People often ask how two friends in their twenties ended up fostering children together. It wasn’t one big decision, it was a path we had been walking for years without even realizing it. I first met Amanda and her sister in high school, though we had grown up in the same neighborhood.
We became close because we both loved kids and were fascinated by adoption and special needs. I was moved by her family’s journey after they adopted a young boy with Down syndrome.
In 2015, I began working for her family, helping care for their four children with Down syndrome. Over time, our friendship grew deeper.
I was finishing my degree in social work, and during my internship in child welfare, I saw how badly children needed safe, loving homes. Amanda had experience in education, and together we had skills that could make a difference. On May 31, 2019, we were driving to the Oregon Coast when one of us finally said what we’d both been thinking: “What if we fostered?”
The other immediately said, “Me too!” From that moment, we quietly began preparing. We bought baby clothes, rearranged our small apartment, and dreamed about the children who might come through our door. We were officially licensed on February 6, 2020. Just eight days later, we got our first call.
A three-week-old baby boy needed a home. Within hours, we met him in a parking lot outside a county office. Those 11 days with him were filled with late-night feedings, snuggles, and the joy of caring for a newborn. Letting him go was hard, but we knew we were ready to do it again.
In March, right in the middle of the COVID pandemic, a two-day-old baby girl came to us. Four months later, a baby boy joined our home, only 10 weeks younger than her.
Suddenly we had “twins.” Life was full of bottles, diapers, court dates, and mountains of laundry. It was exhausting, but our hearts were full. Foster care brings both deep happiness and painful heartache.
You love with your whole heart, even knowing you might have to say goodbye. You fight for what’s best for each child and cherish every laugh, every hug, every milestone.
I never imagined sharing motherhood with a friend or loving children I might not keep. But each child has changed me forever, and no matter where they go, they will always be loved here.
