Little Hands, Big Plans - Motherhood and Business

Mothering Seven: Faith, Foster Care, and Finding Rest

• Emilia Coto • Season 1 • Episode 15

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Emily, a mother of seven, shares her journey of discovering her calling to be fully present in motherhood and living that calling wholeheartedly through biological parenting, foster care, and adoption. Her story reveals how God works through our willingness rather than our perfection, showing how she built a beautifully blended family while navigating real challenges and experiencing incredible grace.

• Becoming a mom at 22 and knowing from the start that motherhood would be her primary calling
• Growing her family from two biological children to becoming licensed foster parents 
• Receiving a newborn straight from the hospital and experiencing instant attachment
• Navigating different attachment styles with her adopted children and the importance of age-appropriate honesty
• Finding unexpected compassion for biological parents while struggling more with the broken foster care system
• Learning to trust God with her children's futures rather than carrying anxiety about what might happen
• Creating moments of rest through simple practices like walking, reading, and prioritizing quiet time
• Embracing the sanctifying nature of family life while acknowledging it isn't always perfect
• Encouraging those considering large families to take it "one kid at a time" and trust God's timing

Connect with Emily through her foster care support group called The Village or through the House of Providence, a therapeutic group home for girls where she serves on the board.


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For other episodes and resources, visit our website at https://littlehandsbigplans.co/pages/podcast

Speaker 1:

Today I'm sitting down with Emily. Emily is a mother of seven. From the moment she became a mom at 22, emily felt deeply called to be fully present in motherhood and she has lived that calling wholeheartedly, through foster care and adoption. How she discerned each yes along the way and how she learned to trust God with the unknowns, whether in parenting, attachment or future plans. You'll hear how she went from welcoming one baby to mothering a beautifully blended family of seven, all while navigating real challenges, deep growth and moments of incredible grace.

Speaker 1:

If you've ever wondered what it means to go all in on motherhood, to make space for the rest in the chaos, or to surrender your family's plans to God's timing, this conversation is for you. Welcome to Little Hands Big Plans the podcast for moms who want to reimagine work after kids and build a life where family comes first, without giving up your dreams. I'm Amelia and I know firsthand how much motherhood shifts our careers, our priorities and our pace. But instead of seeing it as a setback, what if we saw it as an invitation, an opportunity to design a life with a little more freedom, a little more presence and a little more fulfillment? Each week, we'll have honest conversations with moms who've shaped their work and business around what truly matters. Whether you're considering a career pivot, dreaming of a slower pace or just wondering what's possible, you're in the right place. So grab a little something warm, settle in and let's explore the possibilities together. So you wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. How did you know this?

Speaker 2:

I always had these like two ideas of what I wanted to do, and one like I had this I'm going to be like an editor in New York and have this like whatever life. And my other one was I'm going to have a bunch of kids, I'd be a stay-at-home mom, and I think for me I always knew whatever I did, I would only do that so like wholeheartedly, and so I think for me it's hard to like imagine doing multi things if that makes sense. So motherhood was always just the big goal.

Speaker 1:

And what was your life growing up? Did you grow up with a stay-at-home mom?

Speaker 2:

My mom didn't work until I went into kindergarten, so my whole my first five years and all my siblings. She was a stay-at-home mom and then she went and got a job as soon as I started school. And do you come from a big family. I have two older siblings, so not huge. Pretty, pretty average.

Speaker 1:

So, knowing that you may choose to stay at home, what work choices did you make in anticipation of having motherhood be your primary calling?

Speaker 2:

Once I was like in my later years of high school when all my friends were deciding on schools and what they were going to do and all of that I think I really honed in of okay, am I going to go to college? And I grew up in Northern Michigan, grew up on a farm in a rural area, so, like college wasn't necessarily the goal for everyone. Anyway, I think a stay-at-home mom or more of a slower paced life was more of a goal anyway than it would be in a suburban area where I live now.

