Babies

I had four babies. The baby part wasn't my favorite part of parenting. I was exhausted for ten years. All of my babies were colicky. I think I held them pretty much all the time for the first year of their lives.

That would have been fun (and most of the time was) if I hadn't had other obligations. I remember one time spending the first couple of hours of the morning with a baby over my shoulder. Later, when I was in a meeting I noticed a familiar aroma. When I was finally about to get to a restroom I saw that he had spit up all the way down the back of my jacket.

But the truth is that if I had it to do over again I would have worked even harder at it. Raising my children was, by far, the most important thing I ever did - or will do.

This past Monday my Boyfriend and I toured the Florida United Methodist Children's Home. I've been familiar with the Home for 40 years, and I worked there for a short time a decade ago.

I didn't work with the children. I was part of fund raising.

Let's be honest, almost every kid would prefer to be with his or her mom no matter what. But when a child has to be somewhere other than with family, the Children's Home is a very good place.

The children live in beautiful brick cottages with houseparents. They receive counselling and everything else they (and their families) need in order to get back together - if possible. Traditionally the Home's kids have been school aged.

But a couple of new components have been added since I was there. One is a foster parent program. Couples care for babies. Sometimes straight from the hospital.

Sometimes babies who are a few weeks old but come straight from the hospital because they've been abused. Some babies in casts.

I'm grateful for the Children's Home. But I'm also grateful for every mom and dad who hold their babies and loves their kids - no matter what.



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