On November 20, 2023, Abella had been in foster care for 727 days. Even more notable was her joy on the day of her adoption finalization. She was beaming with the knowledge that a new chapter in her life was officially starting, and she was so excited to change her last name. Her foster family’s community all gathered to celebrate, and with the arrival of each family member, friend, or caseworker, Abella’s joy grew more and more. It was clear how loved she was and that she felt that love. My favorite part was seeing Abella’s delight when a family member placed a tiara on her head, and she wore it with pride. Getting to witness Abella’s special day reminds me of the joy of the Gospel, what it means to go from a life with no hope or future to a life with endless joy, hope, and grace, covered in the love of an adoptive family.
Julia and Jacob were Abella's foster parents, and they officially became her adoptive parents after fostering Abella for most of her time in care. While fostering, Julia was working in the field of foster care and brought a special level of understanding and patience to the whole process. The journey was still challenging and there were times when they feared their dream of adopting Abella would be crushed by TPR appeals or other interruptions. However, they remained steadfast and hopeful, with a mindset focused on providing Abella with a rich life for as long as they could.
Julia and Jacob were dedicated to Abella’s well-being and development, and they ensured she could benefit from several extracurricular activities, tutoring, vacations, sleepovers, and regular church participation. Because of their dedication, Abella developed rich friendships, grew tremendously in reading, writing, and math, and even decided for herself to get baptized. She was thrilled to share this news with me and always had an energy for life that brought joy to my day. I’m amazed at the way Julia and Jacob cared for her as foster parents, and even more impressed that they managed to do this all while having a baby of their own. Now they are a thriving family of four and so excited for their future as a family!”