Speaker 2:

So I think when I really dug deep, I was like I would love to go into psychology or like writing or English or something like that, like something that I find interesting, but I'm like, would I really ever make a career out of it? You know what I mean? So I waited and I got married pretty young, met my husband and his goals were the same as mine. I'd love to have that traditional familial situation, and so that's what happened. And so I worked until I had kids. But I worked at a gym and I helped friends with child care stuff like that Awesome.

Speaker 1:

I never had the big career plan, if that makes sense, yeah totally makes sense and can you share a little bit about your family? You became a mom. I know that adoption is also part of your family story. How did that all?

Speaker 2:

come about. So we got married. My husband and I both wanted kids pretty early. I think we thought it's going to take up like thinking, you know, the next year if we get pregnant it'll happen. So we were pregnant pretty, I want to say, a month after we got married, like we had a newborn on our first anniversary, and so it came pretty quickly.

Speaker 2:

I was 22 when I had my first and then we wanted them fairly close in age and so then we had our second two years later. And then I had always wanted to adopt and do foster care and it just again, just like motherhood, I'd always imagined mothering just a diverse family, like I'd always I don't know why I thought that. Cause again, I grew up in Northern Michigan where there was literally no diverse suite at all, so I had just always envisioned that I know I'm going to just have this blended family and kids and I'd always been drawn to adoption as much as biological children, and my husband was always on board with that. So we did that through foster care and so when I was actually pregnant with my third, we became licensed in foster care and got our first placement of a sibling group.

Speaker 1:

So I was, I think, seven months pregnant and so when you became a foster parent, you already had the desire in your heart to also potentially adopt.

Speaker 2:

Totally. I think I became a foster parent thinking, okay, like I'd seen other people do it and be had fostered for 10 to 15 years and maybe adopt a child or two. So it wasn't like I'm doing this solely to adapt, but like, hey, when it happens on the road, that's cool. But I would say I, our intention was to foster, but we were for sure open to adoption. If that makes sense, yes.

Speaker 1:

And so, what was your journey to meeting your children that you eventually adopted?

Speaker 2:

So our first placement was a sibling group and so we had them for three months and then, when I had my third son, hosea, they went into a respite family and they were high needs, like great kids, and I knew, wait a minute, now I have a newborn, two toddlers, and they were two toddlers and I was just like I cannot.

Speaker 2:

And so the respite family actually was like, listen, if this is too much for you, instead of them coming back in two weeks like we would love to keep them. And it was the perfect situation, it was a God thing. So that worked out. And then, right after we reopened our license, when Hosea was nine months old, we got a call for a baby girl straight from the hospital and we fostered her for three years before she was adopted, and so she never left her family, was in her home straight from birth and now she's 11. And then so she was there and she was our first real experience of her walking in with cps and me being like, oh my gosh, like the bond was instant. I was a train wreck. Wow, like just if this is going to be a nightmare, because you're handing me a newborn with like tags still on and the baby hat. You know what I mean. The attachment was instant instant.

Speaker 2:

And so then we had four. My daughter and my youngest biological at the time were nine months apart, so I had a nine-month-old and a newborn and then two toddlers. About a year and a half later we got another call. I actually had a dream the day before that I was holding the baby girl and I said, hey, I had your sister and I handed her to her. And it was so real. I was like the baby girl and I said, hey, I had your sister and I handed her to her. And it was so real. I was like I literally asked my pay's worker the next day. I was like, is mom pregnant? Because I literally had this dream. She's like no, but as soon as that worker left, I got a call from my licensing worker who said I have a baby girl, she's nine months old and she needs a home. So it was so nuts where I was just like, okay, I know this is a yes. So those three my son and then my two girls are all exactly nine months apart, like nine months. So within 18 months I have three.

Speaker 2:

And so then she was there, hers went to adoption fairly quickly and she was actually adopted before Tay, like six months before Tay and then so we had five and things were like, okay, awesome. We fostered a little girl for a year who we adored, but we had an awesome relationship with mom, loved mom knew she was going to get her stuff together and she went home at about 14 months. So that was like tough in the way of like we all adored her, but it was great because we knew mom, she should be reunified. But then it like for me, I'm like okay, I have two that are adopted, my kids are getting older, they all get this and we can't.

