“They described a 3-year-old boy, nonverbal, tantrums; the list was long, but we felt called to say ‘yes.’ We decided to do everything we could for this child. Time was NOT on our side.”
‘The phone call felt like a punch in the stomach. He’d become part of the family.’: Foster mom starts nonprofit to help families through ‘the cycle of love and heartbreak’
‘Amber, what if we’re supposed to max out our home?’ We both froze.’: Couple adopts 7 kids from foster care, ‘We’re incredibly blessed’
“It hit us like a ton of bricks. For every biological child we had, there’d be one less child we’d be able to pull out of the system. It pushed us forward to finish the race.”
‘We were warned, ‘She’ll only sleep on top of you in bed.’ She was terrified of books and baths.’: Mom candidly shares challenges of foster care, ‘I’m right where I want to be’
“I felt judged by medical professionals. They thought it was my fault she hadn’t seen a doctor yet in her 2 years of life. We’re all she has.”
‘Holy crap, babe.’ I looked down to the word ‘pregnant,’ clear as day. How could I care for a baby AND be a foster mom?’: Foster parents surprised by pregnancy after infertility battle
“What if it’s harder than we thought? What if we’re taking on more than we’re equipped for? We couldn’t let go of the fact we had not one, but two empty bedrooms. While we slept safe and sound in our comfortable bed each night, there were hundreds of displaced children in our area in need of a loving home.”
‘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.”
‘You treat them like they’re yours!’ She said it as if it were a bad thing. I made the heartbreaking decision to get ‘too attached.’: Foster mom celebrates reunification, ‘Every moment of doubt was worth it’
“Day in and day out, we kissed their boo-boos, cuddled them to sleep, and read them stories. My heart broke when I thought about the moments their parents were missing.”
‘I don’t think my heart can handle this.’ There was a newborn who needed a home. ‘If not me, then who?’: Family opens ‘hearts and home’ to foster care during pandemic
“As long as it means a child is safe and loved, I’m willing for my heart to be broken, over and over again.”
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Foster Parent
“In our journey to open our home and our hearts, I failed to find true, honest, and comforting resources to show me what I could expect. So here I am, closing the gap.”
‘If he leaves one day, will he remember me?’ I’m not a babysitter or a caregiver. I’m a MOTHER.’: Foster mom reflects on journey, ‘I wouldn’t trade it for anything’
“It was Mother’s Day, and I thought, ‘Do I DESERVE to be celebrated today? Do I count as a mother?’ There is an uncertainty and lack of self-validation that you are, in fact, a mother.”
‘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’
“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.”
