“There have been days we want to throw in the towel and choose an ‘easier life.’ But we know this is what our family is called to do.”
‘The social worker brought out a 5-day-old baby, wrapped in a blanket, and said, ‘Here you go!’ There were so many unknowns.’: Foster mom shares journey, ‘It’s beautiful chaos’
‘The judge skimmed my letter. In less than 5 minutes, we were ushered out of the courtroom. I felt powerless.’: Foster mom advocates for child welfare, ‘They need people to fight for them’
“My knuckles were white as I gripped the steering wheel. I was fighting back tears. My 6-year-old foster child sat in the backseat, oblivious. The system was failing him and no one cared.”
‘Are you a mom?’ she abruptly asked. I wasn’t prepared for this question. Yes, I get too attached. Yes, I cry when they leave.’: Woman fosters 8 kids, ‘They will always be my babies’
“A 3-year-old girl pushed right past me like she owned the place. ‘I’m going to call you mom.’ The length of time doesn’t matter. Their pictures still hang in my house, their laughter and cries echoing in each room. They will always be my babies.”
‘You’ll never amount to ANYTHING.’ After a decade of living with the only family I knew, I was moved. I blew it again.’: Woman shares experience in foster system, ‘Thank you to the foster parents who love on us’
“I watched as we passed the downtown buildings, saw them fade. ‘Where in heck are they taking me?’ I BEGGED to go back home. I didn’t even have my sister with me.”
‘I can’t explain it, but I think these are our kids.’ I didn’t know if they were up for adoption. All I knew was I wanted to take them home.’: Couple adopt sons from foster care, ‘They’re cherished’
“The best moments have snuck up on me. It’s tuck-in rituals of reading and laughing, spontaneous tickle fights, the first time they said, ‘I love you.’ They’ve gone from testing my love to basking in it.”
‘She’s been exposed to drugs.’ The last thing we needed was MORE kids. I accepted the challenge’: Mom of 4 opens home to foster kids, ‘It’s who we are now’
“The truth is, I needed another kid like I needed a hole in the head. Every place I looked, I would see something about foster care. God was trying to tell me something.”
‘I threw my hands up. ‘God, if you make me do foster care, I’ll scream!’ We haven’t stopped changing diapers since.’: Woman becomes foster parent, ‘It’s about giving’
“I wrote our honest list: ‘We are NOT baby people. I am so over that phase.’ One stormy night, a baby was dropped off. I’m 1000 percent sure God was laughing.”
‘We’ve been escorted out of court for our safety from gangs. My heart’s broken, but it’s not about me.’: Foster mom gives candid account of system, ‘It’s not about getting a baby’
“I’ve stood with a mother before a judge so she had someone to support her. I’ve rocked a child far too big for hours until they collapsed from exhaustion. NOTHING can prepare you for the heaviness. This can’t be about you.”
‘My heart fluttered as we walked up. I chased him down and pulled him away from his mother. I cried for days.’: Foster mom addresses trauma, tantrums, ‘It’s the best thing I’ve ever done’
“They’d never had a bed or a bedtime, had never seen a vegetable or a toothbrush, and weren’t potty trained. ‘This will be worth it.’”
‘I think it’s best to move them into a 2-parent home.’ I had failed. They were concerned I wasn’t committed to their care.’: Single mom of 5 shares adoption journey, ‘These girls are my world’
“I got the call. ‘Can you take in your adopted daughter’s biological sister who has just been born?’ I hid in the bathroom and just cried. I sobbed to the CPS worker: ‘I know what my answer needs to be, but it’s going to be so hard!'”