Speaker 2:

We're not in the place anymore where we can do visits and stuff like that, cause I don't want to traumatize and confuse my girls. We've gotten so attached, we don't want to do that anymore. I can't like for my family's sake. And so I told my worker hey, I only have room for a boy, I can't do any more of like the visitations and stuff, because I have two kids that are newly adopted and I don't want to like bring the confusion and that type of thing. And so I gave them all the stipulations and I licensed her a laugh. She's like OK, you've taken whatever we've asked you for in the past and six months we'll reevaluate, because you're probably not going to get a call.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And I'm like that's fine Cause I'm like we're doing pretty good. And then, literally, I got a phone with her and I was having a conversation with the Lord and I'm like we're pretty good with five, I'm like five is a to six and I'm like like I guess, and for me I tell that story all the time People laugh. But for me it was like a release of I'm not asking you to be like the best mom in the world, but like you have my permission to do your best and you can have room for one more. Does that make sense? Yeah, anyway, we got a call on Monday Again them thinking my strict limits of what you know would fit into our family. And she's like you're not going to believe this, but I have a baby boy.

Speaker 2:

He was just born and surrendered at the hospital and honestly, they said this is going to be a straight adoption. Are you ready for that? And I'm like thinking this is the call that, like everybody signs up for foster care, like no strings attached, and we're like like I was, like I guess, so I guess that's basically the stipulations. And that was Enzo and he was, yeah, the sweetest, easiest. The crazy thing with his story is some of our best friends, without knowing this, have his biological two sisters and brother, so kind of like this insane, only God meant to be story, yeah, anyway. So he was six and then, during COVID, I got pregnant as a surprise from Indy. It's interesting because with foster care.

Speaker 1:

That's when I think about it. You're going to love the children that you're with, knowing that the goal is likely for them not to stay with you. But it seems like in your children's story you can see so clearly how he wrote their story and yours together, because it's also hard if they had gotten placed into a family that didn't have adoption on their heart. And now you know. You know they could stay there, but that's not an option. So is that something that you prayed for before you went into it?

Speaker 2:

I think we had other placements that like came and went, like a lot of short-term and like maybe emergency placements and things, I think, because we were only licensed for five years. So after Angel's adoptions closed, we were only licensed for five years and we adopted three kids. So that's, the three of them are not biological. So it's a little different. If you get like a sibling group or something early, were like, hey, we'll keep your license open, we'll send a variant to Lansing right now. I was cracking up, but I think because it was so fast and furious like I in my head, because it's more common to it taking years before you end up with one where there's a potential of adoption, I don't feel like I had time to be like okay, like they filled the seat, we're good now. I don't know, you don't even like I think individually and personally with each of them.

Speaker 2:

Like when I met Tay, like our bond was, it was just like man, she's going to be here forever. And there was times too where it was like, even if she goes home, we'll support her family and she'll always be a part of our life. And then with Naya, we met her and I knew it and I had that dream. So I just knew. And then, enzo, I had dreams too and we just knew from, obviously, the first phone call.

Speaker 2:

So I think, like the Lord, like discernment, and just this is my kid, you know, and not like you're my kid, because you deserve better and I'm doing this huge favor to you and I'm going to turn your life around type of discernment, but just like a knowing that, like you're not going anywhere in your mind. When I've had other kids in my house and I again like we had one little baby we adored for a year but I knew I wasn't her long-term mom, I knew her biological mom. She was it, she was going to figure it out and that was what I was to support. You know what I'm saying. So I feel like it's more like the holy spirit led, like you know.

