I never said that I was brave.

When we posted our introductory blog on last week, it was how most people found out about us becoming foster parents. Outside of family and a couple friends that I had tricked into being references, the blog amounted to some sort of big reveal for everyone else. After posting it, Danielle and I immediately began to wonder how everyone would react. We assumed it would be mostly positive, yet also prepared ourselves for possible negative reactions or people that thought it was their place to tell us we were making a mistake. I mean, you wouldn't think people could be such downers, but sometimes people are just jerks. Good news: we don't know any jerks (or, at least, any that know how to use the Internet).

The reaction we got from people was absolutely overwhelming. Kind of like those people who turn out to cheer on runners during the marathon, the encouragement from all of you is uplifting in a way you'll probably never realize. I have had relative strangers overhear me as I'm telling friends about what we're doing, and interject with congratulations and words of encouragement. We know there will be rough moments ahead during this journey, but knowing we have such an incredible support group will help us focus on the light ahead instead of the darkness that might be surrounding us at the time.

Another thing that has struck me is how some people are commenting on how we are doing a “brave” thing. I never really thought about becoming a foster/adoptive/any kind of parent as a brave step. For us, we just want to have a family. If you had asked us when we got married if we thought we would ever go this route, we might have laughed at you. Not because of any ill will towards fostering or adoption, but because we never really considered the idea of not being able to have biological children. But even now that we've embarked down this path, I don't see anything brave about it. We're lucky enough to be in a position (be it emotional, financial or otherwise) where we're ready to be parents. Someone finally explained to Danielle that she thought we were brave because we were willing to foster, despite knowing all the legal and emotional obstacles that lay ahead. In all honesty, we are (or, at the very least, I am) absolutely terrified of the unknown ahead. I don't know if this counts as bravery, naivety or somewhere in between.

But hey, don't get me wrong, I'll take all the superlatives you want to throw our way, regardless of how amusing they may seem to me.