Fostering: a new start

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For more than nine years, Ian and I prayed for a family of our own.

We knew the road might not be easy because of everything my body had already endured. After surviving cancer and all that came with it, we understood that becoming parents might look different for us. Even so, we hoped. We prayed. We waited.

There were moments of excitement, disappointment, grief, and hope all wrapped into one long emotional roller coaster. Through it all, we kept reminding ourselves that God’s plan was bigger than ours. Whatever that plan was, we wanted to trust it—and someday celebrate it.

Then a friend and coworker mentioned foster care training.

The idea stayed with us. We prayed about it, asking God for wisdom and direction. Just a few weeks later, we took the leap and signed up.

Looking back, it feels like He had been preparing our hearts all along.

From the very beginning, we were surrounded by incredible support from our family, friends, and community. We feel so blessed that we get to walk this journey together as partners. Ian has been my rock through every season of life, and now we get to experience this new chapter side by side.

There are so many children who simply need a safe place to land. If you’ve ever felt even the slightest tug on your heart toward fostering, I encourage you to explore it. It isn’t always easy, but it is one of the most meaningful things we’ve ever done.

Today, we have two children in our care. For their privacy, I’ll call them A & J.

From the moment they walked through our door, they captured my heart.

My greatest hope is that while they are with us, they know they are safe. That they are loved exactly as they are. That our home is a place where they can laugh, learn, heal, grow, and simply be kids.

We’ve made so many wonderful memories together already. We laugh often, play hard, and learn from one another every single day.

Of course, fostering comes with hard days too. Trauma doesn’t disappear overnight, and healing isn’t always a straight path. But even on the difficult days, A & J have brought more joy, purpose, and fulfillment into our lives than I ever imagined possible.

Years ago, I thought my story was about surviving cancer.

Now I’m beginning to realize it has always been about something much bigger.

Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers in the way we expect. Sometimes He writes a story so much different than the one we imagined—but somehow, it’s even more beautiful.

This chapter is our new beginning.

And I can’t wait to see where it leads.