter as she goes to join her "forever family" and moves at least 3 hours drive away from us. Each time this happens we go through a mixture of emotions, happiness for them, yet sadness because we will miss the smiles, hugs and laughter.

Our 7 year old daughter is once again acting up as the time for good-byes approaches. Even though we have tried to be more prepared this time and have supports in place sometimes that is just not enough. Actually, I am beginning to think play therapy was not such a good idea at this time for her even though it was started so she could verbally express her feelings rather than hitting out at everybody. We are getting the verbal expressions but they are in conjunction with the hitting out at everybody around her. Needless to say it might be some time before we accept another placement as we need to help her work through yet another loss in her young life. However, we continue to trust that the Lord will place children in our home that will be the right fit for us, and until that time we will enjoy the two that are blessing our lives right now.

For as long as we can remember we dreamed of having a house filled with the laughter of children and we certainly have had that in abundance. Of course, we also have the occasional temper tantrum or disagreement but that is what makes it interesting and keeps us on our toes.

There is a poster that reads, "God makes our dreams big so we have something to grow into". We continue to "grow" into our dream!