This semester I have a few new responsibilities and challenges to throw into the fray: I have weekly therapy for my foster daughter, post-adoption therapy for myself, and physical therapy for my dang neck (thankfullyt my greater occipital nerve is starting to regenerate and heal which is awesome but it also means constant headaches).
The biggest challenge we're facing this school year though is we're watching my friend's little baby Mon. through Fri. - her name is Piper and she's adorable! However, I am learning very quickly why the State doesn't allow foster families to foster any children for at least six months after the family has adopted a child. It can really throw the adopted child into a downward spiral.
Now, of course we aren't fostering Piper - we just watch her five days a week, while her mom is at work as a school teacher. We've only been doing it for two-and-a-half weeks so far....but these past couple weeks have been a little scary as we have witnessed our little Amillia take a turn for the worst.
Watching Piper is causing all kinds of insecure and jealous emotions to surface in Millie. She has had some pretty exhausting and violent melt-downs which tempt me to run away and hide... and the avoidant parenting style is the exact opposite of what Amillia really needs in those moments of her emotional collapse. But these violent tantrums have become so frequent I almost don't know any other way to handle it than to stay away from her. (Which of course only makes her fears and insecurities grow). We're trying to be cautious about the situation and are seeking what is best. It might take some adjustments but I'm hopeful things are going to be okay. Millie is a smart girl and we strive to find ways all the time to reassure her she's not being replaced, that we love her even if we aren't always able to give her our full attention, and that Piper is only temporary.
Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that life has its challenges. And let's face it, sometimes it just straight-up sucks! But we keep going, keep giving our best, and most importantly we keep our faith and hope alive, staying centered in the Gospel.
This morning in our family scripture study, one verse in Alma 13:28 led me to a really good conference talk referenced in scriptures.byu.edu about priorities. Some sound advice before entering another semester....
- "Brothers and sisters, we all face these kinds of struggles from time to time. They are common human experiences. Many people have heavy demands upon them stemming from parental, family, employment, church, and civic responsibilities. Keeping everything in balance can be a real problem.
- ...Sometimes we need a personal crisis to reinforce in our minds what we really value and cherish. The scriptures are filled with examples of people facing crises before learning how to better serve God and others. Perhaps if you, too, search your hearts and courageously assess the priorities in your life, you may discover, as I did, that you need a better balance among your priorities....
- A periodic review of the covenants we have made with the Lord will help us with our priorities and with balance in our lives. This review will help us see where we need to repent and change our lives to ensure that we are worthy of the promises that accompany our covenants and sacred ordinances. Working out our own salvation requires good planning and a deliberate, valiant effort." - M. Russel Ballard
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