[Terry Ann65]

I'm about 40 now and spent 10 wonderful years in foster care. What can I tell you about them, except they were the greatest influence on my life. Art and June M have long since passed but their legacy in me still lives on.

I am a middle child of 4. The eldest of us grew up in a separate foster home while 3 of us stayed together. I gues the way I heard it was Nana and Poppy saw our story on the tv news sometime back in the early 70's. Our dad was dying of cancer and he felt it was best for the 4 of us that we went into foster care because he knew our mom was not able to raise us herself.

Anyway, they took the 3 of us in but wanted to keep our mother in the picture, they made her apart of the family. Every month for 10+ years Nana drove into the city picked her up and drove back out to the farm. Sometimes mom would spend the night.

Holidays, the samething if the weather was nice. Nana and Poppy were just like parents to us. We were never formally adopted but that didn't matter we were still a family.

I truely believe that if it weren't for our Dad and Mom giving us up and Nana and Poppy taking us in I don't think I would be half the person I am today.

Terry

[L-A-J-C-R-C]

Thank you for sharing your story Terry. I sincerely pray that I can be half the foster parent your nana and poppy were. They sound like wonderful people.

Michelle

[tlc4kidz]

Thank you....we have formally adopted, and it gives me hope that having an open adoption and showing love toward our kids birthfamily will pay off in the way it has for you. There are so many people out there telling us it is the wrong thing to do, it is good to hear from someone who has been there.

[Cobb]

I can't begin to express how moving I found your post. Thank you so much for sharing this and reminding us why it is so very important to continue down this path...

[HappyMomAnna]

Terry--Thank you for sharing your story It is wonderful to know that you were able to be in a loving safe home and still have your mother. Sometimes life is just hard and sometime it takes the helping hand of special people to give children the things they need most to become the best they can be....

Welcome to the forums and I wish you the best future!

[MamaTo6]

Terry... I love that you shared such a beautiful story with us. I just posted on another thread something very sad to me and didn't cry. You're heart warmiing story made the tears fall. How wonderful your Nana and Poppy were, to include your mom in your lives, especially back in the 70's. Almost unheard of then.
Thanks for writing....Teagans Mama

[Terry Ann65]

Thank you all for responding. Nana and Poppy were the biggest influence on my life. Growing up on the farm I learned to be self relient and that I could be whatever I wanted to be.

There were some struggles - like when the house burnt in 1978 and we were almost taken from that home - but the community came together and another former foster child let us live in his home while the new home was being built.

I am so happy to hear that you folks want to be foster parents. I wish I had the strength to do the same. I'm 40 and because of health issues I can't have kids and as for being a foster parent - well that too would not be possible.

I am trying to write a book about my experiences along with some poetry I've written over the years. I encourage anyone who wants to do what my foster parents did (keeping our mom in the picture) to do so. The child could only gain more from the experience (unless the mother chooses not too) Our mom lived in poverty and really appreciated what Nana and Poppy did (they even would send food home with her sometimes)

Nana and Poppy were a rare breed. So were their children. I was blessed growing up and I hope telling my story passes on that blessing and gives other the courage to do the same.