The Start of Goodbye

Well it eventually happens to all Foster Parents. The need to say goodbye and hopefully not see ya soon. Foster gets to go with a relative for the next two weeks on a trial period. If all goes well they will get to stay there and I will be on to my next fostering adventure. You always remember your first though right. There is no comparison. I fear that I have gotten off lightly with Foster though. As we sat in the waiting area for court yesterday I could hear case workers talking to their kids or about cases and I just realized that their are a lot of kids with serious issues. I heard of one kid that had been on the run for the last 5 months, living who knows where and doing who knows what. Another is on track and being returned to a relatives care as long as they stay in school, get involved with extra curricular activity and sticks with their AA treatment. They couldn't have been more than 15, but they looked so proud of all that they'd accomplished.

I hope Foster looks back at their time with us and remembers it with fondness and appreciation. During their time with us grades have improved, behavior has improved and life has settled some. Foster got to play on the basketball team for the last few weeks of the season. Foster is also on track to be able to try out for the Soccer team in March. We will be so proud of him if he is able to achieve all this, but frankly we are already proud of how he has conducted himself in the last 4 months.

I hope he will stay in contact.

Peace, Love and Puppy Dogs!

John

Work = Self worth and gives meaning to life

I was recently having this email conversation with my friend B. He had been without a job for a few months and was recently hired on at a new firm. In chatting with him he mentioned that getting back to work made him feel productive and more self-worth. I question why that is?  I searched myself and found other instances where I have seen that occur. When my sister returned to the world of working outside the home after many years of being a stay at home mom she also indicated this feeling of can do attitude and improved self worth. For myself I've found times of lacking self-worth during job searches, during times of great change in my life and when I wanted to help a situation so much, but lacked the ability to do so.

So why is it that we place so much importance and tie our self-worth to being able to work 40+ hours at a job for someone else? What is it that equates working for a paycheck as so much more important than working to make a clean home, providing love and support for your family or something as simple as reading a good book to give us a self esteem boost.

When someone asks what do you do no one ever answers with their hobbies or goals they always say I'm a lawyer, a doctor, a retail sales person etc.

I refuse to let my self worth revolve around the fact that I work at a credit union doing loan reviews.  It is one part of my life that I utilize to support my life.

My self worth is revolved around the fact that I am a good person.
My self worth revolves around me being there for my friends and family.
My self worth revolves around my faith in the good that there is in the world.
My self worth revolves around my kids who greet me each night like I am the best thing eva!
My self worth revolves around knowing that I am doing everything I can to leave the world a better place.

So in this blog I challenge you to study yourself and respond on where your self-worth revolves!!

Peace, Love and Puppy Dogs,
John