Foster Siblings Find Forever Home

For some foster siblings, finding a forever home is a dream. More than 75% of children in care are placed in homes without their siblings. So the chances of being adopted together get smaller with each coming year. Today we chat with Christopher Pizzuto about how his family foster and eventually adopted foster siblings (siblings in foster care).

Always Wanting Kids

Christopher and his wife knew they wanted kids. They knew that one day they would raise a beautiful family together. After having difficulty with conceiving biological children, they learned it would be an almost impossible path. So they began to look into adoption.

Initially, Christopher’s wife was reluctant to foster. Christopher recounts,

My wife did not want to foster, as she was afraid of getting attached and having her heartbroken. Well- as it turns out, after the very lengthy and emotionally draining years going through the process, our worker contacted us one day about these two sisters who were currently in foster care and in need of an urgent placement.  They were 10 and 6.  Well, after agreeing to meet the girls at their then-foster home, we took them for pizza and decided we would like to open our home.

Finalizing a Forever Family

After one year of fostering the sisters, Christopher and his wife were able to adopt them. So on December 23, 2013, the family official grew by two.

Becoming New Parents

There are no clear guides or instructions on how to be a parent. It is difficult in the best of cases and with foster care it can be even more challenging. Christopher recalls,

It is definitely something I never could have imagined.  At first, it was a lot of just trying to figure out what we were supposed to be doing.  Never being parents before, it was all new and we spent more hours than one can imagine making doctor appointments, counseling appointments, meeting with teachers and school staff.  It was completely overwhelming.  Not to mention, our children were also learning how to live in a new environment with new people and new surroundings while still processing all of their grief and emotions.

So, it was quite the ride for everyone.  However, as time went on, and we got to see our kids personalities a little more every day and slowing work on gaining trust as a family, it became such a blessing to watch our kids become these amazing people with so much to share.  Many tears were shed but also much laughter and wonderful times.

The Joy of Foster Siblings

Transitioning that into an adoption takes work. Christopher shares his experience with the process,

The process has certainly not been easy, but the best experience I’ve had personally is getting to watch my children continually learn who they are and the amazing amount of confidence they have gained.  In the beginning, there was so much hurt and anger and fear and over time, that has slowly faded and been replaced by self-confidence and self-assurance. It is an ongoing and slow process, but my kids are amazing and have shown such resilience and have taught me so much along the way.

The Power of Love

Christopher is a proud and loving father. We asked him how he has grown through the adoption of his daughters and he said,

My life has changed in more ways than I can count.  My kids came into my life suddenly and like a whirlwind and they have really shown me true strength and beauty.  There have been many very difficult days, but when I see the people they have become and remember where they started from, I realize that we all start from different places in life but it’s where we go that matters.  My kids have truly given so much meaning to my life and have taught me so many valuable lessons that I will always carry with me.

Sound Advice for those Looking to Adopt

Christopher was kind enough to leave us with this parting wisdom.

My advice to people looking to adopt is simply stay strong and be brave. It is not an easy path by any means. There are many really challenging times that will have you questioning yourself. But trust me- every single child needs a caring adult to be successful and it really does make a difference. When times get tough- just keep going and remember that there is a child that you will have a positive impact on and they will do the same for you

In Conclusion

In conclusion, we want to thank Christopher for sharing the story about how his family adopted foster siblings. It was nice and honest insight on how adoption changes lives.

For those interested in adoption, check out our free adoption calculator here to learn more about foster care adoptions.