Love at last

Love at last

Finalization day was today, and what a whirlwind. We have been counting down the days for weeks and it is finally here. With friends and family sitting behind us everything slowed down and it was just us sitting there with the judge. In no way did anyone have to validate our coming together as a family but there is something FINAL about having that official sign off. Then as quick as that happens, it is over and something has changed and yet nothing has. But I know that Mae must feel there is no question left open in her mind: this is forever!

I remember driving up to the foster family’s house [for the first time] and seeing Mae peek around the stairs. She was dressed in her most fancy dress because as she told me later, “This was a very special day.” I stepped out and said hello. She walked over and melted into my arms, and I was done right there and haven’t looked back since. 

We drove home pretty late from Eugene on the day that Mae moved in with me. She walked into her room and I thought she was going to faint. I don’t think I slept much that first night because I couldn’t believe my daughter was REALLY REALLY home. Waking up that first morning was the most perfect start to a day I have ever had! That first weekend home we went with Nana to a horse show and Mae was able to get close and even sit on a family friend’s horse. Horses are her favorite animal so that was a pretty special first few days and experiences.

I can’t wait to start traveling with Mae, both near and far! The world is so very big and yet so very small at the same time. We can’t wait to start putting miles on the car and also get some stamps in the passports too!

Foster care adoption is so very important because there are many children who are simply waiting for a loving forever home. I have seen my daughter change so very much in the 10 months she has been with me. It is almost as though the real person has come out. Her skin, hair, light in her eyes, voice, personality and essence have come back. I look back at the pictures and I barely recognize her: she was a ghost of her real self. To open your heart to that – to help heal and provide love and stability to another person – what more is life about really? My life is rich and I have seen myself change for the better as well. We have come together as though we had been missing that piece of each other and now, finally, we have placed things as they should be. Love of choice, love at last!




Boys and Girls Aid

Oregon Based
 7 Waiting Children  1 Adoption Program
 Call 503-222-9661 018 SW Boundary Ct. Oregon http://boysandgirlsaid.org/

We do not simply find families, we find the right families for children in need.

Boys & Girls Aid works to secure lifelong connections for every child in Oregon. Regardless of age or background, we believe children belong in families that are permanent and stable. While every child deserves a family, not every child has a family. Between the ages of 0 to 23, we have a focus on making sure every child has a lifelong adult connected to their future.

There are many children in foster care in Oregon that are waiting for their forever families. Adoption from foster care is an affordable option, and assistance may be available to help offset the cost. 

Our staff is there for you every step of the way. We begin our services with an orientation that allows you to become familiar with our agency and our program. You will have a trained member of our staff available to answer all of your questions.

Who are these children?

Children in our Foster Care Adoption program range in age from young children through teenagers and come from families of diverse backgrounds. What these children share is the need for a permanent home with a caring family like yours.

Boys & Girls Aid serves children waiting in foster care throughout the state of Oregon. These children are in the care of the state for any number of reasons. While it is always our first hope to see children reunited with their biological family, for these children, returning to their families is not possible, or not a safe and stable option. As a result, they have been released to the state for adoption.

Many of the children in our program are in foster care because of a history of abuse or neglect. These circumstances leave some children with cognitive, physical, or emotional challenges that require special care.

Who may adopt?

The children in our Foster Care Adoption program need understanding, stable adults to care for them. Boys & Girls Aid is proud to work with families of any race, ethnicity, religion, marital status or sexual orientation.

Boys & Girls Aid is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization who has been finding permanent homes for Oregon’s children since 1885. More than 17,000 adoptions have been completed since the agency was founded. Boys & Girls Aid is a founding member of the Child Welfare League of America and the Special Needs Adoption Coalition. As one of the few Oregon agencies accredited, we are held to a higher standard than others in our field. At Boys & Girls Aid, we are committed to finding families for children, not children for families. This means we always place the highest priority on what is in the child’s best interest.

Learn more about adopting a child from the Oregon Foster Care system now by visiting our website.



The Girl in the Pink Dress

Family Adoption Stories, Waiting Children, Adoption Process