Are There Any Foster Parents Around?
Tyler and Mandi were very open to the thought of becoming foster parents and recalled seeing notices about a need for qualified foster parents in their area. They had seen many commercials and announcements and understood the necessity of finding home for the many children and babies without one.
“We knew we wanted to pursue adoption in some form and it was then that we kept hearing our local counties cry for help with foster care. Day after day, we kept hearing the commercials asking for people to take the training and become licensed foster parents, as they were in great need of foster parents.”
A Bump in the Road
As is natural, the couple became increasingly frustrated and depressed as their weeks of trying to conceive turned into months and eventually years. "We tried for years to get pregnant but soon came to realize that it wasn’t going to happen, nor would it be safe for my body to sustain the miracle of pregnancy due to my illness,” said Mandi.
"After failed pregnancy test and failed pregnancy test, I talked to my doctors," Mandi said. "They were still hopeful, but I realized quickly that I couldn't gain weight. So I'm like, 'how am I going to be able to carry a child?" The couple, eager to become parents, weren't about to give up on their dream so easily.
Considering Adoption
The Taylors knew that they were meant to be parents and weren't about to give up their dream because they couldn't conceive. "Because of the health battles we’ve been given, we weren’t the type of people to just ‘throw in the towel’ and let our dreams of becoming parents get shattered" Mandi shared.
So, they began to discuss alternatives. They ultimately chose adoption as the safest choice for their unique situation. However, despite choosing this option, it didn't mean that things were about to flow smoothly. Anybody who has adopted can attest to the fact that it is a lengthy and difficult process.
Taking it as a Sign
Tyler and Mandi saw all of these commercials and announcements as a sign that adoption was the right choice for them to make. They believed in God's intentions for them to adopt a child.
"We were scared but we knew God was pulling at our heartstrings and telling us that this is what we needed to do." So, they decided to apply for the licensing program in order to take the steps to becoming foster parents.
Meet Your Baby Boy
The steps to receiving your license is very intense and requires a lot of paperwork. So, Tyler and Mandi did all the necessary paperwork and jumped over any hurdles as was necessary until they completed the entire process. "It only took a few months of rigorous training, mountains of paperwork and a couple home studies/fire inspections to become licensed as foster-to-adopt parents."
And the draining process proved to be worth it when they finally had their license approved. That same week they were already notified that they could pick up their baby boy. His name was Hunter and Tyler and Mandi were so excited to meet him.