Becoming a mama

This is the start of my account of my foray into motherhood and the creation of my instant family.

I will share my heartfelt and honest opinion of my experiences in becoming a mother to three teenage children through a government scheme called 'Home for Life'.  This is not an opportunity for me to badmouth my children, my family & friends, government departments, birth families, external agencies etc.  This is a personal attempt to provide much needed information to other people considering 'Home for Life' and to share my journey.

After almost four years of marriage, the question of "When are you two going to have kids?" was growing somewhat tiresome.  I had become quite creative with my response at times, but largely I responded with rude and blunt statements.  Quite frankly it was no one's business but internally I was screaming out to tell someone what was really going on...but that is a story for another day.

Time for some background information to set the tone: I met my Science-mad hubby in 2007 under a table at a bar (completely sober).  At this point I urge you to view the Italian film 'La vita è bella' ('Life is Beautiful').  It was my own little attempt to create a hopelessly romantic scene from the film on my own and I just happened to meet my now husband.  Funnily enough, I didn't actually realise it at the time but he did.  He rang his best friend that night to tell him he'd met his future wife.

We worked, volunteered, travelled in our holidays, started a vegetable garden, worked, volunteered, carried out renovations and travelled some more.  We led a fantastic life and lived every moment to its fullest.  Of course, we did get 'that' question constantly.

Fast-forward to 2013 and we didn't have even the slightest glimmer of the pitter-patter of our own little gremlin feet on our wooden floors.  With both of us volunteering for youth organisations and activities, I am the first to admit that it did seem logical that we would be the most amazing parents.  But it just had not happened for us.  Several factors attributed to this but I will elaborate on this at a later date.

So I came up with an idea and Mr Science welcomed the idea.   In fact, he needed no convincing at all surprisingly.  Adoption.  That was the solution.   Within days I had ascertained that an information evening was occuring eminently.   We attended a session along with an array of people: potential foster parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, prospective international adoptive parents and so on.  We were eager to adopt a baby like most couples, but within moments, that idea was shattered.  We were the wrong ethnicity it seemed.  Apparently children are placed in families of the same ethnic origins, and rightly so.  There are very few babies available for adoption and they are primarily minor ethnic groups of which neither myself or Mr Science belong.

We were told however, that the greatest need was for families for teenagers.   It was a no-brainer really.  All our experience in both voluntary and professional capacities was with pre-teens and teenagers.  The information evening was held in March 2013.  Our first two children moved in with us in July 2013 and after a lengthy wait: their older sister joined us permanently in September 2014.  And so our journey as an instant family begins!

~ Supermama

#homeforlife #instantfamily