Our Adoption Journey
Finding Our Way to Foster Care
My journey into foster care began with a simple desire to support children and families in my community. Along the way, my heart, and my home, grew in ways I never expected. Since 2020, my husband and I have welcomed four children into our family through foster care. We’ve experienced the joy of adoption with our son, Jayden, supported reunification, and we’re currently caring for another child in our home.
We’ve also experienced the difficult reality that sometimes occurs. In one case, reunification meant the separation of siblings, a decision that was deeply painful for everyone involved. Moments like those remind us that foster care brings both joy and heartbreak. Yet, despite the challenges, we continue to open our hearts and home because we believe every child deserves love, stability and connection.
Foster care has taught us that every child’s story matters. As the Lead Foster Parent Recruiter for SAFY of Ohio’s Cleveland Division, I have the privilege of walking alongside individuals and families who are considering becoming foster parents or a resource family. I often tell people, “We live it.” We know the ups and downs, and we’re here to support families every step of the way.
Honoring Connection
When we adopted Jayden, we made a commitment not only to him but also to the connections that shaped his life before he joined our family. I stay in contact with members of his birth (primary) family so that he can grow up knowing them and understanding where he comes from. We believe maintaining those relationships helps him feel whole, loved, and deeply connected to his story.
From the beginning, we’ve made sure our children know that they came to us through foster care. Using age-appropriate, strengths-based explanations, we help them understand how they became part of our family by keeping the story simple, honest, and centered on love.
In our home, we don’t allow anyone to speak negatively or use derogatory terms about a child’s birth family. We believe that speaking poorly about their family is the same as speaking poorly about the child. Every part of their story deserves respect.
We also chose to keep Jayden’s first name as a gift from his mother. In listening to adoptee voices, we learned how many adoptees feel that their first name is one of the few things their mothers gave them, something meaningful that’s sometimes taken before they can consent. Keeping Jayden’s name was our way of honoring his connection to his first family.
Fostering Adventure, and Joy
For us, fostering isn’t just something we do, it’s who we are. It’s a lifelong commitment rooted in connection, compassion, and giving youth the chance to just be kids.
Jayden and I love exploring zoos and museums together or watching boats pass along Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. So far, we’ve visited 22 zoos across the country, making memories that blend fun, learning, and family time.
Our family believes in normalcy for children in foster care, that every child deserves joy, stability, and opportunities to thrive. Whether a family is interested in long-term fostering, short-term respite, or exploring foster-to-adopt, there’s a place for them at SAFY of Ohio.
Celebrating National Adoption Month
Each November at SAFY we celebrate National Adoption Month, a time to recognize the children and families whose lives have been changed through adoption. It’s also a time to honor birth families, foster parents, and the professionals who make these connections possible.
For me, adoption is rooted in gratitude for birth families, for the support our SAFY team provides to the community, and for the opportunity to help other families begin their own journeys.
Join the Journey
At the heart of foster care and adoption is compassion and community. Whether you’re just curious or ready to take the next step, my team and I are here to walk beside you, answer your questions, and help you discover how you can make a difference.
Interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent with SAFY of Ohio?
Visit SAFY.org to get started or connect with your local division.