Speaker 1:

I want to ask this, but I don't know if it's the misconception I have, because I think in that situation, my understanding is that even though they were, for example, even in a surrender as a newborn, there's still trauma there from the loss of the connection with their biological mom. Yeah, totally. Have you found that, and how does attachment look different, and how have you supported them through perhaps overcoming that loss?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think too. Mine are young, so I think there is a like oh, you know, two of yours came straight from the hospital to where one of mine still had visitations for two years and my son didn't, and then my other daughter was nine months. But again, even if you have a situation of a surrender or an adoption a international or a national adoption there's still, I think, naturally obviously mom carried baby for nine months and the stress of that and there's a bond there, like we're created to have a bond, even if the mother is not expecting to be pregnant or wanting to be or whatever. So I think every attachment is different.

Speaker 2:

I would say one of mine is hyper-attached, like very attached, I would say. One of mine is very naturally as if I birthed her myself. There's never been and we laugh all the time because she'll be like I forgot, I'm adopted. It's so funny. And then I would say another one of mine. I would say that attachment is more because she came to us more traumatized and nervous and very anxious, but I would definitely say it can show in like anxiety and survival skills and maybe hiding things and stuff like that, if that makes sense.

Speaker 1:

And, as an adoptive parent, being more aware and having more conversations than you would with your own biological children, learn those skills differently during hard times. It feels like I'm always learning, but it's almost. It's kind of like God equips you for the tough times and the difficulties. I would imagine that it would be the same, but like almost to a higher degree, or is that a misconception that I have?

Speaker 2:

I think it's almost like more of a vigilant. Okay, there's these things that naturally I would not ever have to not to say that even your biological children, your attachment, can't be different. You know what I mean. Yeah, like there is a natural bend for that to already be there. You know what I mean, especially if you're a healthy mom who doesn't have your own trauma and your own stuff. But I do think that there is an awareness and like I don't want to obsess about this or be anxious about this, because that's obviously going to carry on to detachment, but it's something that needs to be tended to and worked at and just checked in.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, In Honduras, where I was born, it's something that was really culturally different. That I noticed from here is that when there's an adoption in the family, the children are not told, because it's seen as like protective to not tell them. But then, when they're older, the children end up knowing, but not knowing for sure, and it creates more of a barrier, whereas I love how you were describing your daughter, saying like I forget that I'm adopted and her knowing her story. Does that ever happen here, or is it just such a huge cultural yeah?

Speaker 2:

Do you think here maybe adoptees? Maybe 30, 40, maybe even 20 years ago it was more common.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

I think there was a stigma around adoption, not only in even infertility, or like we don't talk about it and we bring this baby home and then the child doesn't know, and it wasn't even legal in the last you know, maybe 20, 30 years In the early 90s was really when even interracial relations became known. So before then you weren't getting an African-American baby for a white or an Asian. You know what I'm saying. So it was more. It wasn't as obvious With mine. All three of my adopted kids happen to be African-American, my husband's Hispanic and I'm white. So it's a obvious thing to people that they're adopted, and for me, because we already have that transracial story in our family and that makes them stick out a little bit, and so adoption on top of that, like I want them to own their story and we're going to talk about it at home, it's very normal, it's nothing to be ashamed of, it's nothing to be embarrassed about, so that when they're out in public, when their friends meet each other for the first time, when I go to do a book reading, like, I went to my son's elementary school and it's first graders.

Speaker 2:

So I walked in and their biggest questions were like you're white, but he's black, you know what I mean. And he loved it. Because I'm like, okay, because they're so innocent and sweet. And the teacher was like, oh my gosh, is this okay? But he, he was cool with it too. Because I'm like, it's true, yeah. So I think for us it's more preparing our kids to own your story. But if you don't want to tell people it's none of their business, you know what I mean? Yeah, so that's why we're open and we would be anyway, because I'm somebody who transparency like trust and attachment. How can that be built if there isn't at least age appropriate honesty?

Speaker 1:

Like maybe my kids don't know their full stories yet. They will for sure one day they know a lot of it and it's theirs to tell what are some things about foster care that you think people misunderstand when they're first starting on their journey.

Speaker 2:

I think maybe they go at least I can speak for me and a lot of my friends who fostered it's.

Speaker 2:

You go in thinking I'm going to be helpful and I'm going to just do this, and it's going to be a real struggle to see these biological parents and not have judgment towards them.

