"God please help us get to keep a baby girl"

He didn't give up.
"God please help us get to keep a baby girl."
Every night this prayer was spoken by my stubborn soft hearted son. Two babies came and went and still every night, "God please help us to keep a baby girl." Foster care was explained over and over. We aren't here just to keep the babies, sometimes they just need our help for a little while until they can go to their families. We may not get a baby girl. It could be a boy. He could be older. But still, "God please help us get to keep a baby girl." The first baby left.
Then the second baby came. We had her for longer and she became one of us in every way. We explained over and over that she won't be staying with us. The months turned into weeks until it was time for her to leave, the weeks turned into days until she would leave and still every night, "God please help us to keep a baby girl." Did he not understand? She was leaving. She left. Our hearts were beyond sad. He didn't give up. Every night even after that second baby left, "God please help us keep a baby girl.” He didn't give up.
We thought maybe it was time to stop. Maybe this foster world was to much for our children and maybe too much for us. Boy one and three weren't sure, maybe. But this son, "No! I want to keep getting babies."
Baby girl number three came. We were all sad. We were all tired. We didn't dare pray to keep her. We didn't dare get our hopes up, except that one child. Wasn't it kind of nice to have a break between babies I asked him? "No, we are supposed to have a baby in our house." Every night he kept on, "God please help us get a baby girl to keep." The months went on with baby number three. There was family. She was leaving. We got a date. The time came winding down to a week before she would go. Every night we would pray. Then the prayer stopped. No more "God please help us get to keep a baby girl." The first night I thought he forgot, the second night I realized it was intentional, his heart was broken. I wasn't sure my heart could take anymore breaking, but those prayers no longer being spoken was enough to rip my heart into more shreds. He gave up.
That July day came. We couldn't take it, this was different. One son racing out the door after the case worker, "stop!" we called after him. "I have to give her one more kiss!" He came back in and gutteral groans I have never heard came from his young body. How could we keep on? It was different. The prayers stopped. Our world stopped. One hour later we got a call that she was coming back! "It's a miracle!" one son yelled.
Our nightly prayers kept going and through that miracle we once again heard, "God please help us get a baby girl to keep." Every night. He hasn't given up.
Our fight isn't done. There is still a lot to happen but we are on our way to getting that baby girl to keep. She is our miracle but more than that she is his miracle, she is the answered prayer for my wise son. He didn't give up even when I did. And that prayer is still spoken every night. I can't wait until the day that prayer can be stopped because it was answered in the most miraculous way. May I one day have his faith and belief.