As a child my parents always took in neighborhood kids who didnt have the best home life. I knew that one day that I would want to open my home as well. I began my foster care journey in August 2013 with one of the worst abuse cases in our county that survived. From the first moment of holding this scared child I knew that I was meant to be a mother. In four years I have held 13 children of all ages. I have kissed booboos, scared away monsters, cried over goodbyes, held on a little longer and sent back 11 children with hopes they never ever experiance any type of pain again. As a foster parent I have been judged by court systems, social workers, bio parents, guardian ad litems and strangers. The most important thing I have gotten from being a foster parent are my boys. I spent 3 years crying nightly at the thought of losing them. Reunification is always the goal but you cant help but get attached after spending years loving a child. On the day I was told I would get to adopt my boys I felt like my heart would explode. I never had to sit up at night and wonder if they missed me. I didnt have to worry that every phone call was bad news. I would never have to be scared to open the newspaper and see my boys faces in another child abuse statistic. Every day is a struggle for my children to catch up and be normal. Even with therapy, visitations, and court dates I would do it all again to ensure that at least 13 children were safe and felt loved for the amount of time they were in my care. I would shout it loud to every person I met the joy of fostering if it meant the 386 children in custody in my county tonight were safe and warm. I have heard horrors of foster care and it is crushing to know that children who were placed in a safe place were harmed by those who were suppose to protect. In the end all I can ask is that every person who considers being a foster parent remembers the most important part of the job is fostering love.