Speaker 2:

But then I think you meet them and I'm somebody who can be pretty like cold and judgmental. I'm very justice oriented, I'm very justice driven. So I thought, oh my gosh, I'm not going to have any compassion in every single parent, even ones who did things to our kids that you know, whatever I was, like I get it. Like you meet them and you're like you're just a person and nobody would choose this. You know, nobody would choose to neglect or abuse and you've walked through this or worse, or mental illness or addiction. I do think there's a lot more compassion in those situations. But I also think you learn real quickly that the system is the thing that is 100% the hardest. The kids are easy, easy, easy. The system is the nightmare and the system is what is broken, and so I think that is what is to really get into the guts of our justice system and our government views, children and all of that.

Speaker 1:

I feel like that is the part where you're like, oh my gosh you know, yeah, as a mom of seven, how do you find moments of rest? How do you do soul care in the season?

Speaker 2:

My oldest is 17 and my youngest is four, so I feel like it's changed with every season and having older kids now too, like hey, I have to pop out, I'm going to run here, I'm going to run there you know what I mean and making sure like, hey, you're going to watch the kids, or when my husband gets home, I think as I get older, I get a lot better at being like I need this, and so for me it's quiet, just I'm going to go to bed an hour before you do and I'll read. I walk a lot, and so that is really therapeutic for me, and even going out with friends. So for me, it's not necessarily like the massages or getting my nails done, like for some people are shopping, but it's not necessarily like the massages or getting my nails done, like for some people are shopping, but like it's silence and like doing things that bring me joy outside of that.

Speaker 1:

And in terms of your children, what are some of the prayers and hopes that you have for them as they're growing? What helps you trust God with each of their stories, even like the unknown parts or the things that we talked about? That might be a little bit different.

Speaker 2:

I think one thing like fostering has really shown and grown me is in my awareness of how the Lord is way more involved than I think in our American world we give him credit for and we don't need to see him Like he doesn't seem necessary. But when you have a child that you're like I love this child If they go home it's going to be a bad situation. Or trusting him with those like almost life or death type situations it forges you to realize like he's got this, like even if you know their struggles or your kid's bio, or adopted are, you know, making the wrong choices. Like you've done bigger things. I've seen you do bigger miracles in their lives. I've seen you know who they are today and who they might have been, or the choices they're making and like that he is ultimately in control and I think as parents it's just I'm just part of the puzzle.

Speaker 2:

I think we can make our kids our whole world and I think it is a disservice to both of us Ultimately. Like it's trusting the Lord. Lord, you got this. I can only do my part, but I think I can't carry the weight of who they're ultimately going to choose to be and the road that they're going to pit and for them it helps. For them are that they have freedom to be who God created them to be and to live out their potential in him, and and not what I necessarily want for them, but who they're called to be and and that they know their identity in Christ that speaks to me so much, emily, because, oh my goodness, I feel like even in this last little season, with being still postpartum, it feels really fresh still, even though it's not technically.

Speaker 1:

I think a lot of the times I struggle with having intense fears about their life in terms of for me, a lot of it is related to health. Like every time they've been sick, I just my mind always goes to worst case, or with this postpartum, the thing that has been a real struggle is I always feel scared that just something random is going to happen to me and I'm not going to be able to see them grow up. And how did you get to that point of being able to trust? I think it's something that a lot of moms struggle with Mine probably 10 years or more down the motherhood road than you.

Speaker 2:

So don't think I know that I'll figure it out. I think again, my oldest is 17 and I've done foster care and I've had different kids and you know. So I think it's the journey. I think you're a couple years in. How old's your oldest? My oldest is three. Yeah, exactly, so we're just three years in.

Speaker 2:

So not putting pressure on yourself and walking the journey, and I think the beauty of it is like the Lord fathers us in our own motherhood journey, and so I think we have to let him to parent us while we parent, if that makes sense, because, like we don't have to, I think a lot of times we think, oh my gosh, I have to have all my kids together and my kid's going to be messed up if they carry my anxiety, or you know what I mean.

