Timeline- (‘cause this seems to be what foster parents do)

1981- (1st grade) decided that there needed to be more cool foster parents like me

April 2005- almost adopted a 2 year-old Chinese boy with albinism

Summer 2006- worked in west African refugee camp just to make sure I’d done everything i wanted to before fostering/adopting

Oct 2008 - applied to be a foster parent

Nov 2008- began NYC foster parent class (MAPP)

Jan 2009- graduated MAPP class

3/23/09- homestudy (report by social worker who visits your house)

4/7/09- became certified foster parent for a girl 0-3 years old

4/14/09- defended dissertation (completed my ph.d.)

4/22/09 - received call to place first child, a boy (Snap)

4/29/09 - “Snap”, 2 months old (and 2 months premature), placed in my home

5/22/09- Snap ‘paroled’ to rehab with his mother

6/8/09- received 14 calls regarding ‘Jewish baby’

6/9/09- declined Jewish baby for fear Snap will return to foster care again

6/10/09- agreed to take Jewish baby for an emergency period. while waiting for baby to arrive received call that he was placed in a more permanent home

6/24/09 - met with lawyer to arrange post-adoption agreement for Snap (per his mom’s request)

6/29/09- received call regarding infant girl, said yes

7/8/09- call from agency canceling the infant girl and asking to deliver Asian newborn boy from hospital same afternoon. 3 hours later- baby canceled, family accepted him

7/10/09- received call regarding baby needing home by end of day- Agency forgot I was in Santa Fe.

07/14/09- received call regarding African-American newborn needing placement same day, said yes. Waited 2 days, ACS/agency mix-up and boy was placed in same foster home as siblings.

7/17/09- received call regarding baby girl born in the Bronx with a positive cocaine toxicology, said yes. 3 hours later agency cancelled.

7/20/09- received call regarding baby girl with positive cocaine toxicology, said yes.

7/22/09- ”Eaglet” (4 pounds) 1 month old, 2 months premature, placed in my home.

8/14/09- Eaglet moved to her Great-Aunt’s home where she joined her other two siblings.

8/18/09- Requested next child to be “pre-adoptive” status.

8/25/09- Received call regarding baby boy- not pre-adoptive. Declined.

9/2/09- Received call regarding baby boy- not pre-adoptive. Declined.

9/15/09- Received calling regarding “white baby”-not pre-adoptive. Declined.

12/1/09- Told agency I would again take a “non pre-adoptive child”.

12/1/09- Received call regarding black, 6 month-old girl with spherocytosis. With 5 minutes to decide I panicked and declined.

12/2/09- Received call regarding 20 month-old Hispanic girl, 1 hour later, “Jacket” placed in my home.

3/28/11- “Jacket” returned to her mother.

Summer 2011- asked to take any or all of Jacket’s 3 cousins. Asked to take two different black newborn boys born to mothers with several other children already in foster care at my agency- declined, declined, declined.

12/6/11- Received call regarding 6 month-old. Didn’t all back.

12/23/11- Received call regarding newborn. Didn’t call back.

1/11/12- Received call regarding 3 month-old African-American girl. Waited a few days and then relayed that I only wanted to adopt.

1/18/12- Received call regarding 7-day old girl, pre-adoptive, older sibling was already adopted. Once I called back the baby had already been placed with another family.