A Thanksgiving My Foster Children Will Always Remember

Being able to have someone else make an amazing meal (that makes you question if you can cook or not) and then to be able to celebrate with the children changed the children’s lives.

The Story

A week before thanksgiving one of our kids was having a rough time. They became suicidal she needed to go to the hospital. She had three other siblings who were freaking out because she was freaking out and she was gone at the hospital.

So, flash forward to like somehow a whole week went by. I don’t know if you’ve ever made Thanksgiving dinner. We can afford it but we definitely didn’t have time to shop for food, more or less even think about what they wanted to eat, more or less explain why we’re having a turkey! To have that done and brought to our house during that crazy chaotic time renews your faith in society in general and in humans. Being able to have someone else make an amazing meal (that makes you question if you can cook or not) and then to be able to celebrate with the children changed the children’s lives.

Carrying on a Tradition

Ever since my husband was little, he has always had an after-Thanksgiving tradition to make sandwiches. It’s something we talked about during the meal and then the first thing the kids did in the next morning–and I’m not even kidding it was before the sun was up–was run down get what’s left of the turkey or try to and make this sandwich and eat it.

They were so happy to do a tradition because they could see that my husband was so excited about doing it and those are the moments that you realize that being peed on two days ago was worth it. Staying up until 3 am because they were having nightmares and worried about their sister was worth it. It’s just seeing those little moments where they get to be a kid that make it worth it.

A Huge Impact

As far as making the meal, I wouldn’t have been able to do it because I would not have been able to spend the whole day before that prepping and making it. I was in the moment versus trying to create another moment because that’s what they need. They need to be focused on. Sometimes in foster care, you have to skip the big moments like Thanksgiving dinner because you’re focusing on the little needs that they need right there.

That’s why we need our community, not because we financially need it, not because we want to be glorified—that is definitely not what we want. I’d much rather have people less look at me. We need community help because it allows us to give the children a childhood that they don’t have or would otherwise never experience.

Get In Touch

Inquire here with questions about Thanksgiving meals, community outreach, foster sponsorship, and student education opportunities.