Foster Memories Friday - Ronnie & DeeDee

We stopped fostering almost two years ago after over eight years.  Some days I miss the chaos...most days I don't!  But everyday I miss and think about the kiddos that were a part of our life, family and hearts.  I want to remember forever each little one that touched our lives so for the next little while on Fridays I will take a moment to write about and remember them.

We got out first call just a couple weeks after we got our foster license.  A call for boy/girl 18 mo. old biracial twins. We said yes to the placement and got to work getting everything ready.  We were excited but so so nervous.  A couple of hours later, the emergency foster parents pulled up in our driveway.  We walked out to the car and saw the biggest brown eyes just staring up at us.  After taking them inside, the other foster parents stayed and talked for a few minutes and then left...I remember thinking "oh my goodness I'm really totally responsible for these two precious little ones that I know nothing about"!

The twins (Ronnie and DeeDee) came with only the onsies on their backs so the next morning I took them (and a then 5 yo Brooke) to Wal-Mart to buy complete wardrobes.  At the time I was working at a friend's daycare center so the twins spent their days at the daycare with me when they weren't being toted off by a complete stranger (driver) to visits with a birth mom that had neglected (cheerios were thrown on the floor for them to eat), abused (cigarette burns) and asked for them to be removed.  During their time with us we learned so much about the system, ourselves and loving a child not born to us (that was the easy part).

Ronnie and DeeDee were only in our home for three months when the judge decided that b/c birthmom had shown up at court that the children would be returned to her.  They left just as quickly as they came but definately left a small little hole in this momma's heart forever.  Several months after them leaving we were told that they were back in the system and would be available for adoption but by that time our house was full of other children.  I pray that they found a wonderful family that loves them deeply.  They would now be 11 1/2 years old.

They would stand at the gate while I cooked and both say "eat, eat, eat" over and over until the meal was ready!

We all dressed alike for the 4th!

Brooke's first taste of being a big sister...most days she liked it! :)

Daddy the horsie!