For many years I was a foster parent. I took teenagers because that is what no one seemed to want. Everyone wanted babies and little kids. I was a foster parent for about7-8 years and in that time I probably had 50 kids in my home.
Sometimes we had a few, sometimes we had 7 or 8, sometimes teen Mom's with babies. We had drug addicts, gang bangers, alcoholics, sexually, and physically abused kids. We took anyone that needed a home.
I am a fairly naive person, never did drugs, I don't drink. I was raised in a well to do neighborhood in orange County, CA- so I saw and heard things that blew me away. I learned things that shocked me- but I accepted all the kids. I treated them as my own, I loved them, took care of them, covered for them, whatever it took.
We had children that at 14 had never had cupcakes brought to school for their birthday- so I arranged birthday class parties in middle school. This was before cell phones, and we got beepers for all the kids. We bought them their first cars, took them to Disneyland- we loved them and just treated them like normal kids.
I adopted one of them. She had been in 17 homes, she was a very difficult child- we got her at 12. She was angry, on drugs, and so damaged- but she learned to love us and she wanted to be a part of our family forever- she needed that- so I adopted her at 16 years old. I was able to give her a forever family. She is still pretty badly damaged, but she is a good kid- and she is a survivor.
Some I got closer to then others. It seemed like the girls were very close to me. When I had the twins I decided that I could not be the kind of foster Mom I wanted to anymore because I was tied down to two babies- so I stopped doing it. The last of my kids were old enough to go out on their own and it was time for me to focus in a different direction.
I know you are wondering where this is going... well tonight out of the blue one of my kids called me. She was one of my special one's. I was so glad to hear from her. She is 27 now and has 2 kids- that blows me away. She sounds happy and I can't wait to go see her and meet her daughter's. She said she has missed me and that I made a huge impact in her life- that is great to hear. It has been about 10 years since I talked to her. She tracked me down over the Internet and I am so glad she did. I am glad I was there for her during a time in her life when she needed a Mom. She is drug free, and has it all together and that makes me proud. I would love her anyway- but I am glad she is doing well.
I just wanted to share my exciting news.
