Angels foster parents Jessica and David know that home means more than just a place to live. It’s a safe, peaceful environment where no one is judged, and everyone is loved no matter what, explains Jessica.
The first time the couple attended an information session at Angels Foster Family Network, they were committed to fostering infants and toddlers, but they were also in the midst of home renovations so the timing didn’t seem right. But the idea remained close to their hearts, so when they were house hunting two years later, they knew they needed a home with an extra room for a foster child.
Jessica and David, along with their children Ava, 14, Ben, 11, and Levi, 6, have been an Angels Foster family for the past two years and have had three children in their care. The first was a baby girl who stayed with them for three days, then came another little girl who was part of the family for three weeks. Now they have “Lola,” a toddler they picked up at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a local hospital when she was eight days old.
David says he was nervous about how his children would react when it was time to say goodbye to little ones they had grown attached to. Both Jessica and David knew that reunification is the goal in fostering. Still, it would be heartbreaking for their family. “We told the children that we were in a place to help a child have a happy start in life,” Jessica says. David adds, “We explained that we are going to love these kids while their parents work to reunify with them and that we might get hurt, but that's a part of love. There's a risk of getting hurt, even when there's no malice."
When it was time for their second placement to reunify with her family, Jessica and David had already planned a family camping trip for the weekend. Jessica decided to stay behind and pack the baby’s clothing and bring her to her new home. David and the children went camping, which turned out to be a good way to transition back to being a family unit. “The quiet and connection with nature helped us refocus on our family,” David says. They both agree that the next time they face reunification, they will plan a family getaway immediately after.
Jessica says that fostering has always been something “on her heart” so she wasn’t surprised that she, David, and their children loved fostering. What she never expected, however, was forming a close bond with Lola’s biological mother. “She’s like a sister to me. I love her and it’s a great honor to assist in raising her child,” Jessica says.
Jessica and David say that fostering has expanded their family. “We love the grandparents and I don’t ever see us not being connected,” says Jessica. David agrees. “We had an opportunity to do something bigger than just going to work and paying the bills. Fostering makes a real difference.”
They encourage other families to attend an information session at Angels Foster Family Network to see if fostering is right for them. You don't need a big house to change the life of an infant or toddler, just a big heart.
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