Bruce and Em and ALL of Them: Oliver

Each of my boys has a very special story about how they entered our family. I smile when I reflect on them. All during our adoption process that led to William, Beau kept feeling led to foster. He and I both had a slight feeling of uneasiness about "buying" a baby. Now please know, regardless of the adoption fee, he and I prayed for a long time about that adoption. We know that God placed Will in our home through private adoption. However, that does not change the fact that Beau wanted to foster for reasons that I just did not understand. I was fearful about fostering. The broken kids, the troubled past, the sad stories. I simply did not have a heart for fostering.

Will was just a few weeks old, and Beau kept delicately mentioning fostering. At this point, I brushed it off once more figuring he was just sleep deprived and not thinking straight. Besides, I was so giddy over our newest little family member. In my mind, everything was perfect. Zander was doing great in school, Will's adoption was super easy and fast, and I was so filled with joy. Until....Beau mentioned fostering AGAIN.

This time, Will was 6 months old. We had a nice routine going. Will was an easy-going baby. I was still ecstatic about being a mommy all over again. I didn't need anything else to fill me. However, Beau was becoming increasingly persistent, even convicted that he was being led to do this. God is so good because He knows me intimately. He knows that it takes time for me to come around to the big stuff. God spoke to Beau and through Beau, God spoke to me............eventually.

On a Monday afternoon in January around 4pm, Beau called me from work and insisted that I call the foster agency and find out when the next round or classes were being offered. To become foster parents, one of the requirements is to complete a 30 hour parenting course that gives you an overview of fostering. (which in no way really prepares you for what is to come). I very hesitantly called the agency and was told that the next orientation was that very night. Great, now I had to quickly shower, get dressed, feed the kids, and find a babysitter in the next 2 hours so that we could make it to the class. I was certainly mumbling ugly things under my breath as I half-heartily accomplished those tasks. In my mind, I was willing to go to the orientation. But I was NOT going to foster. Isn't it funny that I actually thought I was going to tell God what I was and was not going to do?

There were approximately 30 couples in attendance for orientation. They gave a quick overview about fostering. I was still NOT fostering. But then, they showed this sweet video of actual foster children and their stories. There was this one particular little girl who was 12 years old. Her video was about having her very own first birthday cake and party....at age 12. I literally sat in my chair bawling. God had grabbed a hold of my heart. I wasn't just crying for this little girl. It wasn't just feeling sadness for a child that had never been celebrated during her short life. I cried because I felt this overwhelming desire to help children. This feeling had never been so strong before. I began to see fostering as something that I did have room in my heart for. Fostering, although still a little scary, was now my calling. It was no longer just Beau's call. We now both owned that longing. Most people want to help children. Most people would feel the same sadness that I did after watching this video. But I was convicted. I was feeling the same way that Beau did. I knew. God was calling us to foster. But, I still wanted more confirmation. I am like that. I need to know that I know that I know.

I begged God for a sign. I know God doesn't always oblige in this area. But I NEEDED that sign. I NEEDED a BIG sign. I was so scared and yet so willing and also so doubtful...if that makes sense. I can be awfully thick skulled sometimes (or so I am told). I prayed for that sign one evening and the very next day I was walking through our mall. And what did I find? A HUGE sign hanging from the mall ceiling high above me that advertised fostering through the same agency that held our orientation the previous week. The only response I had was an uncontrollable laughter that was shortly followed by obedience. Six months later, after much preparation of the house, paperwork, inspections, background checks, and physicals, we were finally licensed foster parents. Of those initial 30 couples that came to orientation, only 2 couples stuck it out and finished the course and became licensed. We were one of those lucky couples.

We were licensed about 6 days before we received our first phone call. It was for a 6 month old baby boy named Ambury. Without any delay, I said yes. I had one hour to prepare. Ambury needed certain bottles, formula, pacifiers, etc. When Gordon arrived with little Ambury, I had everything ready. This sweet little boy looked at me with those big brown eyes and I was hooked. But mostly I knew that I knew that I knew he was supposed to be with us...whether for a few weeks, months, years, or permanently.

Just minutes after his arrival. Nana just couldn't stay away.

After bath time, he was snuggling with his new elephant.

Good morning Mr. Smiley!!!

Ambury came to us after already experiencing a rocky first 6 months. We had a lot of things to help him overcome in the beginning. I worked daily with him building up his muscle strength and mobility. We saw instant progess. Ambury instantly attached himself to me. Beau and I shortly found a routine for getting the boys into bed each evening that worked for us. I would bathe both boys, he would dress them. He would then spend snuggly time with Will and I would feed and snuggle with Ambury. After that, we would each put our respective boy to bed for the night. It was during this time that Ambury really attached himself to me. Ambury was a slightly nervous baby, but overall, very sweet and easy.

The longer Ambury was with us, the stronger of a bond he developed with William. The two were inseparable. They became such natural brothers.

Of course they had to have matching cars.

Ambury was with us a little over 7 months (April 2009) before the courts decided that his natural family members would not be able to adopt him. It was at this time we were finally given the ok to proceed with adoption, so long as the termination of parental rights were not contested. Although it was very hard, Beau and I prayed for God to reunite Ambury with his family if they were fit to do so, but we also longed to adopt him. We just wanted the best family for Ambury and were were so excited that we were chosen to be that family. It was still another 13 months before we could finalize his adoption, but other than the wait, his adoption was smooth. We had monthly court hearings, but no biological family was ever present. We had no one fighting to adopt Ambury. Ambury's biological parents had their rights terminated in November 2009. At this time, Beau and I decided it was time to choose a name for him. Simply stated, Ambury looked like an Oliver to us. We came up with his first name very quickly. But by the time we were able to finalize his adoption, we agreed our little Ambury would be Oliver Reid Bennett. His adoption was finalized on May 26, 2010, when Oliver was 28 months old. It was a sweet ceremony at the Green Cove Springs Courthouse where Nana, Pop, Russell and Cami were there on our behalf. It was a much prayed about and long awaited time.