Many people underestimate how many babies are waiting for adoption with foster care. Navigating the foster care system can be intimidating regardless of the goal. Taking the time to learn about and understand the process and practices is very important. That is exactly what Kelly Reynolds and her husband did. The couple talked about the possibility of adoption but didn’t really know what to expect so they hadn’t made up their minds. In 2014 they decided to go to an information meeting and had many questions answered. By January of 2015, the couple decided that they could do it and began their training.
Caring for a Baby Boy
A few months after they began their training the couple received their first placement of a baby boy. At only two weeks the boy went through withdrawals and had to be kept in the NICU until his placement with the family. At four months he had to be taken back to the hospital due to some complications. They sent him home with an NG tube and a G tube. Around the same time, the boy’s bio mom was released from jail and was working on bettering herself in order to reunify with her son. After about a year of being clean it became apparent that she could not care for him with his special medical needs and began using substances again. The court decided to terminate parental rights and the couple decided to pursue adoption. On August 2, 2017, the adoption became official.
Adopting a Baby Girl
A few years after their first adoption they had the opportunity to add another child to their family. They received the placement of a four-month-old girl. She had been in the foster care system since birth. Her most recent placement had been with an elderly couple who didn’t have the means to adopt so she moved in with the Reynolds family. The girl’s parents both did not make an effort to reunite with their daughter. This is one of many examples of why babies are waiting for adoption with foster care.
After her bio mom passed away they waited to see if her bio dad didn’t meet the requirements to be reunified. On May 6, 2020, the family officially adopted the girl! Due to COVID-19, they had to do a virtual adoption. The day didn’t turn out as they had hoped but the family still got to celebrate.
Every Story is Different
The journey Kelly and her family went through involved so many turns on the road but the outcome stayed positive. Before they jumped into it they took the time to learn about the community they wanted to be a part of. They embraced their kids and learned about their needs and supported them through the tough times. Every child’s story is different and as a foster parent, you have to be aware of that. Some kids need more support than others but that’s what foster parents are there for. Build a community of supporters because it takes a village to care for foster children. You also have to remember to take care of yourself because foster kids need a healthy parent to look after them.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, we want to thank Kelly and her family for sharing how they grew their family through foster care. With so many babies waiting for adoption, why not consider foster care? For those interested in learning more about the cost of adoption, check out our adoption calculator.
