Unsung Heroes of Foster Care

I received a call around 5:00 PM from a caseworker saying they had just received an emergency referral for a little girl and her baby sister, who was in the NICU after being born prematurely. I couldn’t help but laugh—this was one of those "God moments" that had roots going back a whole year--a separate story and testimony in itself. I said yes.

Fifteen minutes later, the caseworker called me back to say I’d been chosen, and that the little girl would be arriving within two hours. After a whirlwind of excitement, panic, and a rushed trip to Walmart, a tiny little girl—who I’ll call “Cecilia”—walked through my door at 7:30 PM.

Months passed quickly, and we’ve been navigating food insecurity, separation anxiety, and the usual chaos that comes with being a toddler. 😆I've also been able to build a meaningful connection with Cecelia's mom, which has been such a gift. She’s currently fighting for her own healing, and when the possibility came up for Cecilia to reunify early—since the program does allow children to stay with their parent—her mom made the incredibly brave and self-aware decision to say she wasn’t ready yet. She wanted Cecilia to stay with me a little longer, until she felt confident in her ability to provide long-term stability and ensure that Cecilia wouldn’t be removed again. Watching her make that choice, putting her daughter’s well-being first even when it’s hard, has been so powerful.

As for baby sister, she’s been growing stronger every day—she’s truly a fighter. I had the chance to visit her once, and those baby snuggles were such a joy. We’ve been preparing to welcome her into our home, but now it looks like she’ll be able to go straight to her mom once she’s discharged, thanks to the support available. And while I’ll miss having her with us, I’m genuinely thrilled that Mom will get that vital early bonding time with her baby—it’s such an important start.

As is often the case in foster care, there aren’t any clear answers about what the next few months will hold. But I’m hopeful that the relationship we’ve built with this family will continue even after reunification—similar to what happened with another child we fostered,

We've remained close with this other child's mom; in fact, both my son and I have been invited to be part of her wedding this fall. The extended family we’ve gained through fostering has been such a blessing.

-A Foster Mom