The Foundation

I awaken this morning to my sun filled room. I wander through my mind of the past thirty-five years. I joined my hand with his and we said yes to forever, come what may. He delights me, he captured my heart and often ruffles my feathers. I would like to say it has been easy, but truth is our story. It has been a rocky road well-traveled with two passionately independent people.

Together we have filled a home with life. We are deeply moved with the understanding that complacency has no place in our world. We share a common belief in the spiritual world and that has been the common thread that conjoins our commitment. Make no mistake, we are complete opposites. Fire and water come to mind. I am the flame and he is the current that flows to cool my hot head and flickering feet.

We had an only child for over six years. Our first-born danced through our earliest years and carries the attributes of the first-born. Created perfectly to be the leader of a larger pack that we did not know was yet to come. Life had been turned upside down by a house fire and a lawsuit and in moment of spontaneity I wanted another baby. Our second born taught me about rest. She reset my bonds of attachment and in her I found a deep reliance on others.

Twelve years later I had a dream that a women gave me a baby girl. I was not prepared and woke up to the knowing that something was about to change. We were no longer medically able to have children so I asked my husband to have his fertility checked because I knew I was “with child”. A few short weeks later our third baby girl was born to a biological mother that could not raise her. That baby girl brought with her a brother. I met him first. He crawled over to me at a childcare center. When I picked him up his eyes asked me to love him, and I do. On that day I called my husband and we began the journey of opening our home to the abandoned or displaced children of our community. The revolving door of fostering children was disruptive to our own young children’s foundations of attachment so we focused fully on our own family bonds. First son and third daughter were adopted after almost four years of attempted reunification with their biological parent. She loved them enough to know that she wanted permanency and stability for them. I am blessed by her heart and her dedication to her own recovery.

Eight years later three boys came to stay for a short time. Weeks turned to month, months turned to years. They are now forever grafted into our family tree.

Our family is complex and full of diverse beginnings, If you are counting that makes seven children, but believe me there are many more. We gather at the table, snuggle in the upper room, party on the front porch and celebrate the comings and goings of our extended wolf pack.

Husband and I do not set limits on ourselves or others. We also are not interested in striving for a socially predominate position.  We have deep roots and well-developed branches and we extend them to the heavens and after all these years continue to say, Come What May.