I remember sitting in the foster parent training before our first placement, imagining the story ahead of us.

I had a version of it in my head — hazy around the details, but clear in shape. A child would come. We would love them fiercely. There would be hard moments, sure, but we’d rise to meet them. And eventually, whether through reunification or adoption, there would be resolution. A chapter that closed with something that felt complete.

That’s not how it went.

I imagine you might be nodding right now. Because if you’ve been in the foster care world for more than five minutes, you know: the story rarely goes how you thought it would.

Maybe you imagined reunification would feel more peaceful. Maybe you imagined the adoption would feel like pure celebration, instead of grief mixed with joy. Maybe you imagined you’d have more time, more clarity, more certainty. Maybe you imagined you wouldn’t still be carrying this weight years later.

This episode is for you — for all of us — who are living in the gap between what we imagined and what actually happened.

Find all my resources here

Connect with me on Instagram here