We don’t have room.

They say the best things happen unplanned. I have to say in this instance they are correct. Working a day at the school I was n out supposed to even work. I get a call from my director that there are 3 little girls waiting in the elementary office needing a ride to their foster home respite. Their ride fell through. It was an hour away. I had a soccer game to get to so I said I couldn’t. But they had no options because I was the only one there from our agency. So they called me back and explained that and I said okay. The only hour drive was a T. Swift concert. Stopping for fast food to get fries and shakes as they were hungry. I knew their story. Everyone in town did. 4 foster homes over almost 5 years of brutal trauma after trauma. My heart ached. My wife sent a text message and it showed on my screen as “babe”. The littlest said “is that your husband?” I said well no that’s my wife so what are you doing this weekend? I tried quickly to get through the answer to not have to initiate that type of conversation. Some littles don’t understand same sex relationships yet. She said “YOUR WIFE” and her 11 year old sister said “well her wife, I mean some people are married to phones on tik tok so at least it’s not a phone”. The whole car burst out in laughter! The little then said.. “that sounds so amazing to have two moms”. My heart crushed. They asked if I had kids. I said I had three boys. They asked if my wife loved them. I said she absolutely did love them, just like they were her own because well they are. Then the middle girl said “if you ever consider adoption maybe you can adopt us”. Now I know it’s a trauma response and attachment response to cling to people so fast. But this hit me. My wife and I thought about fostering one day but a far day down the road. We had a 13, 14 and 15 year old boys at home. 2 with medical struggles at home. That.. and we had no room. I dropped them off at their respite home and they all gave me a hug. Something did not feel right. I called my wife. I told her.. babe we have to take them. She said what I already knew. We had no room. I said okay. This was Friday.

Monday I got a call from my director. Is there any chance you and Claire would consider emergency placement for the girls? They won’t stop talking about the two moms with the three boys and they have no family. “We are out of options”..

I told them I needed to talk to Claire and the boys. I sent a text to Claire explaining g what they said and she said “okay”. I said what do you mean okay? She said.. “we will make room”. What!? Okay! We will talk to the boys.

I got home and we spoke to the boys individually. Our youngest was all for it. He wasn’t going to be the youngest anymore. Our middle would not let me finish. “Mom stop, why are we having this conversation, they need a home!” And our oldest was the more realistic. He said “now mom it’s going to be really hard. That are going to push your limits but we know what we are capable of and we can do this we just have to stick together!”

We made room. And 6 months later we signed the adoption papers!

We can do hard things. We can make room. We went from 5-8 in less than 24 hours notice. And it was the best decision of our lives.