Longing for Home

Back when I was in junior high, my parents became foster parents for two or three years.  Over that time, we had three foster kids live with us.  All three came from really iffy situtations at home, but as my Mom observed, "Seems that no matter what goes on back at their homes, no matter how bad it is, they always long to go back."

I thought of what she said all those years ago the other day.  A lot of times when we clean the kitchen we like to get some "cleaning music" going.  Every time our son, Jack, chooses the music, he picks the CD my husband made for me that has all the music from our wedding, as well as a few other "special to us" songs on it.  He loves listening to those gooey love songs, and he loves it when Darin and I belt them out as they play.  He loves that we are a family and that Darin and I are his Mom and Dad, that we aren't going anywhere, that he is safe with us, and he celebrates that by listening to that CD.

What a great responsibility we parents have.  I really doubt the foster kids that came and went at our house when I was growing up missed the abuse and struggle.  They missed the "idea" of what home could and should be.  They longed for the real thing with their Moms and Dads.  I didn't get that back then, but now, as I watch Jack, I do.