Taking a Foster Care Break

We're currently taking a break from a new foster care placement and kind people have asked why. Apparently seeing the Borgstedes without a baby or two, oxygen tubes, strollers, and various baby paraphernalia is a strange sight. Understandable, since we've had 30+ foster kids walk through our doors in the last 5 years.

We have several reasons for taking a break since last Easter when our placement of one year old twin girls went to their adoptive home. (We visited with them last week which was a real treat. They are doing amazingly well!).

Emotionally our family needed a bit of a breather. This Fall we had some big transitions with Rebekah starting middle school and Josiah starting Elementary school. I needed an emotional break from the constant demands of foster care. (In fact I just wrote a post about self-care for Buzz Prevention about this topic.)

Also honestly, foster care has drained us financially and we needed a chance to regroup in that area. The reimbursement we receive from the state doesn't begin to cover the expenses we occur in caring for these children, especially when they come with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. Also with this break I've had a chance to pursue some freelance writing, which I've never had time for before.

But not to worry, I'm sure there will be more little ones in our home soon. Mike and I both feel God is calling us to foster care. We can't turn our backs on the kiddos who need us so much. Finding the balance between caring for self and caring for others is always a challenge (and doing it without guilt!). It's an area of my life I'm constantly working on.

I'm finding myself getting the baby urge so my guess is soon enough we'll be announcing the arrival of our next little one!