A Beautiful Memory

Welcome back to Taylor Talks!

I really love the "memories" feature that Facebook has, because I'm constantly reminded of what stage my life was in last year or a few years ago. Today, I was reminded of a very special memory that I wanted to share here.

I'll let the memory speak for itself first...


​Wow, I can't believe it's been two years since my last sibling came to live with us... I can still remember when my mom texted me to give me the news, since I was at college at the time. It was a Sunday night, and I was sitting at my desk. My mom texted me and asked how many foster siblings I'd had. I said 18, why? And she wrote back "Wrong, meet your new sister!" There was a picture of the most adorable little girl included.

I had just gotten a retainer earlier that month (great that my braces were off, but yikes was that thing hard to get used to) and couldn't talk with it in, and I remember struggling like a lunatic trying to get it out as quickly as possible while I dialed the phone. I was freaking out so much, and as my mom gave me what little information she had, I just kept saying "Oh my God! I can't believe it!" It was crazy! And when I hung up, I ran into my roommate's bedroom and told her the good news. Having only been friends for less than a year, she had never gone through this whole experience with me before, so it was extremely exciting for both of us.

I packed my stuff and left a bag by the door; it was too late to go home then, but I wanted to be ready. The next morning, I barely made it through class because I was so anxious to get on the road. It was funny, because I was never late for that class, and yet I was late that day; my mom had texted me a million pictures and I had to text her to find out about my new sister's first night before I could leave my room. This meant, of course, that I had to stay after class to let my professor know what was going on. He was extremely understanding and impressed with my story, and I left the classroom with a wide smile. I rushed back to my house across the street from the campus to grab my bag and jump in the car. It seemed like the longest drive of my life, but it worth it when I got home and met my new little sister!

When I got home eventually, I gave everyone a hug hello and made sure to focus on the twins before meeting my new sister. It was the first time that they would have a new foster sibling, and they were only in preschool, so I had to make sure I didn't ignore them. Then I held my new little two-year-old sister, who was wide-eyed and sported the cutest little Afro! She was so timid and quiet, but I had those same butterflies meeting her that I had eighteen times in the past.

My nineteenth (and last) foster sibling was the first to arrive in my home when I wasn't there, and it was a weird experience for me. It was strange being away at college, and I felt like it took so much longer for me to really bond with her because of that. But eventually she did open up to me, and though she wasn't used to hugs, I used to scoop her up whenever she would allow me and hold her on my lap with the twins. When she left our home almost a year later, it was extremely heart-breaking for everyone. Still, it was a happy memory when I read Facebook today and remembered the last time a new foster child was placed with us.

I hope that's something that people have been able to take from Taylor Talks over the year and a half that I've been writing... that no matter how sad foster care can be when you have to say good bye to a child, the memories and love you feel while the child is with you are well worth the adventure.

Your continued support means the world to me. From foster care to novels, and family to work experiences, I look forward to sharing more of my life with you each day. Don't hesitate to share your own stories with me or ask me questions about my life. Please don't forget to like and share my Facebook author page as well!

I’d greatly appreciate it if you would share this blog with friends and family through your favorite social media sites. If you’re sharing on Twitter, don’t forget to tag me (@TayTayK02) and use the hashtag #TaylorTalks.

Thanks!
Taylor

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