Speaker 2:

But we have to trust that he's a good dad, and so we have to trust our stuff to him, just like our kids do to us. And I think, when you view it in that way of like, hey, lord, you gave me these kids, you knew I was their mom and so you're going to have to help me with this. I need you here, I need you to take the anxiety away, I need you to refocus and I think when we can give it to him, it does help us refocus. But again, I'm more than 10 years down the road from you and so I think a lot of that is just the journey, like you'll get there, you'll be there, but don't think I have arrived. You'll have teenagers and you'll have. I can't even imagine.

Speaker 1:

That's everyone to saying little little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems. And when someone says I'm terrified because I'm like, I can't barely handle these little where it's just different.

Speaker 2:

You know like it's just everything in life. You've grown like the Lord is faithful and giving us just grace for today, so you don't have to worry about the teen years, because she's not asking you to do teen years, she's asking you to do sweet and a baby.

Speaker 1:

yeah, thank you for sharing that. And during, like, the times where you said you had to let go so, for example, in a situation where you did feel that perhaps they were at risk, was experiencing difficulties like that that made you grow to the place where you are at now, yeah, but you were still able to rest Like you could still. Okay, I'm going to give it to God and I'm going to rest knowing that he's got this.

Speaker 2:

Honestly, I think in the beginning of my journey, or my first couple of years, especially with one of my kids, Jesus was such a roller coaster. I lived in constant fear. When they were younger, I lived in that what the heck is going to happen and I have no control. It was completely no strings attached and so I think at the end of her situation, when everything was tied up, I looked back and I was like God, I could have trusted you, but I spent years like sick about this. Yeah, but I could have trusted you.

Speaker 2:

It still would have turned out okay and even if it worst case scenario would have happened, you still would have been trustworthy. So I think there were regrets and like, but it was a learning of man, like I don't have to walk out in anxiousness and worry if you're going to do what I would need you to do or want you to do, because it's in your hand and you love my kids more than I do. You created them, You're just the vessel. So I think that perspective of putting it back on him like Lord, they're yours, and so I think that is more like after the fact, like hindsight, where when something pops up, I'm like no, no, no, no, I've seen you do too many miracles in my kids' lives to be worried about this little thing.

Speaker 1:

You know I'm sure it was not easy to go through, but now you have that as such an amazing thing to look back on to help you with future situations. Absolutely. You said at the beginning that you like to go all in when you do something. Do you ever wrestle with that tension of I want to be a mother but I also want to start a side hustle or I want to do? Do you have anything that you would do differently now looking back, or are you a thousand percent happy and this was the right choice?

Speaker 2:

That's a great question.

Speaker 2:

Actually. I think it's funny because, again, like I told you in the story about when I was like OK, we have five kids, like we're good, like maybe now I pursue something, something that I'm passionate about, or get involved with a non-passionate, or volunteer or start a side hustle, which you know I'm creative, but also like, for me, again, like I'm so all in or all out, there has to be something that I, like, have flexibility and passion in. But I don't have regrets, I would say. But I think in the future, as my kids get a little older, I've always thought about, like Reality, or I love houses, I love like just that I check like Reality Everyday, realtorcom and stuff like that. So I think I have passions and I do think there's things that I would love to do and it's just waiting on, like that timing of okay, lord, I need you to open a flexible door because my youngest is four, but I do feel like I would love that if it were the right fit. So I'm still trying to be like okay, god, what could that be?

Speaker 1:

It's exciting. I like that because sometimes I think there is a pressure to try to do both or multiple things. It's also I think it's also awesome to go all in on motherhood and wait for God's timing to explore other things as well.

Speaker 2:

I think everybody has their own. You know, there's no one size fits all how your family is supposed to look, whether how many kids careers any of it. I think it's all we have to let the Holy Spirit tell us what our families are supposed to look like.

