{heroes}

Has anyone ever called you a "Hero?" Well, I will humbly say two very sweet women have called me a hero in my lifetime. The reason they called me their hero was because of my work with DHS Child Welfare, namely when I removed children with CPS.

On many, many, occasions I have had people say,"I don't know how you do it, it would be so hard." I usually try to withhold my internal joy because I do not want to come across as callous, when really I couldn't feel more pride for saving a vulnerable child.

But this post however is not about my love for Child Protective Services. I am writing this post to share my respect and love for a wonderful, loving, foster home I have had the privilege to get to know. I made many great friends when I began working for child welfare and a few of them happened to be foster families. These families are loving, accepting, and all together precious. These families collectively defined my view of a hero.

This afternoon this beautiful little 29 month old girl above will go to live with her mother who has been incarcerated for her daughters entire life, and then some, in a women's shelter. My heart aches because I can not imagine the strength and courage it would take to love and raise these little babies, while knowing they would most like leave some day. My dear friends who are 28 like me, have loved, and nurtured many little children (including three babies at once), only to have to deal with loss in the end.
On a good note, they have been enjoying all 6 of their foster children right now. And, they finally get to keep at least one of them (although they would take them all)! The process has been started and they are adopting the little boy in the middle (below). Flashback of the babies. Now they are 26, 27, and 29 months!

I am so thankful there are loving families out there who open there hearts and homes up to innocent children when they have no family to turn to. I will miss this little girl, her sweet little spirit, her high pitched voice, her hilarious and congenial personality, and all her sweet ways. I know she has had an amazing family and life till now, and I pray for her safety and happiness, as well as the family who has to let her go, for now anyway. The crew.