From the start, foster care looked difficult for us. I used to say, “I don’t think I can do it because I get too emotionally attached.” My husband and I agreed we could have one child under two. We had no idea how much things would change or how much love we would get.
Almost 15 years ago, something started to change inside me. We were newly married and had no kids, and I met a couple who chose to foster before having biological children. That night, I cried looking through hundreds of photos of kids waiting to be adopted. I felt terrible for those kids. One little boy’s words stayed inside me: “I just want a family to love me. I hope they have a dog.” That night, I felt something new in my heart.
Years passed. We already have three biological boys, Elijah, Emery, and Easton. Emery was born with Down syndrome, which meant surgeries and many hospital visits. That season taught us patience and trust. Life was busy, but kept growing. Finally, we leaped and got licensed for foster care.
We said yes to a 1-year-old girl. Her mom cried in my arms during a visit, and I promised to help however I could. Later, I discovered I was expecting our fourth son, and we named him Ezra. That sweet girl eventually went home, and we were happy to stay in touch. Our license went on hold, but the desire to help never faded.
Two years later, one moment in the car, my husband turned to me and said, “We can start fostering if you want.” It wasn’t planned but perfect timing from God. Less than a month later, on our 10th anniversary, Kamber came to us small, scared, and wearing clothes that didn’t fit her. Slowly, she began to feel safe with us.
A few months later, her baby brother, Travis, was born. We took both children to visits with their parents three times a week. We make a relationship with respect and support. We weren’t trying to replace anyone. We just wanted the kids to feel loved and safe.
In 2018, their sister Violet was born. The parents didn’t show up to the court hearing, and all three kids were placed on the path to adoption. Our family grew by three. But God wasn’t done.
A month later, a caseworker asked us to consider Ethan, Kamber’s half-brother, a 7-year-old boy. We had never considered adopting an older child, but after one visit, we knew. My oldest son said he doesn’t have any family. We have space. And that’s all we went to hear.
In June 2019, Ethan moved in. It wasn’t easy. Trauma leaves lasting marks. But he began to thrive through love, therapy, and God’s grace.
Finally, on September 9, 2020, our four foster children officially became a part of Goldsmiths family. It wasn’t a big court hearing, just a text during the pandemic. But it was perfect. We celebrated with cake, dance parties, and Ethan’s dream adoption party.
If you’re thinking about foster care, start with a prayer. Talk to others and take one step. God doesn’t show the whole road, just enough light for the next step. For us, that one step led to something more beautiful than we ever imagined.
