Chicken Bones and Goodnight Kisses

     It has been a month since we first welcomed our foster son into our home. I'm not sure there was ever a honeymoon phase. We were lucky enough to have a transition time in the form of "visitation". We met our future son and took him out to lunch, he was quiet and shy but oh so cute! After taking him to his previous foster home to spend the night we arranged yet another visit and finally an overnight stay. When we took him after the overnight stay he said "why can't I just stay with you now"? I think that's where my heart melted.
     He has a contagious smile and positive outlook, something my husband and I were both surprised at given his circumstances, what a wonderful personality! He did have other little issues though. Food being one of them, not hoarding but binging. Probably because in the past he didn't know when he would eat again. We would grocery shop one night just to find food wrappers and whole empty boxes stuffed on and around my adopted son's bed. (My Foster son figuring he can't get in trouble if he didn't get the blame). How he downed 12 pop tarts in the midnight hour without getting sick is beyond me! We combated this by telling our foster son he could eat whatever he wanted and would not get in trouble for it. Food issue: Check, satisfied, done.
     Another tough transition was sibling rivalry. In training you are prepared for the foster child to either reject you or your spouse or both. I was not prepared for him to reject my child. A little rough around the edges and having to fend for himself, I suppose my foster son's rejection was a survival mechanism. Once we pointed out that his brother was of no threat to him they started to bond, which was important since they share a room.
     Now at night we hear laughing (I know mom, paybacks) and conversation well into the night. I am thankful God has blessed me with two boys and pray that he gives wisdom to my husband and I to teach both of them to be Godly men. Everyone has found their place and we are in a great routine, maybe as close to a "honeymoon" stage as we'll get! We are now comfortable with new and old routines like waking up and bedtime. Just last week I put my son to bed and bent down to kiss him goodnight and when I looked up I saw chicken bones on the headboard!! So, maybe we don't have all of our issues ironed out yet but we'll get there! Umm baby, when we said for you to stop putting food on your brother's side of the room that included chicken bones!