[rosie321]

We have been told that our adoption story would make a good movie. I am a Special Education teacher and I met K when she started school where I work. K had been diagnosed as RAD and had been moved to many foster homes. She was mistreated and actually abused while living with a wealthy family that wanted to adopt her.

My DH and I were enjoying our "empty nest" as our other children were adults.

K had a rough time at my school because her past history and because her foster home was not supportive. K was a paycheck to them. K cussed at the Principal, terrified the students and caused havoc in her classroom where she was a gifted student. I spent hours every day working on her behavior. She was frequently hungry and without school supplies. She sobbed in my classroom because her FM would not pay the party money(to cover the cost of school parties) so K thought she would not be allowed to participate. I gave her the money and also brought food every day so she would have a healthy snack. She exhausted me and I was grateful when she was absent from school. Then over time we became more attached to each other. Her FM told me that she was giving her 15 day notice for K to be removed from her home. I was upset because K was being moved once again. My DH and I volunteered to do respite care for K on weekends so her FM could have a break from K. The FM agreed to keep K. Then we found out we would have to take foster parent training to do respite. I was so surprised when my husband agreed to take the classes. After we completed the classes we started to keep K. Then she was permanently moved to our home. She had many behavior needs but we were able to work through them. We started to think about adoption but we thought we were too old. We loved K so much that we couldn't imagine having her go somewhere else. We adopted her and it has been the best experience of our lives. We wish that we had started earlier and adopted other kids.