Loving the littlest

In a beautiful mid-century home, on a bright Lubbock day, Shadie and Peter Miller sit in the family room with their arms full of joy. Shadie bounces an eight-month-old girl on her lap while Peter cradles a two-week-old boy, who drains a bottle. The little girl’s gleeful smile is irresistible, making you wish for the days when you enjoyed anything so much.  

“We talked about it on and off for a while,” Shadie recalls. “It felt like signs kept pointing to yes. Everything kind of fell into place timing-wise.”  

Both licensed psychologists, the Millers are uniquely equipped to understand the needs of vulnerable children. And that’s exactly where they feel called. 

A heart for the first days 

From the beginning of their foster care journey, the Millers knew their hearts belonged to infants. “They’re just so sweet and innocent,” Shadie says. “And with us both being therapists, we think a lot about attachment. We really get to help them develop healthy attachment and have a good start in life.” 

Their focus on early development shapes everything they do. Trust is either made or broken in those first months of life, and the Millers make it their calling to step in and provide a stable home built on nurturing and love. 

Peter looks up from the boy, thinks a moment, and says, “To have a single little baby that you’re caring for…you really see the difference in the impact you can have in one person’s life.”  

From teens to tinies 

The Millers were no strangers to caring for children. Their house was already full before fostering. Peter’s two children, now teenagers, brought energy and independence to their daily lives. Then everything changed when they opened their home to foster. 

“You’re going from no babies to babies overnight,” Shadie says with a laugh. 

The transition involved much more than diapers and feeding schedules; they had to create an entirely new rhythm of life.  

Yet even in the exhaustion, there was joy. Their teenagers embraced the babies as siblings. 

“They really enjoy having the babies around,” Peter says. “They want to hold them, feed them. They’ve taken to every foster child as a sibling of their own.” 

In the process, something beautiful took root inside the teens. 

“It’s making them more empathetic,” Shadie says. “They’re not just playing with the baby; they’re thinking about what they need.”  

Faith in the everyday work 

Though their professional training certainly shapes the way they approach development and trauma, at its heart, the Millers’ foster journey is an act of their faith. 

“We don’t have to be perfect,” Shadie says. “We just have to show up and love the kids.” 

And in many ways, that’s exactly what fostering requires. Children don’t need perfect adults. They only need people who will show up again and again with open hearts. There are no perfect foster parents, only willing ones. 

Peter describes fostering as a pathway of personal growth, something that stretches the heart in ways few other experiences can. “It’s a great opportunity to grow. There’s nothing that pushes a person more than sharing in the struggles of another and being there for children who need a home.” 

Supported in every step 

This calling was never meant to be carried alone. Behind every thriving foster family is a steady, faithful support system, and for the Millers, that help has come from Buckner. Buckner’s support removes barriers and builds confidence, allowing families like the Millers to focus on what matters most – caring for children. 

“They lead with empathy and intentionality,” says Heather Hood, a Buckner case manager who supports the Millers with resources, encouragement and guidance.  

“What stands out most is how deeply they understand the importance of attachment and how consistently they show up for the children with patience and care.” 

The ministry of small moments 

The work is demanding. Sometimes it involves sleepless nights, many appointments, and the weight of not knowing what tomorrow may bring. There are moments of exhaustion, moments of doubt, and moments when faith is the only thing holding everything together. 

But woven through all of it is a quiet, unmistakable purpose, with lots of tummy time. 

Because every bottle warmed in the middle of the night, every tear gently comforted, and every child rocked to sleep is a tangible testimony to Christ’s love in action. Through families like the Millers, and through the generosity and prayers of Buckner supporters, that action becomes something you can see and feel. And one small life at a time – one ordinary day at a time – it is changing the world.