5 Kids...

Last Wednesday we got a few calls and emails asking if we'd be willing to take in an emergency 'relocation' of a 13 month old boy and a 2.5 year old girl.  We initially said we could take 1 child, but not both.  The kids are quite bonded (as are most siblings) and so they were trying to keep them together.  I imagined my kids being split up and asked Dan how he felt about helping in the short term.  He called the social worker and said we'd take them for 2 nights so they could have more time to find another family.  Here we are 6 night later and we're still a family of 7!  The kids are totally adorable! 

Friends of ours are in the licensing process and so if they were willing to take 2 placements once they were licensed we decided we'd be willing to keep them together until then.  Foster homes in the area are so full that for most families (including ours) taking 2 kids so close in age is a stretch.  We're stretching...  Our friends look forward to having them in their home and are finishing their paperwork and then will begin home visits.  We're hoping within about a month to have them moved to a home that will work  more long term. 

Our kids have been great about squishing together in the back to make room for 2 car seats in the middle seats of the van...the boys have a pack n play added into their room while Alayna is once again sharing her room.  She's always willing and excited about having someone in her room, but for the boys it's more of a stretch.  Thankfully they haven't complained and they have been great with the kids.

I have to say 0 to 1 kid was a big adjustment, 1 to 2 kids was doable, 2 to 3 kids didn't seem too overwhelming most of the time...we've had 4 kids quite consistently over the last 2 years...but 5 kids...if we always had 5 kids there would definitely be some things about our life that would have to change to make it more conducive to 5 kids.  We'd be willing if that was the case, but I'm thankful that it isn't right now!! :)