With a baby coming in less than 2 months, and the school year wrapping up, I am counting down the days until I become a stay-at-home mom with an 18-month-old and a very pregnant belly. Needless to say, there is a lot on my mind.

Recently I actually haven’t been too emotional…except I cry silent tears every weekday around 4:45 as I pull away from daycare. What in the world–I expected this part of the transition to be easy!! Yet, everyday I find myself crying and reminded of the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.”

When we got N in July, we had 2 weeks to find her a daycare. (PANIC). There simply wasn’t time for wait-lists and finding the “perfect” place. We knew we had to take what we could get. And that was scary.

But the Lord so clearly provided. We found an opening for the exact day we needed it. The location wasn’t ideal and at the time we didn’t know any other families there. But it would work. (Maybe?!)

Ahh. Now, I am overwhelmed by the love N has received by the daycare staff. Her teachers have taught her so much and taught US so much. There have been multiple times recently that she has RUN to hug a teacher goodbye when we leave.

So, I’m sad to make her leave people who have poured so much into her. And I feel a sense of urgency to find more friends who will love her, teach her, and be here to help us in this journey. Because raising little ones is something we can’t do on our own.

Mother’s Day is tomorrow. And I’m realizing my definition of “mom” has changed a lot since we started fostering. Honestly, right now, I am not sure how I would define “mom”, but I know for a fact that there are a lot more “moms” out there than will receive gifts tomorrow. After all, “family” is much more than DNA.

It truly takes a village to raise a child. I’m so thankful for the toddler that calls me “mama” and I’m so thankful for our village.