Wonderful Rewards

I am sure that all of you who read this know we do foster care. Mostly we take babies but a few times we have had older kids. Babies are much easier for us because Jud is does better with them. Plus I love taking care of the tiny ones. The last foster baby we had we got when she was 5 weeks old. We ended up having her for a year with only a 2 1/2 month break in which they were trying to reunify her with her mother. It was unsuccessful and we got her back. A few months later her aunt and uncle were finally able to get licensed so they could take her. They were very much hoping to be able to adopt her. This adorable little girl turned 3 this month and has been with the aunt and uncle the whole time. The birth mother lost her parental rights and appealed the decision. The ruling was upheld this summer. I knew approximately when the appeal was to happen but had not stayed in very good contact with the aunt & uncle and didn't want to bother the social worker too much.
Anyway-as I was getting ready to take Jud to school Thursday the phone rang. It was the aunt calling to tell me the adoption hearing was that morning in an hour and could I come? Of course!!! I would not miss that! What a beautiful healthy little girl she was! And so loved! It was the neatest experience, aside from our own adoption. My heart overflowed knowing what a wonderful chance this little girl has now with a family who adores her and takes such good care of her. To top off the morning, the aunt, before the hearing, told me they were changing her name, to Katherine Linette. They wanted to give her my name to honor the first year of her life that she was in my care and to let me know how grateful they were for what I did. That touched me like I can not even describe.
So many times I have wondered what has happened to those 13 children I have cared for, some for only 24 hours, some for only 3-4 days, some for much longer. I have seen a couple of them around and have quietly been able to watch a bit of their progress but most of them I have no idea what their little lives are like now. This experience was a reaffirmation to me that what I do does make a difference somewhere, somehow. This has made it all worthwhile for me. I cannot wait until the temple sealing when I will be able to witness the joy this family will receive to have their whole family together in the temple. Wow! What a blessing it is to have the gospel in our lives and to have the knowlege we have of a loving God who wants only what is best for us!