Life has a way of surprising you. My husband Tim and I already had five children of our own when we became foster careers. We thought we were done raising kids, but two little boys changed our lives forever. We became a part of their family.
We had always wanted to foster, and after many years of thinking about it, we finally did it. At first, we planned to take only one long-term child. But everything changed when we got a call asking us to take in two brothers just for ten days. If we didn’t agree, the boys would be separated. We couldn’t let that happen.
I remember the day they arrived. Two young social workers carried the boys into our home. They looked too small to be nearly two and three years old. Their bodies were thin, their hair was patchy, and they had sad, empty looks in their eyes. They had just come from the hospital after being taken away from a terrible situation. They didn’t talk, didn’t eat, and didn’t even take off their shoes when they went to bed.
Little by little, we helped them feel safe. They slowly started to trust us. They had trouble speaking, didn’t understand birthdays or holidays, and everything seemed new to them. We were supposed to prepare them for adoption, and we did our best. But when the boys were placed with new adoptive parents, it didn’t work out. The adoption failed, and the system wanted to separate them again. We couldn’t let that happen.
We fought hard to bring them back, and we did. But the trust had been broken. It took years to help them feel safe again. Still, we loved them more each day. Eventually, we knew we had to adopt them. Even though it was tough and some family members were unsure we followed our hearts.
The day we went to court was special. The boys wore football shirts with their new last name and age on the back. A few days later, they called Tim “Dad” for the first time. We all cried.
Now, they are part of us. They still face challenges outbursts, delays, and struggles but they’ve also learned to ride bikes, swim, and play football. They laugh, love their siblings, and help walk the dog. We love them like we gave birth to them.
Adopting a child can be hard, but it brings deep love and the promise of a better tomorrow. I started a channel, “Adoption with Nyree,” to help others who are walking this path. No one should go through this phase by themselves.
