Couple Fosters and Adopts Twins After Experiencing Infertility
Every couple’s road to parenthood is different. For Cristie and her partner, that road was filled with twists, turns, dead ends, and detours. But with a whole lot of love and a little bit of luck, this couple fosters and adopts twins and are now their parents. Check out their story below!
The Bumpy Road
Cristie and her husband always dreamt of being parents. After struggling to conceive, the couple endured six years of fertility treatments without luck and eventually, Cristie had to undergo a hysterectomy. When it became clear that having biological children was not an option, private adoption came to mind.
But sadly, this option also did not fulfill their dreams of being parents.
Fostering was never something that Cristie and her partner really considered, they had served as “bonus” parents to multiple teenagers that lived with them over the course of five years and felt that they had already fostered in their own way. They wanted their parenthood to be permanent.
The Call That Changed Everything
Cristie and her husband’s journey to becoming foster parents began out of nowhere on June 6th, 2017. Cristie was getting ready for work in the morning when a friend who worked with the local un-housed population sent her a text:
“Call me ASAP”
This was the phone call that changed Cristie’s life.
By Mid-day, Cristie was driving home with two car seats in the back of her car, in them were the six-month-old boys who would become her sons. Most parents have nine months to prepare emotionally, financially, and physically for a baby but Cristie and her husband had a few hours to prepare for two.
The First Few Days
Cristie remembered the days after picking up the boys to be some of the hardest in her life. She didn’t know the details of the boy’s past experience but knew in her heart that they needed love and care. The days were full of tears, prayers, and hope that the boys would be able to overcome the trauma they have endured.
In her interview, Cristie told us that a month later it was like the twins were completely different babies than when they arrived. They were gaining baby weight, laughing, crawling, and bonding with Cristie and her husband.
It was the most precious thing to see them happy and thriving.
Officially Fostering
While Cristie and her husband were doing an amazing act of service by caring for these boys, they were not official foster parents. The placement of the boys was considered a safety plan, at the start, the couple fosters to adopt plans were not in place. Cristie and her husband knew that they needed to be the ones to care for these boys for as long as they needed it. As soon as they could, the couple signed up for classes and over the course of a year became licensed foster parents.
After becoming licensed, a few other children came and went from the house as needed, but the twins were always there. Cristie and her husband were honored to be able to advocate for these children in the foster system.
Adoption Day
On June 3rd of 2020, almost 3 years to the day since the twins came into Cristie’s life, their adoption day came. Cristie, her husband, and their boys officially became forever family.
Advice on Fostering
Cristie emphasized the importance of the training when deciding to be a foster parent. There is so much information that will be beneficial in any foster parent’s journey. Specifically, Cristie reminds us that children in foster care often have past trauma. It is imperative to utilize lean on your tools as a foster parent to help these children overcome and adapt.
Thank you
Thank you Cristie for sharing your story about how a couple fosters to adopt. Your beautiful family has been through many ups and downs but the love you share shines through. For more stories like this, and to learn how you can help support children in foster care, visit our site HERE.
