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Why We Stopped Going House to House for the Holidays

We hit a breaking point. We were so tired of rushing from house to house; we had truly begun to dread holidays. It was time to make a change for our family.

WATCH: Hobby Lobby Lights Up Mom Hearts With Viral Christmas Ad

Has Hobby Lobby entered the world of emotionally persuasive holiday short-form cinema? It would certainly seem so! And their Christmas ad effort is 100% geared toward what is undoubtedly their most loyal customer: busy (exhausted, out-of-time) moms.

“This Christmas I Want Food”: What These Foster Kids Want For Christmas Is Heartbreaking

None of them asked for this year’s hottest toy, or another video game to add to their collection. No, the children who filled out these tags listed their “innermost dreams”—things that should be part of everyone’s childhood.

“I Received a Call. ‘We Have a 14-Year-Old Boy Who Needs a Home.’ I Was Like ‘NO Way'”: Single Mom Becomes Foster Parent to Help Families Battling Addiction

Courtesy of Mandi Booker

Fostering is something that I had thought about for years. I always knew there were kids out there going through really hard times, and I just wanted to help somehow. I knew what my boys and I had experienced, and I thought that maybe we could help others overcome their circumstances as well. I was a single mom of two boys, doing it 100% on my own. Why in the world would I even consider being a foster parent? It wouldn’t only affect me, so I had to make sure it was right. We talked about it a lot and I told them what we might experience if we went down this road. Lord bless them, their hearts are so big and they were 100% on board. Our entire world would be turned upside down and completely changed. I prayed hard and often, and I just kept feeling a tug to jump in. My family thought I was crazy.

I went to an informational meeting in October 2018 and started training in November 2018. I officially became a licensed foster parent in February 2019. I was so scared. The idea of fostering was no longer just an idea…it was becoming a reality. The first call I got sent my heart racing. How would I make a decision? What questions should I ask to help me make that decision? What if it doesn’t work out and I become just another person who let these kids down? I was overwhelmed. I started second guessing myself. I started letting those thoughts of being unworthy or not good enough take over my mind and my heart. But in March 2019, we went from a family of three, to a family of five, overnight. I went from having two boys to having four. This was our very first placement, as well as theirs. Neither of us knew what to expect from each other. They were scared. I was scared. But the first night went well.

Courtesy of Mandi Booker
Courtesy of Mandi Booker

Why We Stopped Going House to House for the Holidays

We hit a breaking point. We were so tired of rushing from house to house; we had truly begun to dread holidays. It was time to make a change for our family.

WATCH: Hobby Lobby Lights Up Mom Hearts With Viral Christmas Ad

Has Hobby Lobby entered the world of emotionally persuasive holiday short-form cinema? It would certainly seem so! And their Christmas ad effort is 100% geared toward what is undoubtedly their most loyal customer: busy (exhausted, out-of-time) moms.

“This Christmas I Want Food”: What These Foster Kids Want For Christmas Is Heartbreaking

None of them asked for this year’s hottest toy, or another video game to add to their collection. No, the children who filled out these tags listed their “innermost dreams”—things that should be part of everyone’s childhood.