We’re Carrie and Andrew, a witty and charming NYC couple. In August 2011, we were certified as foster parents. On 11/11/11 at 11 am on the 11th floor we met Blitzen, a brilliant, beautiful eight-year-old girl who was placed in our care.
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Congratulations! You two are amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better by reading your blog. I’m anxious to follow your experience and happy to know I can get it first hand, not via parent to grandparent, etc.
Thank you for subscribing to my blog. I enjoy reading yours. You and Carrie seem much more organized than I do. I wrote some posts you might find helpful, especially the one on “making a foster child feel safe in your home.” Good luck in your foster parenting journey.
My husband and were just certified in June and are awaiting a placement in Queens. Enjoying your blog and look forward to following your experience. A fellow planner, who can appreciate the Cardinals, but only as much as any Cub fan can…
Best of luck!
Exciting news, Martha! I look forward to comparing notes, and following each other’s journeys. Good luck to you, your husband and your foster child!
(I was thinking about the Cubs as I read in the Times about how important failure was to eventual success: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/what-if-the-secret-to-success-is-failure.html?ref=magazine)
Welcome to the unreal world of immediate parenthood – it’s an amazing journey. I can relate – my husband and I did a straight adoption of an older child (11-yr-old girl) which finalized a year ago. I’ll be coming by often to offer encouragement and to read about the strides you’re making for your Blitzen. Know that for however long you enjoy her, you are making an impact on her life that will last forever – if my story can bring you hope please visit my blog at ImmediateMom.com
Thanks for the encouragment. I look forward to reading your blog and learning from your journey.
I’m really enjoying reading your blog. I’m here by way of fosterhood as I get ready to start MAPP classes myself, and I’ve done a fair amount of reading in the foster blogging community (who knew there were so many?), but yours is right up there.
I’m also sorry you seem to have a, well, rather clueless follower right off the bat. I’ve been doing my best not to engage!
Hey Carrie and Andrew!
Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading your blog. My husband and I became foster parents in August of 2011. Though we foster an infant, I can relate to so many of your experiences and find myself laughing at the insanity of court dates, doctors appointments, and visitations and weeping at the victories that Blitzen has had. Fostering is an incredible experience and I am so excited to hear about other couples experiences with fosterhood.
Hi Carrie & Andrew, This is a little left of centre, but a great friend of mine is in NYC at the moment exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair. She has some tickets available if you are interested in going along some time in the next few days. Her gallery is www. retrospectgalleries.com – have a look and if you are interested, make contact and let her know you are my friends. Might be something fun to do with Miss Blitzen? Rose
That was meant to say I love reading your blog. Typo
I was lead to your blog by my wife, via Fosterhood. We just got our first placement (a 2 year old boy and his 3 year old sister). Tomorrow will be 2 weeks that they’ve been with us. I think the whole “what made you want to do this” question is different for everyone. For us, if we can help a kid or kids out of a bad situation, then that’s all we need to know for it to all be worth it.
All those 11’s! That brings out the nerdy and hippie side of me 🙂
[…] foster parents sharing some of their stories online – Fosterhood in NYC, Dinner Party for 5, FosterWee, and Mother Issues are just a few – and Issue 8.2 of The Scholar & Feminist Online, which […]
Hi Carrie and Andrew! I came here by way of fosterhood and as a 24-year-old former foster child who aged out and was never adopted, I want know that the love and care you are showing for Blitzen is completely inspiring and absolutely essential to her growth (as you clearly know). Just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being such incredible foster parents.
grownup mermaids
http://glassdharma.blogspot.com/2012/10/mermaid-tales.html
I found your blog through Instant Mama’s blog. I am enjoying working my way through your posts 🙂 Rani
Hi! My friend and I are starting a group of people who want to send cards to children who are going through difficult times. (We know there are already similiar organizations, but ours is a little different because we send cards to children in all different situations, not just with medical needs.) We are trying to reach out to childrren in foster care, among others, and wondered if you (or anyone you know) might be interested in this for your kids.
The people sending cards keep the messages friendly and cheerful, and do not ask the children personal questions or write about triggering topics. The idea is just to brighten the child’s day a little bit!
You are able to keep the child’s anonimity and request cards using just their first name, or even initials, if you’d like. Another thing we can do is send a bunch of cards with generic greetings (like “Hi there!” instead of “Dear Jenny,”) so that you could give them to kids as you see the need.
You can visit this site to learn more about it ! http://sunshine.groupcafes.com/links.php.
Thanks…
– Nicki
Hi there,
i have been reading since before Blitzen came into your care. I am a single mama of an eight year old daughter…and on Dec. 31 of 2012, I certified to foster! My homefinder suggested I qualify to care for a girl (because I have a daughter and one bedroom for them) between the ages of 2-7. We’ve been waiting for over a month. I’m getting so frustrated, especially since I was told, “You’ll probably get a hundred calls your first week.” 😦 I called my homefinder and she said that because we are only open for a single, young, female child…the wait will be longer. I know you waited a while before Blitzen…just wondering is this wait typical? I’m hearing other friends who are fostering that they received their infant placement within days of certifying. Just wanted to know if you had any thoughts or ideas about this? Wondering, should I go to another agency? We live in SI and there are only two.
I just wanted to let you know I just listed your blog on my site’s list of foster care resources: http://fostercareqanda.com/2012/12/blogs-and-online-resources-2/
I’ve enjoyed following your story with Blitzen!
I recently discovered your blog, and had to hurriedly and obsessively read through to get as much of my fix as possible! You guys are inspiring and humble and I hope you continue to share as you do.
Anyways, saw this on Jezebel and thought of you!
http://jezebel.com/everyone-is-obsessed-with-people-who-are-obsessed-with-680168148
a friend on FB posted this custom spandex mermaid tail from etsy and my first thought was of Blitzen http://www.etsy.com/listing/119270759/custom-spandex-mermaid-tail?ref=shop_home_feat
Saw this, thought of Blitzen 🙂
http://www.philippinemermaidswimmingacademy.com/
(Mermaid Swimming Academy)
I found your blog by way of Fosterhood. I have signed up for MAPP classes starting in January, and I’m excited and terrified! I’m single, and after reading your blog from start to finish, I’m starting to wonder if I will be able to do it without a partner. I would be willing to babysit Blitzen for free on a weekend in exchange for a chat with you (Carrie or Andrew) at a time and place of your choosing. (I am willing to get SCR cleared and I have experience with disabilities, tantrums, and Chuck E. Cheese.) If you’re up for it, email me at the email address attached to my comment.
I never comment. I read frequently. It’s very soothing to me to know that there is this other family out there. And they are going through the same issues we go through. And if I did comment or talk, you would understand. You would really get it.
Thank you for your blog!