Born in June of 1990, I lived with my birth family until February 2, 1996. I am actually #5, of nine children, including five sisters and three brothers. Two of my older sisters and I went to live in one foster home. My two oldest sisters lived a couple blocks away and the four little kids went to another home.
Over the next five years, I stayed in the same foster home, went to the same school, and had a best friend, Katie – we played Spice Girls and danced all the time. I didn’t have chores (yay!) and we didn’t do very many things except swim in the summer and t-ball. Although we stayed there five years we were just kids in foster care – it was not “home” and we were not “family” – we didn’t even call our foster parents ‘mom’ or ‘dad.’ My two sisters and I stayed there while our other brothers and sisters went to other foster homes. Over time, five were adopted and one went to a treatment place.
Then, in December 2000, the day school got out for Christmas break we walked home and were told we were moving – that day! We moved in with one of my older sisters, Kylie, and her adoptive family – her Mom (Kay) and Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Jill. That was probably the best Christmas of my life! We got so much stuff and had so much fun; we even went to Colorado and saw two of my younger brothers because Mom’s brother adopted them – so we became cousins.
I remember how all four of us girls sat together with Mom talking about adoption and choosing our new names. We started school after holiday break in January using our new names and being part of the Strong family. We had to wait six months to file the adoption papers and we were adopted on July 5, 2001. The night before the adoption, I fell off my lofted bed – I had to go to the ER for x-rays and even rode in a wheelchair. I remember Mom explaining to the ER that my name would legally be different later the same day.
Mom adopted Kylianna on her 14th birthday in 1999. She adopted Shalynne (then 15), Jynneen (then 14), and me at age 11 in 2001. We have had many other foster youth live with us since then. In August 2006, she adopted my ‘new’ sister – Alysia on her 14th birthday.
Now that I have been adopted for more than five years, it is kind of hard to remember that I am adopted. This is who I am and this is my family. I really feel like this is where I have always been. I look back at my past and all I can think is “Wow, I never imagined I would be able to have it so good or be involved in so much.” I really love my life. There are good times and bad times but we get through them all. Mom says crisis brings a family together, and while we do not look for problems, we have our share. We are a strong family!