In 2014, God opened our eyes and broke our hearts for children in foster care. We jumped right in as new foster parents and received our first placement of a sibling group of three. Going from three to six kids literally overnight (all ages seven and under) was a season only survived by God’s grace. We were so thankful for our sweet six. God surprised us with a seventh when their newborn baby brother was placed with us once he left the NICU. It became so obvious that God had not called the equipped, but He equipped us as He called us to care for these kiddos on this foster/adopt journey.

In 2016, God moved in the hearts of caseworkers and birth parents, as well as through many court dates, to allow us to adopt this sibling group of four. Due to prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, as well as trauma from abuse and neglect, we spent the next five years fully focused on helping our adopted kiddos heal and grow and feel safe. We also needed to support our biological children’s experiences through their new siblings varying challenging behaviors, and help everyone to connect as a family, while trusting God through it all.

In 2021, God called us back to the world of foster care. ECFA came alongside us right away, and we were so blown away by their support and wisdom and willingness to help us navigate it all. We were most blessed by their gift of intentional prayer. ECFA was there with us every step of the way when God surprised us with our pre-teen daughter’s adoption from foster care in 2022.

Eight is enough, right? We couldn’t believe it either when we felt God calling us to provide permanency for two more little boys in foster care for whom we provided respite care on weekends. ECFA walked and prayed with us, navigated, and advocated for us. We watched God literally open one impossible door after another and ultimately allowed these two kiddos to be placed with us. God did the impossible and removed all possible barriers. This was new territory for ECFA and DCFS, but they fully and completely provided support. God performed a miracle. We have never seen anyone work as hard as Sarah and Barb did at ECFA, always confirming each process through prayer. They continued to pray with us that there would only be forward movement if this was God’s will, as we know this is not work we can do in our own strength. We all rejoiced when the boys’ adoption was finalized in 2024. We thank the Lord for His grace and provision, and we thank Him for ECFA and its entire team dedicated to seeing children being given the chance to be raised in loving, Christ centered homes