Foster care has taught me that love is stronger than fear. A lot of people say to us, ‘I don’t think I could foster, I’d become too devoted But the truth is, getting attached means you’re doing it right. When a child walks into your home, love takes over. It doesn’t matter if your heart might break later. What matters is that the child feels safe, wanted, and loved.
Rave Imagery
From the instant we met, it felt like he’d always been a part of my life. We were very dissimilar, but we communal the same values, our faith, dreams, and love for family. We equally had been concluded separations and knew what it felt like to twitch over. I had two kids, and the way he treated them showed me he was great with children. On our first date, he took all three of us out for ice cream.
Courtesy of Rachel
After we got married in 2016, we quickly began our journey to become foster parents. I had fostered before, so it was always in my heart. In 2017, we were officially licensed. We planned to start with one child, but our first call was for two kids, ages 1 and 2. I named my spouse and said, “Wonder, it’s two, not one!” He said, “Say sure!” That’s how our path as foster parents first started.
Courtesy of Rachel
I made it home just in time. The little girl walked in and said, “Hi, Mamma!” then observed at my spouse and said, “Hey, darling, they were both full of personality and so sweet. We loved them deeply. They stayed for a few months, and when they left, our hearts broke. We trusted God would take care of them, but packing their things hurt more than I expected.
Courtesy of Rachel
The day after they left, the agency called again. They had a newborn baby girl ready to be discharged from the hospital. My husband had recently walked in after a long day at work. I told him about the call, and we said yes again.
Courtesy of Rachel
That day was full of emotions, saying goodbye, then preparing to welcome someone new. Two weeks later, our baby girl came home. The older kids adored her. She followed my husband everywhere and became his little shadow.
Courtesy of Rachel
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Eight months later, we got another call. Our first foster kids were back in care. Would we take them again? Without hesitation, we said yes. The next year and a half was full of court visits and prayers. One child was reunited with a family member, and though we missed her, we were happy for her.
Then came the best news. Our little boy’s case was moving to adoption. We said yes right away. Then the judge said our baby girl could stay too. I didn’t realize how scared I’d been until I heard those words. My fear lifted. June 12, 2019, was the day we were finally united as a forever family.
Courtesy of Rachel
Courtesy of Rachel
Since then, we’ve fostered more children, said more hard goodbyes, and kept each one in our hearts. Now, we are in the process of adopting our daughter’s sister. I often think of what we would have missed if we had said no. Love is always worth the risk.
