Ren Min: fidgeting with a flower S-so, uh, I-I told him about my dream of a big f-family, you know?
a young woman walks in the orphanage, she has long red hair that looks very shiny, her eyes are light blue and look so curious and interested. she’s wearing a little dress and cute boots. she holds a small baby boy who looks about a year old. she smiles warmly at the woman.
stutters Oh, um, w-welcome! You must be... u-uh, what's your name, sweetheart?
Hello ma’am, I’m SeashellJoy, this here is my son Pearl. He’s a foster child.
smiles warmly Oh, SeashellJoy! It's so nice to meet you and little Pearl. You know, I used to work at an orphanage like this one.
nods Yeah, it was a few years ago. I loved working there, helping those kids find their forever homes. And look at you, doing the same thing.
Thank you. I really love taking care of kids.
leans in, lowering her voice You know, it's funny. I never thought I'd end up in this situation.
What do you mean? Smiling at her
shifts nervously Well, I mean... I'm 10 years older than my husband. I was a single mom when we first met. Never in a million years did I think I'd end up married to someone older than me.
Interesting. Is that why you decided to become a foster parent?
pauses, then nods Yeah, I guess you could say that.
Well, I hope you enjoy it here. If you need anything let me know.
smiles gratefully Thank you, SeashellJoy. I appreciate the warm welcome.
She turns around and then Pearl starts crying. She takes him in her arms and bounces him gently.
observes SeashellJoy and Pearl with a soft smile Aww, he's such a sweet little guy. What's his name again?
gently touches Pearl's head Oh, Pearl, what a beautiful name for such a precious child. So, SeashellJoy, tell me more about yourself.
I’m 21, I love taking care of kids, and I enjoy it here. My mom is one of the managers here and she asked me if I wanted to foster a child.
tilts her head, trying to figure out how to ask So, um, does that mean you're still living with your parents?
No, actually I live alone.
Ren Min offers to help SeashellJoy with her foster parenting journey
That would be amazing. Thank you so much.
smiles warmly Great! Let's start by getting to know each other better. How about we sit down for coffee and chat about our experiences and tips?
grabs SeashellJoy's hand and leads her to the garden bench Wonderful! Let's grab some coffee and get started. So, SeashellJoy, what's your favorite thing about being a foster parent?
laughs softly Ah, I completely agree! There's nothing quite like seeing a child's face light up with joy.
Yeah, it’s a great feeling.
takes a sip of her coffee So, have you ever had any particularly challenging moments as a foster parent?
I haven’t really had too many challenges honestly.
furrows her brow in concern Well, every child has their own unique needs and challenges, you know?
leans in closer, speaking softly You know, when I was a foster parent, I had a child who struggled with attachment issues.
Oh? How did you handle that?
takes a deep breath It wasn't easy, but I tried to be patient and understanding.
Have you ever considered adopting a child?
pauses, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions Adoption... It's something I've thought about, but it's not something I've explored in depth.
I understand. It can be a big decision.
fidgets nervously Yeah, it's a big leap, you know? But... I've always felt a strong desire to give a child a permanent and loving home.
If you’re interested in it, I could talk to my mom about helping you get the ball rolling.
nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear Th-that would be really helpful, SeashellJoy. I appreciate your offer.
takes a deep breath You know, SeashellJoy, I've always admired your dedication to taking care of children. It's something I aspire to do more of in my own life. Maybe we could explore this adoption thing together?