My wife and i decided to foster kids years ago and have had 50 or so kids come through our home within the past 8 years.
The second day after graduating our fostering classes, we were called up to take in four girls,(sisters) right off the bat.
They were ages 9-12.
The so called Mom was given plenty of chances by the court to follow a drug/crime free case plan, but decided that drugs and scum bag child molesting men were more important than the welfare of her kids.
Finally ,she really screwed up and the hammer came down with a four year sentence.
She reluctantly gave up her parental rights and we adopted three out of four of the girls.
The fourth, youngest, had severe violent tendencies and was a nightmare to live with, but understandable considering all the abuse she sustained living with those monsters.
The youngest went into therapeutic foster care and was adopted bt that families in laws who has a son that looks like her twinn.
We decided to quit fostering and concentrate on the girls we have because it really became quite stressful for the girls having to deal with so many other kids problems when they had so many skeletons of their own.

The girls are growing up so fast and they are all teenagers.
I can't believe how far they have come in seven years.
They all want to foster and adopt kids, and get involved in either law enforcement or childhood development carreers.

My wife and I had met all of our best friends through the foster care system, and I can say that life has been a true blessing by letting our home be a vessel for severely abused, neglected children.

I can't even explain how rewarding it is to see how a child can go from lice, bug infested, severely violent, depressed, bolemic,wild and immoral to one of the brightest, smartest, talented goal oriented kids among their peers.

I don't know why I am writing this, I guess I just feel like I want to share on this forum some of the blessings I have received since so many posts are so negative and full of bickering.

I have learned so much through theese kids, I can't even begin to explain how courageous theese kids are compared to some adults who have never been subjected to the horrors of physical, sexual abuse and neglect.

This has truly been the most rewarding position God has ever put me in.

If your life feels ho,hum, and empty like you know you were put here for a reason, but can't quite figure out what it is, maybe you can give it a try as the work is extremely hard, but the rewards are immense.

I am outnumbered by the female drama at times and I have to produce alot of testosterone to level the playing field, but i'm all exited that two of the girls want to come deer hunting with me this season so, Oh yeah, score one for the guys!

My cousin is adopted. She is from some country in Eastern Europe I forget. My uncle and aunt wanted to adopt so they flew over to the country with my grandparents a long time ago now, probably like early 90's I barely remember it. She was one year old and I remember everyone complaining about the expense and complications.

She is a bit of a rebal like most 16 year olds, but she is a part of the family, never made a difference to us.

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Do you ever imagine the life your girls would have had at this point if you had not intervened? And then compare it to the life you gave them?

You have done a wonderful thing. Thank you for sharing your story. It takes my breath away.

Your place in the hereafter is well assured.Although having a lovely daughter of my own I have given a good deal of thought toward adopting and,in a couple of years,when my gal is 10 we may act upon it as she herself has brought up the subject.

I can,to a degree identify with this since after my father died nobody except my grandfather saw any value in me as a person. And I am eternally grateful that he did.

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'spaz, you da man! I'm glad that you felt compelled to start this thread.

The Mrs. and I have often talked about fostering and/or adopting, although after kid #4 the talk has waned a bit. I wouldn't totally rule it out in a few years though.

I have a customer whom I've gotten pretty friendly with since he also has a young son with Down syndrome (and two other kids of their own). He and his wife just finished the fostering class and are going through the process right now. All they are waiting on now is their first placement.

It's got to be tremendously rewarding.

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Oh, yeah, my wife and I ofter talk about how life for theese girls would be if they were still in that environment.
I'm sure they all would have been pregnant numerous times by now, most likely by sick family members.
We have some friends who take care of kids who have been severely neglected or beaten, and most of them have brain injuries.

Those kids need constant care and you have to be a liscenced nurse to take care of them.
It is a constant job where you cannot leave the kid out of your sight.
The money is incredible , even more so than that of a hospital nurse.

They have had some kids with them that have actually brought me to tears upon seeing them.
Then hearing the stories about what happened to them makes you want to go hunt down the person that did it , and give them the same punishment, but I guess that would not solve anything.

When I get the chance to spend time with those people, it really makes my problems seem so small, and I thank God for all the blessings I take for granted from day to day, you know , little things like being able to walk, to run, talk, feed myself and even swallow my own food on my own.

There is a huge demand for this type of work and most foster homes are full in most counties.
It only takes one night a week for ten weeks to train.

Most families that foster, end up adopting the kids because you can't help to fall in love with the kids after spending so much time with them.