656 days in foster care.
Baylee came into our care on January 22nd, 2016, at just 12 days old, becoming legally free in March 2017.
November 9th, 2017 she became ours.
When we received the email regarding a healthy baby, we honestly didn't have much more information aside from Baylee only needing two to three weeks of care. We didn't know she was a girl until about an hour before leaving the house to meet her at the office downtown. Tim was still on a business trip as I scrambled to gather enough basic needs for the first couple days. The twin bed still in place as Mia left the day before after spending a week with our family. With Addi by my side, we walked into the office with many unknowns; the biggest of what is this baby going to look like? This is what was delivered to our office room and after a few signed documents we were out the door and on our way home.
I met Baylee's Tummy Mommy the next Monday where we exchanged phone numbers and began our relationship. Visits started up a few weeks later along with the typical court hearings to determine shelter care and dependency. We were blessed to have an awesome social worker who shared our same Jesus following beliefs and became part of the family in this journey. Kristi and Ashley, Bee's visit supervisor, are the hero's in the system of foster care. They were comfort when we sent Baylee out the door for a visit, flexible getting to know our family and always putting Bee's needs first.
Bonds quickly grew and little people attached to this new baby sister in the home. Many questioned if they missed our pregnancy as Miss Bee resembles her Daddy in looks and sass.
{ Three months old. }
Our visit supervisor was part of the roller derby team in town, so when we saw the dog on skates we had to grab the shirt and show off the roller babe herself. Baylee at four months was a tank. Girl had leg rolls for days. This entire journey has been emotional, most positive, with the process of involving courts and the fact that this is someone else's child. Naomi and I have been able to stay in touch and communicate through social media sharing pictures and videos. We had Starbucks dates where I met some extended family and play times at parks and playgrounds too.
{ Chemo pal: nine months old. }
The reason and legacy behind Baylee's name change.
We wanted to honor the name given to Bee, but also wanted to honor my sisters wishes of having her middle name be apart somehow of Baylee's name. It wasn't until after she passed that we settled and started calling her Baylee Lynnae.
Lynn being my sisters middle name and Mae as the original sandwiched together.
Baylee can look at a picture and know who she's looking at calling out CeCe. Now she will forever have part of her Auntie as her namesake. Traci was so excited for this to happen. She would be dancing and cheering in the court room if she was still here.
{ Summer of 2016 }
Baylee exudes joy. She lights up a room and has proven her brilliance in knowing all her ABC's and numbers now too. We will drive by a gas station and she'll start rattling off gas prices or the letters of the grocery store we walk into. I think she practice's at night because we're still working on attempting to sleep through the night. Someday.
Nothing changes now except the name change. Baylee has been loved as our own from the beginning and our extended family has accepted her as their granddaughter or niece from the moment she came home. Naomi will forever be apart of her story and in ours.
When we started our family thirteen years ago, never did we imagine it looking like this. God has blessed us with these gorgeous children He's put into our care, to borrow for His time, that He sees fit.
The foster system is not perfect, but it brought us joy we never imagined ours.
Officially introducing our third princess:
Baylee Lynnae Broersma
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