The Department of Children and Family Services removed Alex and his three sisters from their home after one of Alex’s sister told a teacher that her father was abusive. Initially all four of the children were placed with a family friend. Alex was just three years old at the time.

It was a difficult transition for Alex. He cried a lot, had tantrums and was aggressive with the other children in his new home. Because of his behavior, the care taker wanted Alex to be removed from her home.

The Department of Children and Family Services was not able to find a suitable home for all four of the siblings, so Alex was separated from his sisters and moved to another foster home. Shortly after he was placed in his second foster home, Alex’s new foster mother relocated out of state so Alex was moved once again.

Next Alex was placed with a couple in their sixties. They had grown children and grandchildren and warmly welcomed Alex into their home. Through their dedication and love Alex began to heal. He learned to ride a bike, was getting along better with other children, and relished special excursions with his foster parents. Alex started to learn his letters and his vocabulary increased significantly. He was bonding with his foster parents, giving them both hugs and kisses at night. Unfortunately, even though they loved Alex very much, and took pride in his progress, they were not able to adopt him, so the search for a permanent family for Alex continued.

Jen and Nick are a loving couple who both have a passion for working with children. They actually met doing missionary work with children. Jen and Nick strongly desired to start their own family. When they found out they were not able to have children of their own, they looked for other alternatives to complete their family and became certified foster/adoptive parents through the Hathaway-Sycamores Foster Family and Adoption Agency. At an adoption event they attended, Jen and Nick saw Alex’s picture and were immediately drawn to him. They knew nothing about Alex, but were completely enchanted by his big smile and bright eyes. They were filled with hope that they could be the parents that Alex needed and he would be the child they had been seeking.

The first meeting was hard for Alex, as he understandably didn’t want to be uprooted again. Jen and Nick were patient, and allowed their relationship with Alex to develop naturally, over a couple of months. As Alex became more comfortable with Jen and Nick, the three of them went on outings together. They celebrated Alex’s birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. When Alex finally visited their home and saw “his” room with the new bunk bed, he knew he wanted to live with and be adopted by Jen and Nick.

Six months to the day after Alex moved in with Jen and Nick, his adoption was finalized. Today, Alex is an inquisitive and energetic seven year old. He likes going to the Natural History Museum and learning about dinosaurs and butterflies. Over the summer Alex went to day camp where he learned to swim for the first time. Alex is a good student and has made friends in his new second grade class. At home, he has bonded with Jen and Nick and calls them mom and dad. Alex made his first mother’s day and father’s day cards for his parents this year. In addition to getting a mom and dad, Alex now has a loving extended family. The whole family celebrates holidays and special occasions together. He finally has parents who love him and are committed to him for the rest of his life. Alex truly is thriving with his “Forever Family”!

November is National Adoption Awareness month. Nationwide there are approximately 129,000 children in foster care waiting to be adopted and be apart of a forever family. Each child waiting to be adopted has his or her own personal story. If you are interested in adopting or fostering a child contact us at 1-888-24-Family (1-888-243-2645) we’ll be happy to answer all of your questions.