The gift of family via fostering.

     .It was a bit of a jolt for Joanne though it was very much her choice. The first four years of our marriage she worked as a counselor at St. Louis Park, MN,, High School. The fourth year she also worked as new mom, because Lisa was born that fall. When we moved to North Dakota the adjustment to not working outside of the home wasn't easy. Moving into that gap was foster parenting adolescents, a role for which her professional life had prepared her.
     First came Allan to our home for a school year. (He is my nephew and he died in July at age 63.) Shortly after Allan left Cathy came to us before her junior year in high school. She lived with us until her marriage, to Tim, after she graduated from high school. Yes, Joanne sewed the dresses,
     Deeply bonded with Cathy, we were also her legal guardians, we welcomed her husband, Tim, into the family. Tim and Cathy remained in ND and there they raised their children, Kimberly and Derek, Derek still lives in ND and Kimberly lives in Florida.
     After suffering with cancer for several years Cathy died in 2012. Now, Tim and I share the land of grief. We stay in close touch via phone calls. This weekend, at Kimberly's initiative, she came with her daughters, ages 15 and 13, and Tim came from ND.  When Kimberly and her girls came for Joanne's funeral the girls bonded with Joanne's (mine too 😉) granddaughters and they wanted to stay in touch.
      Joanne's willingness to open our home to foster children has blessed us with a larger family, our own nuclear family being quite small. Joanne's graciousness continues to bless, even as we live with the presence of absence. It has been rich weekend.

Takk for alt,

Al