Germaine always wanted to be a father but it wasn’t until he looked into foster care and adoption that his dream became a reality. In May he was finally able to adopt his son, Isaiah.
“The best part of the process is all the small memories you get to make with your child,” he said. “Their milestones big and little. You remember every day like it was yesterday because it goes so fast. You literally see the transformation of a scared child who doesn’t know you or your family or have any familiarity to you as a person adopting or fostering them, and then you over time build trust and they become part of your family.”
Germaine’s adoption journey has come with some challenges. He was licensed to adopt for four years before he met his son, who he fostered for two years before adoption.
“Parenting does not come with a book or manuscript or enough hours of training,” he said. “If the person’s intention is always to do what’s in the best interest of the child, regardless of how long that may last, then it’s worth it… Always remember that there’s always tomorrow and if they are considering the possibility of fostering, then I would encourage them to take on that challenge.
“We still have challenging moments. Even a child who grew up in a perfect textbook situation would have moments come up that you can’t control. The path we build with our child to a forever home is a job or privilege that I am forever grateful for.”
There are thousands of children in Arizona’s foster care system in need of a stable, loving home. To learn more about foster care and adoption, please join us for a virtual agency meet and greet.