Speaker 1:

I find all the different configurations so fascinating. I love this podcast. I love learning how everyone makes it work. And do you have any encouragement for a mom that wants a big family but doesn't know if they'll be able to handle it? I guess a lot of mom friends I've been talking to lately like are thinking about a big family but it just seems overwhelming and I personally have that same mindset that you said. Can I actually mother a big family.

Speaker 2:

I would say, if I can do it, anybody can do it. I am like the crappiest Most. If I had my teenagers, I'm gonna have to send this podcast to them because they're gonna die last. But I'm super impatient, I'm super selfish, I'm all those things. I like order, I like everything in its place, all the things.

Speaker 2:

I have seven kids, but it's annoying too and I think like family is sanctifying, like marriage is sanctifying, kids are sanctifying. So I don't think it's like I'm the mom and so I can just give it all and everything's going to be great. I think it's community. So it's not going to be perfect, it's not going to be all cute with a bow and our kids aren't going to be a train wreck sometimes and we're not going to be stressed, but I think it's sanctifying and community building. And community building.

Speaker 2:

If you want a big family, I think do it one kid at a time. You know, yeah, the Lord gives you the grace for what you have in front of you, and so I think it's just leaning into him and being like okay. I know so many people who, like, have thought they were done, and the Lord's like okay, adopt or have one more biologically, or mentor a teenager, whatever. So I think a lot of it is like giving up our dreams of what we want things to look like and give them to him. Because I think, especially we're in a culture right now where the economy is it is not cheap and as your kids get older, everything gets exponentially more expensive, and so I think there's a push of like I have to work if I want a big family.

Speaker 2:

So I think there's so many what ifs, but I think if it's what the Lord has for you, then it's fine, it'll work out and he'll make a way and you're going to be stressed and you're going to the house is going to be messed sometimes out with things and I think, but it's end game, is this my obedience, is this what you have for me? Because you don't want to look back on your deathbed and be like, okay, lord, you had seven kids for me and I had three, or you only wanted me to have three kids and I had seven. I think there's obedience and I think how our family looks is not outside of the realm of God's plan for our life. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Emily. I think that's a great, great spot to end. That's such a good reminder. I always struggle with control and I always have to think when you walk in faith, it's really what does he want for my life? As opposed to starting out, it's faithful to guide you. Is there anything you're involved in right now that, if someone is interested in connecting or wants to perhaps get involved with foster care, do you have any recommendations or ways to get in touch?

Speaker 2:

Totally. My husband and I do a foster care support group called the Village and that welcomes people who not necessarily just are foster adoptive parents or wannabe, but people who are just involved in it, Like hey, I just want to cook meals or I just want to learn more, or hey, can I just be informed. So we have that, and I'm also on the board of an awesome therapeutic group home for girls in the area and that is called the House of Providence, and that is an awesome organization too, where you can volunteer, you can give, you can do all that. So thank you, Emily, Thank you for having me it was fun For today's episode takeaways I have four.

Speaker 1:

One motherhood can be the calling. Emily reminds us that choosing to go all in on motherhood is not less than it's a deeply intentional and powerful path, especially when led by faith. Two God equips us for each season. Whether it's welcoming a new child, navigating foster care or walking through anxiety, god provides grace for the season you're in, not the one you're worrying about. Down the road comes straight from the hospital. There can be unseen trauma. Emily shares how attachment looks different for each child and the importance of honesty, trust and age-appropriate openness in helping them thrive. Four you don't have to be the perfect mom, just a willing one. Emily's words are a freeing reminder. God isn't asking you to be the best mom in the world. He's asking you to trust him and do your best.

Speaker 1:

That's it for today's episode. Thank you for spending this time with me. I know how valuable your time is and I hope you're walking away feeling encouraged to dream a little bigger about what's possible for your work and family life. If this episode spoke to you, it would mean so much if you shared it with another mom who needs this kind of encouragement. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. And if you want to keep the conversation going, connect with me on LinkedIn. Just search Emilia Cotto. That's E-M-I-L-I-A, c-o-t-o. Until next time, remember, motherhood isn't the end of your dreams, it's just the beginning.