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to permanent by joy holden understanding
foster
care and adoption t hree weeks after being certified as
foster
parents, dustin and mandy cowley saw their son for the first time. his lean little body wriggled around in their arms, and they fell in love. ?ey thought this newborn would be in their lives for just a little while, but five years later, he shares their name and is their forever child. ?e road was unpredictable and full of obstacles, but the arrival to their shared destiny was worth every struggle. ?e moment jessica black and her then husband signed their official
foster
parent documentation, they were asked about taking in an eight- year-old girl. a couple days later, she stood at their front door holding one suitcase and a garbage bag of belongings. her sister, then six years old, joined the
family
soon after. now, these girls are in high school and middle school, and taking the world by storm. together, they have weathered
family
upheaval, joys, floods, and changes. amber carter lugs around a baby girl, scampers after a frisky toddler, and watches her preschool daughter and first grade son play. her life is busy, to say the least. ?at frisky toddler has been a part of the
family
since he was two days old, and the carters cannot wait until he has their name, permanently. ?ey have been waiting for two years and anticipate that call everyday. ?ere are 4,787
children
in
foster
care in louisiana; 653 of these
children
are waiting for adoptive families.
foster
care aims to place those
children
back in their homes of origin, but when that doesn?t work out, the
foster
parents have an opportunity to give that child a forever home through adoption, a gift for both the child and the
foster
family
.
children
need love.
children
need homes. parents need help. it?s a complex issue, but one worth exploring.
children
?s lives are at stake. from temp orar y mandy and dustin cowley rejoice in each day together with their son, joseph. 48 brparents.com | may 2017
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