Their second-ever fostering request was to care for a toddler named Michael for one weekend. He was scheduled to spend just two days with them, but plans changed. Little Michael ended up staying with Sara and Stuart for a whole week.
They bonded with the child right away, but at the end of the week, they had to let him go back. The couple was prepared for this exact situation by training to be foster parents, and they were ready in their hearts. Besides, the sad reality is, there are always more children in need of care. The couple was ready and willing to help.
Fostering Babies and Toddlers
The couple agreed to foster young children. As newlyweds, taking care of babies feels like a natural step toward parenting. You have to start somewhere! Still, as any parent or caretaker knows, babies are cute but not easy. This would be a huge and important learning curve for Sara and Stuart.
Sara was only 23 when she and her husband began their lives as foster parents. She always dreamed of adopting a baby. She and her husband jumped in feet first. Like any new parent, they bought cribs and car seats and went a little overboard shopping for baby clothes.
The First Foster Baby
Foster parenting was becoming a reality for the loving pair. As soon as the couple was licensed for fostering, they were called to take in a baby for a week. They loved it! Everything went really well, and they were glad to be called again to foster a sweet 3-year-old for the weekend.
In the beginning, they fostered many young children. The couple brought them into their home and loved them like their own. In all, they fostered 17 children on the road to their dream of adopting two. They did care for babies, but overall, Sara said that they had had older kids placed with them, and she's so glad for it.
An Unforeseen Change of Plans
Sara and Stuart were thrilled to get an extra week with Michael. They had a wonderful time together and found themselves bonding with the little guy. Soon, they would find themselves with him full-time. On the adoption stories blog “Love What Matters,” Sara talks about how they were asked to watch Michael for a weekend.
The pair immediately said yes, and that weekend turned into a week. And that week into months. And those months into years. Clearly, this match was meant to be. In time, they would need to make things official, but in the meanwhile, they just enjoyed the family they were building.
A Surprise Visitation
The truth is, Sara and Stuart did not realize they would be caring for Michael full-time. The foster agency requested their home for him, and the loving couple was happy to spend more time with the adorable child. The more they got to know Michael, the more love they developed for him.
The next thing they knew, the agency requested a visit from another child. Imagine their surprise to learn that Michael’s big brother was coming to their home! Dayshawn was on his way to see his little brother. The four of them would be together as a family for the first time.