The Power of ‘Never Giving Up’: April and Eric’s Journey as Foster and Adoptive Parents

For over two decades, April and Eric have opened their home and hearts, building a remarkable family through foster care and adoption. Since 2001, they have provided a loving and structured environment for numerous children, a testament to their profound commitment to offering stability and a sense of belonging.

“You pray for compassion in your children’s hearts and when you actually see, it’s the best feeling ever,” said April. “It’s wonderful to watch your family love other children because it’s not easy to love somebody you don’t know, but when you have compassion in your heart, it overtakes it.”

April and Eric’s journey into foster care was inspired by Eric’s childhood, Eric’s parents were foster parents. Today, the compassion continues, as April and Eric’s grown biological son and his wife are now fostering babies and toddlers. April and Eric have three total biological sons and have adopted nine children during their time in foster care. Currently, April, Eric, their son and wife are looking after four foster children. They also have eight grandchildren from their older, adopted children, who are all grown and raising families of their own.

“Everybody’s time is precious, so in our home, everything is structured. We have to be with six littles. You just have to take each kid’s individual situations and make time. It can get very difficult, but we all work as a team in my home,” April added.

April emphasizes that a highly structured home is essential for managing the diverse needs of many children. Their family operates as a team, including help from their older sons and April’s mother, ensuring that each child receives individual attention and support. A cornerstone of their approach is open communication, encouraging the children to express their feelings and giving them a stable foundation. 

“We tell them the only thing you have to worry about is your school work, going to sleep and getting dressed other than that, we worry about it, that’s on our shoulders. We tell them your job is to play, go to school and have fun,” April explains. She added that it takes children a while to adjust to this new role because of the stressful situations they have been in. 

The most rewarding part of their journey is seeing children thrive and adapt to a stable life. They are dedicated to teaching the children to be productive citizens and building happy memories through family activities like trips to Disney World or Disneyland. They find immense satisfaction in witnessing the children overcome past difficulties, embrace school and sports, and develop a sense of self-worth.

“We let them know life doesn’t have to be what it was; we try to teach them that they could have a good life. When they’re living a fulfilling life, I think that one of the biggest rewards,” April explained. 

April calls their «hard cases» the «more rewarding cases,» as seeing positive change is incredibly fulfilling. For a child with challenging behavior, April and Eric worked with therapists to integrate them back into the family unit, with April emphasizing that these behaviors are a result of past trauma, and their role is to help children heal. One child who reunited with their biological parents once asked April why she never gave up on them, April’s answer was simple – love.

“Hard cases are the more rewarding cases. When you see that change in their life, it’s the best. And you’ve got to just roll with the punches as they come and you just love them. You help them through everything. Even when the cases are hard, that’s nothing that love can’t change. Love, structure and stability, all of that is what will help the child get better,” said April.

For April, fostering belonging is paramount. She openly communicates that foster children are now part of two families, theirs and their biological family. She prioritizes including them in everyday activities, from birthday parties to dinners, which helps the children feel important and loved and contributes to lasting, positive change. Driven by a deep-seated desire to ensure their home is always filled with activity and love, April and Eric plan to continue foster parenting as long as their health allows.

“There’s always something new, but there’s never that sad, lonely feeling. So, I don’t plan to ever quit until my health says I can’t. Then I’ll have to give it up. But until then, I’ll do it until I can’t. And my husband feels the same way,” April shared.