An obsession of mine.

I am fascinated by foster care. I'm sure that sounds really strange. It sounded strange in my head when I typed it, but it's the honest truth.

I began reading blogs (mainly on tumblr) about the foster care system and a few people that were foster parents talking about their experiences. As a kid from a middle class family with both parents still together, dad in a secure job, no question that we were loved and well cared for, I never knew anything about the foster care system really. I knew it existed, but what it was and what it meant in the life of that family being separated, or that family taking that child in... I had no concept.

When I was pursuing clinical psychology as a career before I didn't get into the clinical PhD programs (I mean, that's only the most competitive grad program in the country - no big deal, right? I was a little more naive than I thought even with the MONTHS of research, planning, and pretty stellar GRE scores that still didn't get me an interview, much less a spot in a program...) I started down the Adult and Higher Ed - student affairs path I spent time reading about attachment in classes, seeing how attachment effects so many aspects of our lives from the day we were born and nurtured or not. If you don't know what I'm talking about... it's so interesting and has such an impact. Google it. Seriously.

I saw a random post from a random blog that linked to another blog about a single woman's journey as a foster parent. I read all the back posts in one sitting (it took hours and hours). I devoured what Rebecca over at Fosterhood had to say. I was hooked.

On the right hand side of this blog you'll see a section titled, "Other Totally Legit Blogs without Fancy Buttons to Grab" look there for some of the blogs I follow. Many of the ones listed there are from foster or adoptive (some through the foster care system) parent blogs about their experiences. Check them out.  You will be drawn in and captivated. I have been.

I am also pretty sure I'll foster at some point in my life. I've got love to share, I should give a kid in need a chance to have some of that love. They deserve it, too. There is nothing that child could have done to make this situation their fault. Nothing. So, someday, I will make a difference in a child's life. Not because I'm a good person on a crusade to help a child, nothing like that. I will do it because I can and I think I should. I am able, I am capable, and I should, so I will. A lot of the blogs I most enjoy are single women fostering on their own. They aren't set on adopting, though some head that way in the end, but they're set on being a safe place for a kid in need. And they deserve a gold medal that I don't think most of them would ever accept because it's just not like that for them.

The statistics on older child adoption fucking suck. It will be a rare thing for me to use language like that on my blog, but it's intentional and doesn't begin to cover the atrocity of it all. The stats are awful. They make me feel ashamed. We are failing innocent kiddos that didn't do a damn thing wrong. That said, THIS LINK is AWESOME. I love those photos. They make my heart smile.

This family, whoever they are, that decided it was important and worthy to mark the massive, awesome, huge, totally worth celebrating, YES! occasion of adopting an older child... YES.

If any of this stuff is interesting to you, let me know. I'll share some links of blogs that will rock your world like they have mine.