“That birth mother I met at the DHHS office? She and I could have easily traded places. I’d be a fool to believe I was called to love my children, and not their parents.”
‘Why does he act like that?’ My home was a war zone. But I wouldn’t take back that time even if I could.’: Woman shares advice to new foster parents, ‘Find your people’
‘I suddenly blurted out, ‘Boys, you know we’re a team, right?’ It’s impossible to know what lies ahead.’: Family shares foster care journey, ‘There’s NOTHING we can’t handle together’
“What if we’re biting off more than we can chew? What if my children resent us for it later? Holding our breath, we wait.”
‘Would you take a second baby?’ Two babies? I had ZERO control over the system. We said yes.’: Mom of 6 details infertility, foster care journey, ‘It’s our honor to love these children’
“They had to ask us three times. He was so tiny I could barely see him through the blankets, but I’ll never forget the moment I looked at this precious, helpless human. To learn of all he had experienced so far… it broke me to the core.”
‘I said yes without asking my husband. We went from 0 to 4 in less than a year!’: Couple adopts 3 siblings then becomes pregnant, ‘This is not what I had planned, it’s BETTER than I imagined’
“They told us if we decided against taking in the baby, they would take the older two and find a home who was willing to take all three siblings, for the sake of keeping them together. Well, we were not about to let that happen. Three short months later, I was home with my three kids and a POSITIVE pregnancy test.”
‘Writing letters to prospective birth mothers, I began to feel nauseous. ‘Katie, you’re PREGNANT!’ I felt the blood drain from my face.’: Couple adopt homeless boy from foster care, ‘He stole our hearts, then he took our last name’
“‘Would you be willing to take in a little boy who was just born? He needs a family.’ I called the social worker back. ‘YES!’ Two days later, I met the second love of my life. A tiny, beautiful boy with the most gorgeous blue eyes I’d ever seen. The moment I laid eyes on him, my heart knew. He was my son, my missing puzzle piece.”
‘We have a 2-year-old with significant abuse. We found man-made cages where they believe he was kept.’ I wanted to love on this poor boy, and make him feel safe.’: Foster mom says ‘with difficulty comes unimaginable beauty’
“Completely out of the blue, my husband asked, ‘What do you think about being a foster family?’ I wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember.”
‘Can I call my mom?’ My heart breaks. ‘No, not right now.’ I can’t give him what he really needs, the love and support of his own mother.’: Single foster, adoptive dad admits ‘I feel guilty’
“I feel guilty I am the one who gets to see a baby take her first steps, see a little boy lose a tooth and get excited over the Tooth Fairy in the morning, or see a kid score in their football game. I wish it were different for these kids, but I’m prepared to be there for them as long as they need me.”
‘Oh my gosh, this blanket stinks!’ I was careful not to show the horror on my face. I fantasized about throwing it in the washing machine.’: Single dad explains candid reality of foster care, ‘Let go of perfectionist tendencies’
“He was taken away by force with no time to prepare, no time to say goodbye, no explanation. He keeps it with him, day and night, no matter where we are or what we are doing. The one thing I wanted to get rid of was the only thing he had left.”
‘I don’t think any social worker will jump to place a child with a 20-year-old, single male.’ I agreed and said, ‘I’ll be patient.’ I checked all the boxes.’: Former foster kid becomes adoptive dad to 3 boys, ‘Fostering is love’
“They didn’t have any information other than his name. I was convinced it was a black child. Imagine my surprise to see a white child sitting at the table! I was internally panicking. At the time, he was the first white child I had ever interacted with. In the end, I agreed to take him in.”
‘I could not do what you do. I’d get too attached.’ That’s the point. Their need for love and protection is far greater than my need to be protected.’: Foster dad urges ‘if you have the ability, you have the responsibility’
“I grew up in a dysfunctional home of drug addiction and verbal abuse. My parents got a divorce when I was 7 because my father had been having several affairs. When my wife approached me with the desire to foster, I felt unprepared. I’d experienced so much trauma in childhood, I only had examples of what not to do as a father. God had others plans.”
