Mary's Visit

Mary and Mark have been married for more than 18 years but haven't been able to have children.  I have a very small inkling of the pain they have gone through as I also suffered from infertility, although only for a few years so it really isn't comparable.  Watching her go through this trial has been one of the hardest things, I've experienced.  As a parent you so want to 'fix' things for your child and it is painful when you can't.

Last summer I got an early morning call from Mary.  She's on the east coast and I was in Portland so when the phone rang just after 6 a.m. and I saw Mary's number I knew that something BIG had happened.  And it was something life changing! They had just gotten a call that there was a new born foster baby that needed a home and would they like him.  WOULD THEY????? Only one answer to that question!

So the journey of being a foster parent started for those two wonderful people - Mary and Mark.  They were warned that it was going to be an emotional roller coaster and in some ways it was.  For some reason though, I always felt peaceful about it.  I got advice from another foster mother to treat this event just as I would have if my daughter had given birth, so I flew right out to be with them.

Oh what joy! 

Watching them reminded me of the scripture from the Book of Mormon, "Oh what joy and what marvelous light I did behold, yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!  Yea, I say unto you, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains.  Yea, and again I say unto you, that on the other hand, there could be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy!"

Recently Mary and Mark were officially named the 'pre-adoptive parents' which meant that the baby could travel out of state so they made the trek to Idaho!

More joy all around as others of the family got to meet this little love!

Isabella fell in love with her baby cousin, as did Monica, Matt and George.  Poor Grandpa had a terrible cold so he could only love him from across the room.  Didn't want to share his germs! And Uncle Scott was so busy with the end of soccer season in Portland, that he couldn't get away to meet his nephew.

One of the best weeks ever as I got to spend time with BOTH my grandchildren!